Contemporary/Urban fantasy rpg

[Dannyalcatraz]

1) Shadowrun is a good choice.

2) Any generic or well-designed superheroic system you like- HERO, Mutants & Masterminds, or GURPS (which I, too, dislike), for example, should handle this just fine.

3) D20 Modern w/Urban Arcana and Dark*Matter, as well as Green Ronin products like Complete Psychic or Modern Magic.

4) If you go with any D20-based RPG, consider using things like Ultramodern Firearms, Arsenal, and Factory. Also, I'm sure you'd get a lot of milage out of Second World.

5) Certain D&D classes that some consider underpowered might also work well in Urban Fantasy, like the Soulknife from the XPH.

6) Toning down the tech in a D20-based sci-fant game like Star Wars or Dragonstar might also work.

Do you have anyone else's books, TV or movies in mind? Simon Green? Neil Gaiman?

 

[Turanil]

My choices would be: True20 or Savage Worlds.

 

[howandwhy99]

I'd say D&D is not going to work for you. Lots of the other suggestions might.

In most any modern day setting a game needs to deal with the problem of players roleplaying PCs who know things the players never will. This sort of "beyond the scope of the game" knowledge can be fudged, however, and often is by using skills. The downfall unfortunately is a game where players don't use what they know to succeed, but rather an abstract probability system. For example, if you play a modern day lawyer, a "Law" skill allows a GM to duplicate the PCs knowing some important legal information that affects the game without actually having to bring legal knowledge into the game. There are at least two problems with this as far as I can tell. One, this breaks players out of character, but is something of a necessity given the setting/type of knowledge. And two, it removes a players concept, lawyer, from being something actually experienced during play.

I mean, what fun is there in playing a MacGuyver character, but never actually knowing how your PC got out of a situation? IMO, ingeniously winning at an RPG is a player attribute, not a character one. I guess, when designing the game, the point is to leave what isn't the focus of the game out of the game as best you can.

Modern day adventure games can work though. Try something like Spycraft and add in whatever fantasy elements you desire for the setting.

Another way I know I like is to use our own real world as a setting. This way, players can use what they really know about our own world and not have to worry about fudging knowledge they don't really know. Then, add in your fantasy element - the unknown world beneath the surface - and let that be the learn-as-you-go game for the players.

In the end it depends on what kind of game you want to play and the type of play / adventures that first got you thinking this was a cool idea. I'd let those lead you where you want to go.

 

[tecnowraith]

Do you have anyone else's books, TV or movies in mind? Simon Green? Neil Gaiman?

Here's what I cam up with for list.
Movies
Big Trouble in Little China
The Borrowers
Harry Potter
Hellboy
Hellboy 2
Mortal Kombat
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
Reign of Fire (film)
The Spiderwick Chronicles

TV Series, mostly US animated shows
American Dragon
Dinosaucers (1985)
Littles, The (1983–1986)
Gargoyles (1994–1997)
Jackie Chan Adventures (2000–2005)
Night Stalkers
Savage Dragon, The (1995–1996)
Street Sharks (1994–1996)

Anime
Digimon (1999–Present)
Dragon Ball Series (1996–1997)
Totoro
Pokemon

 

[tecnowraith]

Well some here say i should look at Spycraft and that is one D20 system I like better than D20 Modern. It is funny that this was mentioned cause Crafty Games is doing Fantasy Craft, rules for fantasy with Spycraft mechanics. http://www.crafty-games.com/node/348

 

[tecnowraith]

Im trying to see what technomagic devices would be cool and different in modern-day fantasy setting that has not been done before or too death without looking silly at the same.

Any ideas or suggestions?