new story genre idea? Reverse-punk

[Aroona]

Wasn't sure where to put this and I'd like to hear what you guys all think.

A huge plot bunny just thumped me in the head, and it's name is reverse-punk. (working backwards from modern technology into old)

Summary: All things needing electricity or fuel suddenly stops working, especially if it is a weapon. So humanity has to resort to making old fashioned weapons with new materials. New ways of powering things needs to be found, like perpetual motion mechanisms, man powered or clockwork, though trying to stay away from steam punk-ish things, then again nothing can be steam powered anymore.

Idea floating around in my head:
September 1st 2020, across a war torn globe, after a break out all across the continents and the seas something spectacular and terrifying brought humanity to a grinding halt. The sun did not rise, scientists are baffled, all creeds of religion had no answer despite trying to find one. Astronauts are just as confused, unable to see the sun from the stations and unable to return home. The planet below is bathed in inky blackness, and no one knows why. The fighting stopped only briefly and then the panic began. People blamed others and soon the war began again, every last country fought against enemies and allies, destroying anything that looked remotely hostile.

2040 the fighting has stopped again, there's no more fuel for the machines, no more power, and sea levels are dropping as thick clouds build up in the sky. It is as if the planet just stopped. Of course some clever buggers went underground and made their own fuel but it was nothing like the old way. It powered machines small enough for farming but the minute someone had an idea to weaponize it, it stopped. So those who wished to keep fighting resorted to ancient technology, swords were cut from scraps, bows made from salvaged pvs and arrows or anything that could be launched from it.

People rarely leave their sheltered lands, since the world around them had become hostile. Trees no longer grew up but out, as did everything else that once reached for the sunlight.

[Tormeron]

Interesting concept... It might be interesting to play it out in a roleplay session

[Ajulae]

A New DND world, sounds like it could be a blast, with the use of more detailed info

[Falcore]

I like that idea of trees growing outwards. I mean the boring scientific side of me is saying "That wouldn't happen" But i've shoved an apple in his mouth for this thought process session.

If trees did just grow toward light and not UV rays, maybe they would evolve to track moving lights (torches, car lights etc) and because of that evolution they can move at increased rates! I'm not talking trees that grab people and flings cars into the air. Just a small to medium increase in speed. So if you pointed a light at at the tree, it would begin to visually grow, and reach the torch within 10-20mins.

That would make for some interesting architecture. A town or city would be incased in trees due to the light meaning no need for erecting walls.

[Aroona]

Think it'd be worth me looking into world building for this then?

[Lilandris]

Well, you've certainly put a lot of thought into this.

One thin struck me though, we kinda need the sun to live xD We'd freeze to death within days without it. Our planet finds itself within a VERY delicate balance that allows us to live here.

But putting a sock in Bill Nye the Science Guy, I like it. Could always come up with a slightly more plausible reason for why there's no sunlight anymore - blacksun maybe? Though it might seem a ripoff from Warhammer 40K :P

I like the idea.

[Aroona]

I'm leaning more towards a supernatural reason, since things are still growing and things are still being heated up. Plus man made uv lights and such.

[Erethas]

Aliens are trolling Earth using a huge umbrella.

[Tormeron]

Actually maybe the clouds that Aroona described are blotting out the sun, so barely any sunshine comes through

[Dunnykin]

Because you referred to it as reverse-punk, I thought when the sun didn't rise, it was then gonna rise in the west, and the earth had started spinning the opposite way (like when superman manages to turn back time by flying round the earth in the opposite direction really fast). But neat idea, I like it :P