I appreciate the context, thank you for taking the time to explain! Given that new information, then yes I agree: sci fi sounds like the way to go.

Disclosure: I have yet to explore the works you've mentioned above, so please pardon my ignorance and lack of relevant examples [currently going through Innocence is Lost].

I mean, I'm brand new here so what the fuck do I know, but if I may wax poetic on the topic of sci fi VS fantasty for just a second: 

I always considered those two genres as two sides of the same coin. I'm sure that hot take is about as groundbreaking as florals for spring, but humor me, if you will. 

If the steampunk setting is powered by magic instead of technology, could it, arguably, fit more within the fantasy genre? Conversely, if the steampunk setting is fueled by technological advances with magical elements being a more cultural aspect VS a technological aspect, I feel that could snugly fit within the sci fi category.

Funnily enough, I come from a post-by-post RP background [the likes of Proboards, Invisionfree, and Jcink ... in order of most-ancient to least-ancient] and while I never dared dipped a toe into the world that is Warrior Cats [or any other type of anthropomorphic mess], I've seen those sites around so I can empathize with the struggle. That, and bad writers/poor character developers/logic-means-fuck-all-in-storyteling types in general, regardless of the site's fandom or setting.

Pardon, I'm getting bad RP flashbacks. I digress - for now, as I'm sure I'll find some way to insert my shit RP experiences into some unwitting person's thread.

My snake av was a quick lazy choice via Google images :( I wanted my usual silly snake emjoi Android style but alas, I was too lazy to downsize the file to make it fit. Perhaps I'll invoke the Red Viper for its next iteration. 

Thank you! 

However, I shan't apologize for making dear mizal cry - they are happy tears, after all ... even if I am a tad bit surprised that forming proper sentences is, apparently, rare on a reading/writing forum LOL

A snake's tongue is quite flexible after all, though it takes an awful lot of pressure to press on each key. Flexible, but flimsy. And no, I wouldn't hold a hoe against you - if you can catch my side-winding ass, that is.

But wouldn't having a sssuper sssneaky sssnek as a backyard pet much more fun?

Thanks for the welcome! I'm psyched to have found another interactive fiction/writing forum. Admittedly, I only heard about the existence of this site via CoG recently, but I'm surprised I haven't came across this place before - I've been searching for IF on and off for years, so this is pretty sweet. I've been a reader/player of IF, but I'm interested in expanding that into writing my own in time. 

Thanks again, and perhaps maybe try not to lop my head off?