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Steamecha
 Image from Steve Bowers |
Steam-powered armoured bipedal mecha popular among extreme hobbyists and steampunkers in the NoCoZo and elsewhere.
Steamecha are very large steam-powered bipedal walking devices which use advanced materials but primitive mechanical steam engines and manually-targeted weapons. The combination of high-pressure steam and inaccurate projectiles means that combat is highly dangerous; steamecha aficionados are often burnt or injured by shrapnel from exploding boilers. Most casualities are treated very quickly thanks to vigilant autonomous docvecs, but fatalities still occur occasionally. A significant number of steampunkers do not use back-up technology, and in such cases the fatalities are permanent.
Some steamecha use hi-tech power systems that emit artificial smoke and steam clouds and are much safer - but these fakes are looked down at by true steampunkers.
Many steam-mech aficionados tweak their mechs to make as much noise as possible. The screech of badly-oiled joints and the clank of gears is considered desirable. Replicating the look, sound and smell of ancient, classic designs (such as the Prylor-Gamma-Gamma mechs of 54th century Atlantis) is a common goal, and the use of large (and noisy) machine cannon (such as the Scorn Cannon) allows enthusiasts to produce many exciting kinds of mayhem.
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- Steampunk, Steampunker - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Baseline subculture popular in the the NoCoZo and MPA. Steampunkers try to cultivate elaborate steam-powered retro cultures, often using baroque and baseline-dangerous weaponry and machinery, and combining this with advanced uploading and biocloning technology to ensure their revival in the (likely) case of extreme injury or death.
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Development Notes
Text by Peter Kisner, M. Alan Kazlev, Steve Bowers
Initially published on 31 December 2001.
Revised 1 September 2015
Initially published on 31 December 2001.
Revised 1 September 2015
