The Art Deco Solar System

This!


What is this?

It's an image I plan on using for the cover of my next publication: Dieselpunk In a Nutshell.

What is Dieselpunk In a Nutshell?

Dieselpunk In a Nutshell is a series of tables to let you generate your own dieselpunk science fiction setting.

What's dieselpunk?

Dieselpunk is similar to steampunk. While steampunk borrows scientific theories, technology and ideas from the Victorian era, dieselpunk takes it's inspirations from the science fiction of the pulp magazines and books of the 30's and 40's. The Buck Rogers comic strip of the 1930s is an  excellent example. While it often uses handwavium inventions and materials (recoilless force beams, reverse weight elements) it also has technology that is extrapolated from the technology and science of the day. You have vacuum tube electronic brains, atomic rockets, and energy weapons.

What do I get out of this?
Nothing actually unless you buy it. But if you buy Dieselpunk In a Nutshell, you'll be getting charts of various inventions, menaces and civilizations to help fill in a whole dieselpunk setting!

What rule system does it use?
It's systemless. It gives general results you tailor to whatever system you use.

Why?
There's a lot of good systems already out there which I don't want or need to compete with right now.

Did you pay for that art you're using?
It's public domain art! Cut me some slack!

How about a sample?
Sure!

Earth in the future is
  1. a virtual utopia (or is it?)
  2. recovering from disaster (atomic war, planetary disaster, secret weapon gone wrong)
  3. wasteland and ruins (mostly)
  4. a puppet state (publicly or secretly)
  5. uninhabitable outside domed cities (or is it?)
  6. under strict rationing of vital resources such as food and water (really in short supply, hoarded or wasted?)

The technology features (roll till you're satisfied):

  1. Strange Elements
Strange elements are usually found or manufactured in small amounts (enough for the weird scientist to build a unique prototype but not mass production). 

  1. Anti-gravity Element(s) Antigravity elements usually exert a repulsive force far beyond their actual weight. A cubic foot could lift several humans like a balloon or allow the construction of several flying belts or a small personal flyer. Any of these devices should have a mechanism to release some of the lift element just in case some mishap lightens the load. For example a rocketship might get its tail shot off and rise like a shot. remove some of the AGE and you reduce the lift letting you float to Earth (or wherever).
  2. Metanite Ore These rare elements allow you to access a whole new spectrum. Meta particles only interact with meta ore. You can build sensors or communications devices that are undetectable and unjamable by electronic means. This is  huge step forward in terms of stealth and espionage.
  3. Gravinite Spin this element in a centrifuge, say, and you generate gravity at a right angle to the direction of spin. Gravinite tops for the kids were great for pranking the neighbors living above you. Spacecraft can use gravinite to fight the effects of weightlessness. It also creates rapid (really rapid) acceleration f your setting has intercontinental subway tubes or orbital towers. High gravity fields can also be used to ground aircraft or restrain intruders.
  4. Invisite Crystals of invisite ‘imprint’ on the colors of their surrounding. An object coated in invisite is perfectly camouflaged and invisible beyond a few yards. As you may imagine it’s pretty hard to find.
  5. Cerebrite Cerebrite accelerates mental processes. It increases intelligence if worn near the brain (in a headband, for example) In individuals possessing psychic powers it increases there range and duration and can be habit forming.
  6. Immunite Immunity increases the power of the immune systems. This provides faster healing and resistance to pathogens. Life exposed to immunity from birth possess the ability to regenerate and heal almost any damage.


What else?
Other technologies include, special alloys, power sources, super weapons and robots. A special table lets you detail what your futuristic world lacks (you have a television screen that takes up a wall but no remote so your robot butler switches channels for you.)

An optional section lets you roll for what the worlds of the Solar System hold in store.

How much is this?
One buck! For about 12 pages. I'll even throw in a table to generate an individual helmet design for your hero!

Didn't you do a post on that?
Oh for ... It'll  have more stuff. It'll be good! I'm going live with this the first week in May.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Proxy? You Misspelled Patsy! Part 1

Trade Relations

Traveller: Society in Decline or Post Apocalyptic?