1. So tell me, how did the apocalypse happen? Rank
in your order of most to least preferred method.
# Answer 1 2 3 4 5 6 Total
Responses
1 Biological/chemical warfare 3 4 8 1 5 1 22
2 Climate change/environmental collapse 3 4 5 7 2 1 22
3 Global pandemic/viral outbreak 4 4 2 3 3 6 22
4 Social collapse/fossil fuels run out 7 5 3 4 2 1 22
5 Nuclear holocaust 1 3 1 4 6 7 22
6 Destroyed technology - global EMP/global hack 4 2 3 3 4 6 22
Total 22 22 22 22 22 22 -

2. And about *when* did this apocalypse happen?
# Answer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Total
Respons
es
1 Ancient steampunk 2 0 1 0 3 2 2 3 9 22
2 Renaissance steampunk 3 1 3 1 4 2 1 5 2 22
3 1825-1875 (Industrial Revolution) 2 6 6 1 1 4 2 0 0 22
4 1875-1925 (Second Industrial Revolution) 2 4 4 3 1 4 4 0 0 22
5 1925-1975 (Atomic and Space Age) 2 3 3 6 4 0 1 2 1 22
6 1975 -2025 (Information and Digital Age) 5 2 1 5 7 2 0 0 0 22
7 2025-2075 (Near-ish Future) 3 3 1 2 0 6 4 2 1 22
8 2075 to 2125 (Far-ish Future) 2 3 0 2 2 1 6 6 0 22
9 Far, far future/alien invasion 1 0 3 2 0 1 2 4 9 22
Total 22 22 2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
22 -

3. And in the world we will be building, how long
ago was the apocalypse?
# Answer Res
po
nse
%
1 Like, yesterday. (Very much like the world of question #2) 0 0%
2 5 years. (Very similar to the world of question #2) 2 9%
3 10 years. (Similar to the world of question #2 but significant changes
developing.)
7 32%
4 25 years. (Traces of the world of question #2, but things have largely
changed and moved on.)
4 18%
5 50 years. ("Ancient" traces of the world of question #2, but only old
timers remember that world.)
7 32%
6 100 years. (Traces of the world of question #2 are few and far
between; virtually no one lived in that world.)
2 9%
7 300+ years. 0 0%
Total 22 100%

4. And finally, are we talking about an alternate
version of our reality or an entirely fictional
world?
# Answer Response %
1 Alternate version of
reality (for example,
shared ancient history,
major events in global
history, etc.)
18 82%
2 Nope, let's just borrow a
few things from our
world but mostly play in a
new world entirely (no
connection to historical
events on earth)
4 18%
Total 22 100%

5. 9. What should be the functional, playable area
of our created world? (Remember this scale will
help de...
# Answer 1 2 3 4 5 Total
Responses
1 A country region, large state, or large country (e.g. the
Midwest, Southwest, Northeast, or California or Texas, or
Spain, France)
3 3 1 5 1
0
22
2 A state or medium-sized country (e.g. Wisconsin, Washington
State, or England, Germany)
2 6 8 5 1 22
3 A state region or small-sized country (e.g. northern Illinois,
southern Wisconsin, Netherlands, Switzerland)
8 3 6 2 3 22
4 A very large city (e.g. Tokyo, Mexico City, New York City,
London)
8 6 3 4 1 22
5 A small to medium city (e.g. 10-100K people, Green Bay) 1 4 4 6 7 22
Total 2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
-

6. What season should the sessions take place?
Rank in order of preference.
# Answer 1 2 3 4 Total
Responses
1 Winter 6 6 3 7 22
2 Spring 6 7 4 5 22
3 Summer 2 4 9 7 22
4 Fall 8 5 6 3 22
Total 22 22 22 22 -

7. Tricky Social Questions Results
Gender Econ Str Econ Dist Race Sex Ornt Pop size Gov/law Pol Infr Hlth/Edu Religion
1 1 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 1
2 5 10 0 6 10 5 11 4 9 9
3 2 5 5 7 8 10 6 10 7 8
4 12 2 13 5 3 5 2 7 3 2
5 1 1 3 0 0 1 2 0 1 1
Gender relations: 4 = Patriarchal
Economic strength: 2 = Recession
Economic distribution: 4 = Significant inequality
Race relations: 2-4 = Range of racial tensions
Sexual orientation: 2-3 = Mostly accepted; acceptance & intolerance
Population size: 3 = Medium (375k)
Law and government: 2 = Limited, “Wild West” culture
Political Infrastructure: 3 = Small communities w/democratic structures
Healthcare & education: 2-3 = Limited to spotty; expensive
Religious influence: 2-3 = Limited to mixture; small but powerful groups

8. 23. Give a narrative description of the world and
its key features. (just a few examples)
Text Response
A world divided by classes. Medieval-like, a few rich people who live in cities with law enforcement, technology, hospitals, and schools.
Outside the cities is a lawless structure in which factions control for "turf". The people living outside the cities are uneducated and survive by
farming, scraping, or other "simple" tasks. A few religious cults are scattered throughout the world.
A series of religious wars combined with plague has decimated Europe's population. England has become the renaissance equivalent of a
police state as it unsuccessfully tries to cut itself off from the mainland. A whole range of religious sects emerge (similar to what actually
happened in the English Civil War) and inventors, artists and other "renaissance men" flock to England in order to flee the chaos engulfing
mainland Europe. These inventors congregate in isolated colonies and begin to disseminate steam technology across the countryside, much to
the chagrin of some religious groups and Luddites. In the meantime, the serfs and women have gained significant social standing because
much of the labor force has been killed. However, the nobles are still desperately trying to cling to power in the face of massive social
changes.
Milwaukee in the mid-1800s. A large portion of the population was wiped out, causing the remaining people to group together in an
overpopulated city. They have made use of the old Beer baron mansions, the row-houses are now over crowded, and the factories run night
and day. Steam floods the lower working quarters, while decadence leaks from the homes of the old beer barons. Those that survived the
apocalypse have set their families up for dynasties, those that did not left behind fabled and hidden wealth in their freshly occupied
homesteads.
This universe we inhabit is in the aftermath of a tyrannical president who feared progressive improvement and technology. Using brute force,
he had it all shut down by destroying grids, powersources, etc. It was not unlike Diego De Landa's actions. Books were burned, all accounts of
societal improvement were manipulated, and scholars were killed, all so that the contemporary world was shaped to be what the tyrannical
president wanted it to be. Now it is a world divided, with some loyal to their tyrant president and some bitterly opposed. And the president
lives, in hiding, somewhere in the city we play in. Local politicians still exist, but their motives and loyalties are hard to distinguish. It is not a
world that is struggling to survive, per se, as it is a world trying to destroy the detrimental political factions and draconian rule that has taken
over everything,
The world I'm imagining is one in which electronics were completely wiped out by some means, be it an EMP by a militant group or sunspots.
This occurs sometime between the 1980s-today. Fast forward 25 years into the future, and most survivors are living in small communities
amongst what used to be larger cities, with large swaths of "no man's land" in between. The communities each function like ancient city-
states, and offer protection of law and order while within their borders. However, outside the gates, bandits and wild animals reign. Steam
technology has taken the place of electricity, and has progressed to the point where most buildings have some sort of steam-powered
apparatus, be it a heating system or rudimentary medical equipment.