Modern Style City Districts

[rbingham2000]

I loved the web enhancement for the DMG, the city enhancement that divides a city into a number of identifiable districts. I can definitely plan the layout of a city quite easily using this info, which is pretty damn impressive considering that I'm from a small town and have little experience with city life.

Problem is, this is definitely well and good for those of a fantasy bent, but I'm more of a modern-minded kind of guy (I do like my car chases and gun battles), and I'm kinda curious as to how one would adapt this district system to create a modern-style city.

 

[EricNoah]

Yeah, that's a tough one... I love that DMG web enhancement too, it really makes my homebrewed towns and cities more authentic. Seems to me you could start by thinking of towns and cities you've visited or lived in -- what kinds of neighborhoods are there? What's the wealth level in the "rich" parts, the "poor" parts? What kinds of businesses are in the parts near universities? I don't know how codified you can get with this though. You might be able to use online tools like, say, an online Yellow Pages type service, to maybe get some ideas for different business types.

Another way to do it would be to think of the different things a PC might want to do in different parts of a city.

Buy normal stuff
buy illicit stuff
buy restricted/hard-to-get stuff
chase someone/tail someone
learn something academic
learn something "street-wise"
hide out/lay low
get medical help

Not sure exactly where I'm going with this...

 

[King of Old School]

I don't have the web enhancement for the DMG, but this sounds like Chapter 8 of Urban Arcana.

KoOS

 

[rbingham2000]

Don't currently have Urban Arcana

If it's still available at the FLGS, I might pick it up.