How do you research a very specific topic you know nothing about?

[basil_kunn]

Normally when I'm doing research for a story, I already have some basic knowledge which helps me to know what I need to research, but I'm kinda stuck with my current WIP.
It's a steampunk inspired story and one of the main characters is a sort of android/automaton. I've done lots of research into how automata were built in the past, and also theories of how androids could gain emotions/sentience in the future. But I have no knowledge on how people build complex robots at all. And there's also the problem that this automaton is not powered by the same technology as real life modern robots, so the research that I can do will not help very much.
I don't know if it would be too impractical for him to be steam powered? (Steam engines are big and take a lot of work). Is it unrealistic for him to have a modern engine?? It's all just very confusing to me.
I'm thinking of mixing some components of older and newer technology, but how do I research that??

So TL;DR I don't know how my steampunk android character would be powered, and I don't know how to research this to figure it out.

Have you ever had a problem like this? How did you get past it?

[33rdCenturyCaveman]

On general subjects am always aiming to know more than audience at minimum. On subjects that am important to story, am aiming not to be disappointing to subject-matter expert. For example, if story am involving horses then am not wanting horse-person to be rolling eyes.

Steampunk am inherently unrealistic. You can simply be ignoring it, or you can be making bit of handwave. Mebbe power source am high-density and android am needing to drink water frequently.

[darkone4587]

I google things, and double check a number of different sources. That way I can try to avoid having contradictory sources.

[DokiDokiTsuna]

In answer to the titular question: Google it, obviously. But don't just Google it; start with the absolute most BASIC info sources you can find. Like if there's a "for kids" site that covers your topic of interest, start there. Then you can move on to more professional sources as you gain understanding, and (most importantly) you can stop before things start getting too complex for your purposes.

As for this steampunk robot character, I really think you should emphasize the aesthetic over all else. Like...it's not real. There's no reason for you to kill yourself trying to come up with a truly scientific way for something to exist when it just doesn't. Of course you're gonna have a hard time doing that; if it were easy, we'd have real-life androids walking around already.

Furthermore, 90% of people who go into something with steampunk themes aren't there to hear you describe the construction of all the wacky machines piece-by-piece. They're just there to see them. To hear about the gleam of the brass, the hissing of the steam, and the chugging of the pistons. Do that, do it well, and your readers will be satisfied.

If you do have to get into technical stuff, you could always just-- and I know this is insane-- make something up. Like, if your android character is having some mechanical issues, say they need a new combustion chamber, or intake valve, or ventilator unit.

I made those parts up just now. I don't know if they'd actually exist in a hypothetical steam-powered android, or if such parts even exist in real steam engines. But they sound like they do. To get heat for steam, you have to burn something- combustion. To direct and control the steam, you're probably gonna need some kind of valve. And every machine that generates heat will probably need a vent. Boom.

All the research you've already done will probably help you to come up with even more believable-sounding parts/issues. Although, yet again, 90% of your readers will not even care that much. Don't stress out too much about it.

[darthmongoose]

You only need enough detail to make it feel "real" to somebody who odds-are either isn't an expert or is willing to suspend disbelief. Steampunk fans, in my experience, don't really care about the viability of tech or clothing in their settings so long as it looks cool... it's kind of a major reason I don't like most Steampunk honestly. I think actual steam tech is very interesting, but Steampunk people just want to glue a bunch of cogs to their top hat and get lost in a fantasy where it's Victorian era but quietly scrubbed clean of all that unpleasant colonialism, racism, poverty and sexism.

The question of "how is the android powered" is an odd one to me, because surely a steampunk android would be a mechanical computer rather than an electronic one, like Babbage's Difference Engine. Since that machine just required a cog to be turned by a person at a steady rate, the person could easily be replaced by a small steam engine or... clockwork. For some really cool looking clockwork robots check out the Doctor Who episode "The Girl in the Fireplace". The Japanese created some astonishingly complex clockwork puppets during the Edo period too. Obviously, a sentient robot who was built mechanically rather than using microscopic silicon chips would actually be huge. Like you know how in 60s shows you see computers that are these big rooms of warderobe-sized boxes and it's still less powerful probably than like... your phone, well, it's that problem but worse. Computers are actually just lots of switches that can be either a 1 or a 0; the more switches, the more complex the simulation, so the smaller the switches, the more powerful a computer you can get in a small space.
This means that a mechanical robot being anything close to human size is really probably impossible, but like... Yeah, suspension of disbelief.

But if the robot contains silicon microchips like a modern computer... and if so, I'm slightly boggled because that means that everything is continuing to use steam even though electricity exists... well, here's a thing a lot of people seem frustratingly ignorant of: A really good way to make electricity is to use a heat source to generate steam that spins a wheel, just like a steam engine. Even a nuclear power plant works like this! So long as you can spin a wheel, you can move the magnets in a coil of wire and generate electricity, so all you need is a viable way to generate heat > steam > Movement > electricity meaning that why yes, the robot could have a furnace in their chest like a hungry steam train and have to put coal or wood into it to keep their brain and body moving. It's got enough basis in science to suspend disbelief for and could look cool.

