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.
