Poll: Steampunk or cyberpunk?

[Bruin]

Steampunk just seems like a label people slap on any time they want to put robots in the dark ages.

Steampunk is the Victorian age, generally 1800s.

Far from the Dark Ages.

Well, at least, Victorian age technology evolved for 20th century purposes.

Can't tell me they wouldn't think of a way to make mechanical robot suits after 200 years of using steam, either.

Not to mention, SteamPunk's sort of about being outrageously extravagant and over-the-top with some inventions.

 

[dalek sec]

I rather like both but for Steampunk is slightly more interesting simply because it seem's hopeful and Cyberpunk is just like BSG all day long. I have a question, would the following two item's count as steampunk?

Spoiler

Spoiler

If anyone can answer my question thanks!

 

[Ze_Reaper_Of_Zeath]

Steampunk.

Boiled water can make a turret tell the difference between friend or foe.

 

[fisk0]

I do like both, but I prefer cyberpunk.
Steampunk is for the most part just a flimsy, shallow visual style. Cyberpunk also has that, but a lot of philosophical and ethical stuff is also inherent in the genre - common themes are transhumanism, corporatism, religion - while steampunk just isn't anything more than a design - it often appears along with alternate history stuff, but it doesn't require alternate history themes or anything else than steam machines and stuff.

 

[YepGeddon]

I prefer steampunk myself. I just think got a lasting appeal, 'cos we can only get further away from the badassery, but every day we edge closer to cyberpunk days.

 

[Sir Thomas Sean Connery]

I prefer Apunkaliptic.

 

[katsumoto03]

Steam punk. There's something about overcomplicated arrays of cogs and pipes that really appeals to me on the asthetic level. Plus, many things designed with steampunk are made to look... pretty. As if technology is treated like an art. I don't know if I can explain it right.

You perfectly explained what I was thinking.

 

[masseyguy911]

Oh I love both so much, but if I must choose one or the other...
Cyberpunk.

 

[duckers101]

oldskool steampunk is so much better
you cant really have top hats in cyber
and everyone loves tophats

 

[MatsVS]

First, let's get one thing clear:

Cyberpunk is not just science fiction with advanced technology, it's science fiction set in the close future, with equal focus on sociology and psychology. Usually this is exemplified by a contrast between the advanced technology and decrepit living conditions.

Cyberpunk: William Gibson (Neuromancer), Neal Stephenson (Snow Crash, The Diamond Age), Richard Morgan (Altered Carbon) & Ian McDonald (River of Gods, Cyberabad Days)

Steampunk: Jeff VanderMeer (mainly his editorial work), China Miéville (Perdido Street Station, Iron Council), Felix Gilman (Thunderer, Gears of the City), Michael Moorcock (Warlord of the Air)

Jeez, that's a close call, but I think I fall slightly on the side of steampunk. Perhaps a reread of Gibson and Stephenson would change my mind, as it has been many years. However, it could very well be the 'weird' elements of VanderMeer and Miéville that makes me love them as much as I do. Bah, hard choice!

 

[AvsJoe]

Cyberpunk. Because I <3 Vexille.

Because I <3 JAGs!

 

[lumenadducere]

Cyberpunk. You seem to get the more interesting stories - ethics of AI, questions about humanity, etc. and you can also easily get into stories of political intrigue. Steampunk has some titles like that (BioShock, Arcanum), but most seem to be high adventure...which I love, but I find myself more engaged with the more murky stories.

 

[Macgyvercas]

Steam punk, simply because I think that the Victorian Era was awesome and clockwork is amazing.

 

[Zero_ctrl]

I think a mixture of the two can be pretty cool.

 

[Chased]

Definitely Cyberpunk. Steampunk reminds me of rust, the Victorian Era and Bioshock all things which I dislike.

 

[MarsProbe]

Steampunk for me. I used to be one for cyberpunk but after perhaps a bit too much Ghost in the Shell and it's numerous tv series and films, I grew a bit tired of all the well, "cyber" stuff. So it's probably just as well I read the likes of Counterfeit World (cyber, perhaps, if not very "punk", Neuromancer and Snow Crash first.

Pfft, looks like I've beaten to the post on rhyming off two of those books. And there I was thinking I was going to come off like some literary genius!

But for now, I just prefer the whole aesthetic of steampunk. Until something shinier comes along anyway...

 

[Jfswift]

I've always felt cyberpunk was more interesting. There's more stuff you can do with it too, ie. higher technology levels.

 

[Arachon]

First, let's get one thing clear:

Cyberpunk is not just science fiction with advanced technology, it's science fiction set in the close future, with equal focus on sociology and psychology. Usually this is exemplified by a contrast between the advanced technology and decrepit living conditions.

Cyberpunk: William Gibson (Neuromancer), Neal Stephenson (Snow Crash, The Diamond Age), Richard Morgan (Altered Carbon) & Ian McDonald (River of Gods, Cyberabad Days)
[...]

Snow Crash is more of a deconstruction of Cyberpunk though, sort of an early post-Cyberpunk if you will. And Altered-Carbon would probably fall in the realm of dystopic post-Cyberpunk as well.

 

[OManoghue]

Steampunk I'd say, louder clunkier robots are awesome.