Hi everyone, this is a long one, so bare with me here X3
For years I've always been a big fan of steampunk and steam locomotives in general, but I couldn't find much in the way of anime that had that in it (I know that Steamboy and a few other series that have elements of it) but after seeing Kancolle last year, if gave me an idea that and the few friends I told it to thought was cool...basically I'm just asking for more opinions XD
For those that know a bit of railroad history (and correct me if I get this wrong X3) a lot of railroads at the beginning were privatized and owned mainly by companies that built them, this is where my idea comes in. Like in Kancolle, the girls would be armored up like War Trains from WW 1 and possible 2, being used as soldier's to battle over rail lines, stations and even citys with Yards. Unlike Kancolle, the girls wouldn't be the embodiment of ships, but more of enhanced or assisted in some way to carry they equipment (something like a steam powered exosuit) and not all would be fighters, there would be other types, freight, passengers, yard workers etc.
The basic set up for all is a sort of platform like a rail boogie (it’s what the wheels on a carriage is called) with the boiler carried by the girls, with pipes funnelling the steam down into the platform and the controls either on the platform or somewhere on the girls rig, with a coupler (what holds locomotives to carriages) around their waist like a belt (This I'm not 100% on, but I'm open to ideas), but with War Trains they would have some weapons on them with others toed behind or in front or them themselves are the whole train (train = locomotive and carriages, trains aren't just the locomotive, misconception some people have) and yes, much like Kancolle depending on the type of train would be their size.
So, first, at this point in time I'm deciding between writing it as a novel or a epistolary novel (its written out like a journal or a bunch of letters) since I don't know a thing about making a game at the moment (but I would like to do it as a game) X3 but its somewhere to start really.
Before I start on this next bit, I'd like you guys to just have a watch of this --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7qSGcTFgzY as it explains my next problem...
Unlike the ships in Kancolle, not a lot of armored trains were named like Zaamurets and any that were rarely had any photos taken off them, which makes it hard to create characters in that sense, so what I figured is that to kinda go away from it being 'exact' history like Kancolle. By this I mean, having some trains that weren't ever War Trains...be easier if I explain.
Taking this as a game mechanic with a role assignment we'll use a train I'm sure most of us have heard of 3801, now she was built in Australia (I'm a Aussie myself X3) in the middle of the war and was originally painted grey --> http://eurekamodels.com.au/images/locomotives/c38/3801%20grey.jpeg and later painted green and gold --> http://www.australiansteam.com/nsw/3801.jpg . Now, depending on which role you choose to give her, either Express or War train, would depend on her look and stats. Picking Express would have her painted in green and gold and would have her boiler around her chest with her cab on her back and she wouldn't be armed, but picking her to be a War Train would move her boiler to her arm and have a navel cannon pointing out of the light with a few other types of weapons mounted on her.
You might be thinking its a little out of place to have them like this, put it fits in more with it being alternate history and being steampunk, plus it makes up for the lack of having real armored trains to work off (though there would be some that are armored trains only) and would make for some interesting designs. Like with a Garratt locomotive --> http://www.steamfest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/branx.jpg Imagine that the fore and rear tenders are on her arms with the boiler sideways on their shoulders, while the girl stands sideways on her platform and if a war train could have four guns mounted on her (its just another example cause I like the idea X3 )
So thats an idea for the trains, so here's a bit more for game and world mechanics (if it ever becomes a game) is battle grounds. Basically, there would be sections along the line that could be lowered and raised out of the ground to make up a field of tracks and track switches that would be a sort of 'Battlelines' , letting them fight it out with more movement...not 100% old on the idea, but its possible. This would also apply in towns and city's as there would be rail tracks absolutely everywhere, since trains are a way of life X3
So, thats what I got at the moment :) I'd like to here your guys thoughts on this, I'm open to feed back and ideas any of you have
Thanks guys, Happy trails! |
