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I need reference guides, something to help my imagine get a better grasp of the world I'm trying to play around in, any suggestions? xD

I don't know books of anything steampunk, but there are a couple movies that really hit the spot when you need inspiration for what steampunk is.

The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello is a good movie, very steam-punk.

The Golden Compass is set in a fictionalized steampunk world.

As well as Van Helsing is somewhat steampunk-like.

Each of the movies are decently good, and they have many steampunk aspects. For those who don't know, steampunk is "a genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery rather than advanced technology." though many people take it much further as the popularity grows for odd clothing, industrialized inventions, and innovative ways of doing things mostly pertaining to steam power.

Knowing the basic definition gives a slight insight into what steampunk is, as a genre, and can do as an imaginative spark for authors and readers.

"Personally, I think Victorian fantasies are going to be the next big thing, as long as we can come up with a fitting collective term for Powers, Blaylock and myself. Something based on the appropriate technology of the era; like 'steam-punks', perhaps."
—K.W. Jeter

Personally, when I think steampunk I think giant waterwheels, factories everywhere, lot's of metal gear, large metal bridges from place to place, airships made from brass and iron, basically - Victorian era dress style, in the industrial revolution, with floating islands, and infinite water.

Edit:: A lot more information can be gathered from reading the Wikipedia Article on steampunk.

Oh, it's not that I'm unfamiliar with the genre. I've been researching it for a while, on Wikipedia and several other sites, but it's still rather obscure as a genre and I don't want to read about it at this point, I want to read / see it.

google images "steampunk"? or google shopping "Steampunk" - you can look at it all and read about the items. Although, keeping in mind it isn't a very developed genre, so it's likely there won't be an abundance of items and pictures to look at (unlike searching for "Science Fiction")

I've done both, not quite enough for my curious mind. I am going to take your previous advice and go watch a movie based in the world.

I played a SteamPunk game called Verdigris on Android but i didn't like it to much. It is a GameBook however if your interested in it.

Google "Verdigris Android" to find it though.

Meeeh. I may. I don't need a good book or movie because I don't give a damn what the plot is, I just wanna look at the world.

There's a book called "wonderbook" that's okay. It's an illustrated guide to world building.

Also check Scott westerfield or china mieville

Thanks, Seth.

I haven't read much, but I have played a bit.

Dishonored is a Steampunk game, it's also only 19.95 at Gamestop and availiable for PC. My old Toshiba laptop actually runs it pretty well, too. there's also an indie game whose name I forgot, (I think it's called Rift, I'm not sure) where you change certain areas to instances in the past using a Tesla gauntlet. But, chances are, if you've played Bioshock, you know quite well the world you're playing around in, at least tech-and-scenery-wise. Myst and the Thief series also qualify.

There's also a pretty cool one called Darkwatch and there's also a steampunk'ed Diablo-like rpg called Arcanum, while I'm at it. There's also a wonderful game called PATHOLOGIC that technically qualifies. You should play that one. It's one of my favorite games.

Ah, Bioshock. Good game. Never thought of it as steampunk, though, and with good reason. xD It's a different era. Steampunk is mainly in the Victorian era, which was 1837-1901. Bioshock (the first game, anyway) takes place in the 1960s. Still, it would be interesting to draw some inspiration from, really.

I'll check out a couple of the others, thanks.

 

Yeah, the time period isn't where it's at, but the technology and the color of the metal is a definite bit of steampunk.

The game you were thinking of was "Singularity".

Kind of Steampunk, more like a Cold war kind of feel from me.

(Then again, when you go back to the future after saving that one guy who later takes over the world, it is kind-of Steampunk...)

Also, kind of like Bioshock, if you think about it.

"One of the best, 10/10" -Tim36D

No, not singularity, this was a puzzle game taking place in the ruins of a library. You could use the glove to turn sections of the world around you back the way they were in the past, and use a broken eyeglass to see into the past. It doesn't even have a storyline, I don't think.

I love Dishonored.  Unfortunately, I suck at stealth games, so I can only get the high chaos playthrough.

I suck at pacifism, so I can only get the bad endings...

I don't actually know of any steampunk books, but I know a handful of movies that I guess you could consider steampunk:

Treasure Planet

Hugo

Stardust (Sort of)

Oz the Great and Powerful (Sort of)

The Brother's Grimm (Kinda)

A Series of Unfortunate Events (Maybe a little)

The Illusionist (Tiny bit)

The Prestige (Okay, most of these aren't really Steampunk, but they have a vaguely Steampunky feel to them.)