Third option is magic. You could either have magic acting as the heat or movement source for the generator. Like maybe there's a magic crystal in there? Maybe there's a little demon being made to run endlessly on a treadmill?

Ultimately though... your audience are steam punk fans. They won't care so long as it looks cool.

[33rdCenturyCaveman]

Not all steampunk fans or writers am being superficial though. William Gibson's The Difference Engine, which am being genre popularizer, am well-researched and cognizant of Victorian social injustices. It am going beyond verisimilitude as well: mechanical computers am huge, huge machines that am requiring special care to keep clean and well-oiled despite soot and general pollution.

[sakebento]

I usually try to find a very specific subset of the knowledge and bounce off of that. For example, research the steam engine used to power trains. Learning how it works in the real world should help give you threads to follow in terms of research.

Also, I'm pretty sure you can make up any rule/science you want as long as you remain consistent to it.

[basil_kunn]

Sorry, I meant to reply earlier but I currently don't have wifi at home ;-;

start with the absolute most BASIC info sources you can find. Like if there's a "for kids" site that covers your topic of interest, start there. Then you can move on to more professional sources as you gain understanding, and (most importantly) you can stop before things start getting too complex for your purposes.

That's some really good and obvious advice, I honestly have no idea why I didn't start researching like that

As for this steampunk robot character, I really think you should emphasize the aesthetic over all else. Like...it's not real. There's no reason for you to kill yourself trying to come up with a truly scientific way for something to exist when it just doesn't.

Yeah I have been focusing more on aesthetics than realism, but I have an arc planned thats meant to go into a bit of detail of how the android is built and its kinda plot relevant
also I just like to do all the details, because its fun lmao

If you do have to get into technical stuff, you could always just-- and I know this is insane-- make something up. Like, if your android character is having some mechanical issues, say they need a new combustion chamber, or intake valve, or ventilator unit.

I really like that idea!!! It also makes sense with the worldbuilding because of the differences between the world this takes place and the real world!

Steampunk fans, in my experience, don't really care about the viability of tech or clothing in their settings so long as it looks cool... it's kind of a major reason I don't like most Steampunk honestly. I think actual steam tech is very interesting, but Steampunk people just want to glue a bunch of cogs to their top hat and get lost in a fantasy where it's Victorian era but quietly scrubbed clean of all that unpleasant colonialism, racism, poverty and sexism.

Haha thats actually the main reason I love steampunk. It has a huge focus on the aesthetics which I love. But I do wish some steampunk stories had a bit more realism

well, here's a thing a lot of people seem frustratingly ignorant of: A really good way to make electricity is to use a heat source to generate steam that spins a wheel, just like a steam engine. Even a nuclear power plant works like this! So long as you can spin a wheel, you can move the magnets in a coil of wire and generate electricity, so all you need is a viable way to generate heat > steam > Movement > electricity meaning that why yes, the robot could have a furnace in their chest like a hungry steam train and have to put coal or wood into it to keep their brain and body moving. It's got enough basis in science to suspend disbelief for and could look cool.

Oh wow I didn't know this!!!

Third option is magic. You could either have magic acting as the heat or movement source for the generator. Like maybe there's a magic crystal in there? Maybe there's a little demon being made to run endlessly on a treadmill?

Haha I've noticed that in all the stories I write, I use magic as a sort of crutch and use it to fix any plot holes. So I'm challenging myself to write more stuff without any magic (ง •̀ω•́)ง✧

[baasinsimple]

If it's a broad subject, like ancient battle tactics or architecture I usually find something entertaining but educational to read. But in your case it seems that it's mostly based on theories and hypotheticals. What your concerned about is a fuel source for the robot right? Well it seems to me that it most steampunk, smaller automatons are mechanically powered, like an old mechanical alarm clock, larger ones are powered by diesel/steam engine (depending on the story) and medium ones are either powered by primitive electricity, think Nikola Tesla or Thermal energy.

[Darth_Biomech]

Weeeeell, honestly, you lost the realism already by having an advanced sci-fi tech like androids in a steampunk setting. It's impossible to justify their existence with 19th century level of technology without delving either in some magic or esoteric (if your setting has those), or vigorous handwaving and explanations like "it just works, okay? Stop asking questions and just enjoy the story dammit!". At this point real life sources tend to help very little, honestly, and you are better to go with whatever feels plausible and just invent shit.

[AmazementComics]

It's fairly simple. Just search how technology was used during the time period your story is set in. Don't even read documents, you can just go on YouTube and have someone explain it to you until it makes sense. I'm used to picking up on broad subjects for my stories with ease (mostly) because I either have some pre-existing knowledge of it or because I picked it up from television,