WotC Why WotC SHOULD Make A New Setting

[Paul Farquhar]

That is what most self-professed "fan of urban fantasy" folks would want.

I would consider myself a fan of urban fantasy. I like the Dresden Files, I like Rivers of London. And what I look for is a combination of crime fiction and fantasy.

They would not want "Lord of the Rings, except it's a fantasy megacity."

There are no fantasy megacities in Middle Earth, because Tolkien looked to create a nostalgic past, and escape the modern world, not mirror it.

But D&D settings are not Middle Earth. Most of them, from Forgotten Realms onwards, are mirrors of the real modern world in fantasy drag.

 

[Corinnguard]

So you are redefining urban fantasy as “must be set in the US” now?!

The Nightingale would like a word.

The article was pointing out locations within the US that were used in various Urban Fantasy story series. It was, in no way, defining a limitation of the sub-genre. I am aware of Urban Fantasy stories set in other parts of the world.

Kylie Chan's Dark Heavens trilogy series takes place in Hong Kong.

 

[Corinnguard]

I mean, yo could easily describe K-Pop Demon Hunters as Urban Fantasy if you like. Or The Exorcist. As with any attempt to define a genre, the more tightly you try to define it, the more it slips through your fingers, excluding things you feel certain should be in, and including things you feel sure don't belong.

Everyone here has their own subjective idea of what an Urban Fantasy ought to be like based on past reading experiences.

My feeling is that the zeitgeist of Urban Fantasy is a mash up of D&D style fantasy with crime fiction. The important thing about Harry Dresden is not that he lives in Chicago, the important thing is his job is Private Investigator.

Agreed.

 

[Parmandur]

For the life of me I can't understand why you are still trying to define Ravnica as Urban Fantasy when it is pretty clear Urban Fantasy is Buffy and Anita Blake and Dresden and The Dark Tower etc...

Those are Urban Fantasy, yes, but the subgenre is broader than that, and per the definition you provided Ravnica hits the marks.

 

[Parmandur]

No? That's just saying its high tech compared to most D&D worlds, and its in a city. There is no urban fantasy tropes in all that at all. Just because it takes place in a city, doesn't mean its urban fantasy

Once again, ask yourself: Does it sound like Twilight? Or Buffy? Or Anita Blake's core of work? Dresden? Heck, the Underworld films? That's all urban fantasy

Ravnica is not urban fantasy, per the modern definition, because while you're trying to quote all this stuff, I can just point at the actual examples of urban fantasy and go "Yeah Ravnica ain't like them"

Do you think Urban Arcana, the actual Urban Fantasy setting WotC published, and Ravnica, the MTG setting in a plane wide city, are the same genre? Be honest here.

Yes, 100%, per the Wikipedia article provided. Ravnica is a secondary world Urban Fantasy, but secondary world is not a deal breaker. Urban Fantasy is, again per the article, about "exploring Modernity with Magic". Ravnica is a weird sort of Modernity, but Modern it is.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Those are Urban Fantasy, yes, but the subgenre is broader than that, and per the definition you provided Ravnica hits the marks.

The Dark Tower? That's a compulsive genre hopper like Doctor Who. They do urban fantasy - sometimes. But Dark Tower is most strongly a fantasy western (AKA Weird West).

 

[Parmandur]

The Dark Tower? That's a compulsive genre hopper like Doctor Who. They do urban fantasy - sometimes. But Dark Tower is most strongly a fantasy western (AKA Weird West).

Genre is slippery.

 

[Corinnguard]

@Remathilis

Embers

Nice Dragons Finish Last

These two Urban Fantasy stories take place in Detroit, Michigan.

 

[Remathilis]

My feeling is that the zeitgeist of Urban Fantasy is a mash up of D&D style fantasy with crime fiction. The important thing about Harry Dresden is not that he lives in Chicago, the important thing is his job is Private Investigator

Your describing noir. Urban fantasy has a lot of crossover, but not strictly. Underworld is urban fantasy with a horror edge, Dresden is urban fantasy with a noir edge.

For me, I think the two biggest elements are a feeling that the world resembles ours but with fantastic elements and that there tension between the mundane and magical. Ravnica or Eberron doesn't resemble the real modern world. And that's the key element. It has to feel like you could walk out your own front door and see something fantastical happen.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Your describing noir

Pretty sure Rivers of London isn’t noir! It’s a police procedural. Not all crime fiction is noir - that’s a specific subgenre.

Ravnica or Eberron doesn't resemble the real modern world

They absolutely do! Well Eberron is more 1920s than modern.