So my players wanted to try a Steampunk game and since I frankly know nothing about the genre I began to look around. Much to my surprise I'm having a very difficult time finding a pure Steampunk game. By pure I mean a game that's not Fantasy or Horror etc with Steampunk bolted on(pardon the pun).

While I have no problem with some supernatural elements I don't want elves and dwarves walking the streets of London.

So far the closest I've come is Victoriana, but even that is loaded with non-human races. Any suggestions or am I out of luck?

Space: 1889 (GDW, later Heliograph)
First I recall seeing the "steampunk" term, back when "cyberpunk" was in vogue. European imperialism on Mars and Venus. Treaded landships and walking tripods, ether flyers with solar boilers, sail-driven airships of Martian liftwood, mysteries on Luna, anarchists and monarchists all over the place.

Forgotten Futures (Google for the website)
Free-to-download rules for various pieces of science fiction that were written during the Victorian era, along with the stories themselves.

Cakebread and Walton have a steampunk book out for their OneDice system but I've yet to have a look at it. It doesn't seem to be locked in to horror or spaceships or such.

Is Steampunk really a genre itself?

I see steampunk as more of a setting than a genre. What types of adventures would be "pure" steampunk?

Quote from: Exploderwizard;790939Is Steampunk really a genre itself?

Probably not... mostly an excuse to wear goggles and hot-glue gears on your hat.
Kind of like how 'Gothic' has come to be wearing black and putting skulls on everything.
Except for the fashions and equipment I can't think of what identifying elements a Steampunk game would have that isn't shared by Victorian scifi.

Quote from: Simlasa;790946Probably not... mostly an excuse to wear goggles and hot-glue gears on your hat.
Kind of like how 'Gothic' has come to be wearing black and putting skulls on everything.
Except for the fashions and equipment I can't think of what identifying elements a Steampunk game would have that isn't shared by Victorian scifi.

...or, indeed, cyberpunk (Well, other than people having manners and dressing well).

Pure is admittedly entirely a matter of taste. I'm not sure I can define it but I'll know it when I see it kind of thing.

Deadlands is a western game with SP elements.

Radiance is a fantasy game with SP.

Space:1889 is a space game using steampunk instead of science fiction.

I guess I'm looking for something that puts the emphasis on the gadgets in a more or less Victorian era setting. There are a number of games out there that just don't seem to have any reviews for them so I'm asking here.

Quote from: Xanador;790952e

I guess I'm looking for something that puts the emphasis on the gadgets in a more or less Victorian era setting. There are a number of games out there that just don't seem to have any reviews for them so I'm asking here.

I think in general you're going to end up with "Steampunk+ something," because steampunk is basically a visual and technological aesthetic, not something to solely hang a game framework on--that is "Steampunk" by itself is just Alt-history, and it needs other genre conceits to make it more regularly playable. That isn't to say you can't have an awesome game that is mostly  steampunk. I'm working on one (someday) but the plan is to do one with no fantasy races that aren't drawn from (near) Victorian fiction. It will be "pulp Steampunk" though, as you need character doing things besides working 18 hour days in the textile factories, or lording over others and talking about t he good old days when Britain conquered the world.

Admittedly, I'm tired of elves and dwarves in such settings.

(Especially since most Victorian era fae things were sprites, and pixie like things)

You might take a look at the "Widening Gyre", which is a steampunk setting for Hero System. It is pretty good and less tied to SF, Horror or other outre elements that might make it seem less pure.

Castle Falkenstein is the closest I've got, though I, too, dispute the idea of "pure" steampunk — at least as the term's understood nowadays, which has nothing to do with "punk", really.

On the other hand, you might be able to think up a "proper" steampunk if PCs are savvy but marginalized malcontents ("punks") eking out an existence somewhere within the cracks and crevices of a dystopic steampunk society. A game that would be to The Difference Engine as Cyberpunk 2020 is to Johnny Mnemonic or Neuromancer.

Quote from: Xanador;790910While I have no problem with some supernatural elements I don't want elves and dwarves walking the streets of London.

So far the closest I've come is Victoriana, but even that is loaded with non-human races. Any suggestions or am I out of luck?

There's another game based on the Victoriana 2e game engine called Dark Harvest : Legacy of Frankenstein, which you can pick up from DTRPG (1st ed corebook is free, 2nd ed is coming next year or so).

It's set in an alternate Romania before WW1, which Victor Frankenstein took over and made into a SCIENCE MERITOCRACY! using his genius inventing powers and his knowledge; the setting is currently in a cold war between the former Romanian nobles (Who just want to oppress peasants, because they're jerks), an underground peasant rebellion (Led by Adam), Victor's scientists (Victor wants no part of this civil war, and wants the nobles gone because they're dicks who have abused his technology), and the other nations outside Promothea (Who are cheerfully gearing up for WW1 and would really, really, like Victor's tech on their side). There's an all-powerful military police force used as a pawn between all of the groups, and the setting contains potential for all sorts of adventures; the tech level isn't too WTFgonzo (General tech is about twenty years ahead of the rest of the world, but mastery of genetics and electricity is unparalleled). There's no supernatural or magic; it's all tech.

It's pretty good, I like it.

Fair disclosure: I was one of the playtesters, and I'm friends with most of the writers in real life.

http://www.tripleacegames.com/brands/leagues-of-adventure/

Quote from: Phillip;790914Space: 1889Forgotten Futures (Google for the website)
Free-to-download rules for various pieces of science fiction that were written during the Victorian era, along with the stories themselves.

This feels like a great recommendation, and given it's shareware and one can check it out for free.

Im definitely not going to be recommending Through the Breech - I just got it, and like it, but it's way too fantasy for the OP.

The newest iteration of Victoriana was less fantastic at least.

Thanks, looks like several useful suggestions for me to check out.

Have you looked at Leagues of Adventure?