How to combine fantasy and modern elements

[Bloodstone Mage]

I'm looking to have an Oriental Adventures game set in a world with modern-era technology (guns, automobiles, electricity, etc., but nothing too far advanced) but I'm having trouble on getting the right feel for it. I want for the background world of the game to have mysticism combined with the struggle between industrial production (big cities with factories, for example) versus traditional life (homesteads and small independent villages). But I would prefer that the modern elements to be subtle. I'm going for sort of "Akira meets Dungeons & Dragons" setting, or (I'm only using this because I can't think of a better example right now) the kind of mood Final Fantasy presented (in Final Fantasy 6 and 7, primarily).
Also, I'm considering the usage of d20 Modern mechanics, but I'm too sure. Does anyone have any suggestions about combining fantasy and modern elements?

Thanks in advance!
Cheers!

 

[The Goblin King]

GURPS Technomancer has a pretty good treatment of modern America after a technomagical revolution.

I know there are more animes out there...I just can't think of any off the top of my head.

 

[Remathilis]

I'm looking to have an Oriental Adventures game set in a world with modern-era technology (guns, automobiles, electricity, etc., but nothing too far advanced) but I'm having trouble on getting the right feel for it. I want for the background world of the game to have mysticism combined with the struggle between industrial production (big cities with factories, for example) versus traditional life (homesteads and small independent villages). But I would prefer that the modern elements to be subtle. I'm going for sort of "Akira meets Dungeons & Dragons" setting, or (I'm only using this because I can't think of a better example right now) the kind of mood Final Fantasy presented (in Final Fantasy 6 and 7, primarily).
Also, I'm considering the usage of d20 Modern mechanics, but I'm too sure. Does anyone have any suggestions about combining fantasy and modern elements?

Thanks in advance!
Cheers!

Some geneal Suggestions...

My general question (though I can infer) is "Do You Want D&D with Modern Tech or Modern Era Fantasy?" If you want the former (fighters, clerics, armor and Big-F'n Swords) then keep reading. Else, if you want normal type people who just happen to also use magic and fight demons, Get D20 Modern and Urban Arcana.

Now, You'll need to probably decide on the following things...

* How common is High Tech? Are cars common enough for mass transit or only the wealthy have them? Same with lights, running water, phones/communication, computers, etc. Anything in your world can eventually end up in the hands of a PC, so decide early how much you want to use.
* Tech replaces dependance on magic. Lots of Tech = Less Magical Toyz.
* Decide the prevelance and effect of firearms. Are they archaic one-shots, modern firearms, common or rare, and the effects on Armor.
* If armor is useless or weak against common firearms, consider using some form of Defense Rating (d20 M, WoT, SWd20, or UA) to keep up with BAB.
* Consider Medical Treatment. How prevalent is healing magic vs. medicine. Is one less effective than the other? How advanced is medicine (Penicilin or Leeches?) What about general cost to heal up after a scirmish?
* Higher Tech/Modern Worlds might have use for skills like Computer Use, Piolet and Treat Injury (instead of Heal).
* Look into some Steampunk settings, Like Iron Kingdoms or Sorcery and Steam for more inspiration.

Hope this all helps.

 

[Wippit Guud]

Shadowrun, maybe?

 

[I'm A Banana]

The best way I've found is to take D&D, and overlay modern, if you're going for an FF feel. Basically, magical energy just substitutes for the coal/oil/steamtech. Instead of using undead to invade the town, the evil empire uses constructs. People can be mutated from birth. There exist corportations who have discovered magical technology, and they are rich and powerful (and probably evil). Instead of the Dark Tower of Evil being a throne of stone and bone, it is a temple of technology and terror, with wires and gears and shuffling, mindless servants. You could turn the bi-product of this technology into a sort of mutating steam, too....

Of course, outside of the city, things are idyllic, even if the local people occasionally see an airship fly through the sky, or a mech-suited warrior run past their farm..

Of course, inside the city you have plumbing, great elevators, movie stars and mechanic keepers...

It could become something of a Divine vs. Arcane setting, with the divine magic of the spirits of nature being clean and pure, but as the Arcane magic of technology and mutations goes on the rise, the spirits are being killed off....of course, one can't just wage war on technology. It provides great benefits. The trick is to achieve a balance, probably...

You can have guns, but just treat them like arrows or crossbows. You can have vehicles, they're just a subset of the Ride skill (or relocate the score to Int and call it "Drive" if you'd like). You still have swords, you still have axes, and armor can still protect you from the guns of this age.

Will the land be consumed in a tide of robitics and magical energy? Will the deities die as metal sweeps the land? Or will a great war ravage the world like none that has been seen so far? Perhaps even greater than the mythical wars of the Gods of the past, who sealed away a second, greater magic before as they took the land (make psionics a secret art, kind of thing?)?

 

[Kesh]

Take a look at Dragonstar. I plan on doing a game that's using a d20 Modern rulebase, mixed with D&D rules, and borrow the beset parts of Dragonstar for some of the space-oriented rules (starships, FTL magitech, energy weapons, etc.).

 

[Altalazar]

Shadowrun, maybe?

I agree, but without the "maybe." That is an awesome system - I loved that game. In some ways, I enjoyed running that more than D&D, though I really enjoy both. Of course, the thing is, it isn't d20 (and I'm glad it isn't - I rather liked the unique character of that system).