12 to Midnight

Howdy. This is the first of a series on the design of SteamWorks. I’m hoping to provide some idea as to the nature of the material found in the book, as well as some insight into the various design decisions that were made along the way. I’ve been working on the book that is now called SteamWorks for somewhere in the region of seven years. Over that time, the mechanics have been completely rewritten several times; only in the past three did it begin to resemble what it is now. A reasonable question, then, would be – why keep at it? Seven years is a long time to devote to something, but I feel the time investment has been worth it. I’ve had an interest in steampunk technology for a long time (perhaps only a little bit longer than I’ve been working on SteamWorks), and since then I’ve been intrigued by the concept of combining steampunk with fantasy. The goal of SteamWorks, then, is just that: to allow for the introduction of steampunk-esque technology into a fantasy setting. SteamWorks makes exactly one assumption about the setting in which it is placed (that assumption being the way a druid regards technology), and that assumption can be easily ignored. There are rules in the book that deal with technology’s interaction with magic and psionics, and there are also details regarding multiple ways in how technology can be brought into a world. The system implemented in SteamWorks mirrors the design of the d20 spell system, ensuring that there is balance between the technology-using classes and the magic-using classes. While the system mirrors spells, it doesn’t replicate it – there are differences between the two that give technology a definite feel, separate from that of magic, and while there is some overlap in what the two are capable of, there are some things that only technology can do. It would even be possible to use SteamWorks in the envisioning of an setting that has no magic, using technology in its stead. SteamWorks details a versatile system that allows for the use of technology in any setting. It makes (almost) no assumptions about your setting; it doesn’t require any change in the setting it is placed into; and it is complete in and of itself, allowing you to pick up the book and run with it. That’s the goal of SteamWorks, and I hope that you’ll find that it accomplishes that goal well.