Chinatown.
- Thread starter elforcelf
- Start date
Runesong42
First Post
Heya elforcelf,
First of all, let me welcome you to the EnWorld boards.
Chinatown is a pretty broad request, but I can attempt to sum up a few stereotypes.
-- Since Chinatowns tend to in the centre of larger cities, the buildings are usually packed tightly together with several stories.
-- Oftentimes the roads are only wide enough for one car, and some only walking. Hence, bicycles and mopeds are often the most efficent means to get around.
-- Also due to crowding, there are a slew of apatment buildings as well as living quarters above residential shops. The poor tend to make camps in and among the alleyways between buildings.
-- There is almost always a park area.
-- Gang wars can be common, as well as turf wars.
-- Crime is discreet - seldom is there a random gun shooting in public view. Most crimes are the invisible kind - protection rackets, extortion, bribery... there's a decent list of criminal activites on the d20 Modern web site (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20modern/fb/20040720a) and (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20modern/fb/20040803a) if that's the route you want to take.
-- malls are extremely uncommon. Most stores are of a family business/convenience store type
-- If you're REALLY strerotypical, everyone knows kung-fu and every shopkeeper is a Grand Master of Flowers.
-- aaaaand... if a PC is ever in trouble, ask for Caine. He will help you.
Hope this helps.
First of all, let me welcome you to the EnWorld boards.
Chinatown is a pretty broad request, but I can attempt to sum up a few stereotypes.
-- Since Chinatowns tend to in the centre of larger cities, the buildings are usually packed tightly together with several stories.
-- Oftentimes the roads are only wide enough for one car, and some only walking. Hence, bicycles and mopeds are often the most efficent means to get around.
-- Also due to crowding, there are a slew of apatment buildings as well as living quarters above residential shops. The poor tend to make camps in and among the alleyways between buildings.
-- There is almost always a park area.
-- Gang wars can be common, as well as turf wars.
-- Crime is discreet - seldom is there a random gun shooting in public view. Most crimes are the invisible kind - protection rackets, extortion, bribery... there's a decent list of criminal activites on the d20 Modern web site (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20modern/fb/20040720a) and (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20modern/fb/20040803a) if that's the route you want to take.
-- malls are extremely uncommon. Most stores are of a family business/convenience store type
-- If you're REALLY strerotypical, everyone knows kung-fu and every shopkeeper is a Grand Master of Flowers.
-- aaaaand... if a PC is ever in trouble, ask for Caine. He will help you.
Hope this helps.
Khorod
First Post
I was summoned by the Caine reference.
In my experience, Chinatown as seen by tourists is one or two streets, or 3-4 blocks of gaudy tourist shops. Cheap eateries, chinese-themed nick-nacks, electronics shops, and so on are all there, pushing overpriced and either inferior or possibly semi-legimate items at visitors.
At least half of a given Chinatown is much more muted. Its the residential area where... Chinese people live.
Chinatown is made famous by the touristy stuff, but really its just the Chinese area. Like an Italian area, or Irish area, of a big city.
In my experience, Chinatown as seen by tourists is one or two streets, or 3-4 blocks of gaudy tourist shops. Cheap eateries, chinese-themed nick-nacks, electronics shops, and so on are all there, pushing overpriced and either inferior or possibly semi-legimate items at visitors.
At least half of a given Chinatown is much more muted. Its the residential area where... Chinese people live.
Chinatown is made famous by the touristy stuff, but really its just the Chinese area. Like an Italian area, or Irish area, of a big city.
Committed Hero
Hero
elforcelf said:
Butchered animals in the shop windows.
Stories cluttered to the ceiling in bric-a-brac with no indication of what they sell on the outside.
Nameless restaraunts in which all the dishwashers are wuxia masters.
An importer's warehouse with hallways of plush red carpet and black wallpaper. Larger rooms have moveable screens that characters can bust through.
Teeming markets where fresh fish and exotic plants (spell components) can be bought.
Krieg
First Post
Gold Rush Games did a Chinatown supplement for their San Angelo city setting titled The Dragon's Gate. The .pdf can be found at RPG Now and is currently on sale for $7.95.
Gold Rush has a preview and a map online.
Gold Rush has a preview and a map online.
Last edited:
Len
Prodigal Member
It may be called "Chinatown" but many of the people are Vietnamese, Thai, etc. Similarly the restaurants.
Many people, particularly the older folks, are reluctant to talk to outsiders or police. Partly because they stay in Chinatown and don't speak much English, and sometimes because they're intimidated by the local gangs.
There should be at least one local gang, of course.
Many people, particularly the older folks, are reluctant to talk to outsiders or police. Partly because they stay in Chinatown and don't speak much English, and sometimes because they're intimidated by the local gangs.
There should be at least one local gang, of course.
elforcelf said:
What makes Chinese, Chinese? Hmmm what about a strong sense of family? A deep desire of the older generation to avoid outsiders....due partly to language difficulties, as well as a sense of arrogance........my culture is better than yours, etc.
various grocery shops filled with exotic smells and items. various dried items in the grocery isles.
besides the more open and visible tourist parts of chinatown, there are also the streets back from where the tourists venture. Places where the true local residents of the area congregate and do business. The true chinese restaurants, where the menus are only printed in chinese. the various gambling dens, businesses who only cater to the local chinese community. the local temples etc.
but what another poster said is also true. now a days, most chinatowns are not only filled with chineses. There are also vietnamese, thai, koeran and other asian cultures slotted in amongst them. a lot of that would probably reflect the various waves of migration that have affected the area over time.
lupus
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