Post originally by GrumpyOldGamer at 2003-09-06 19:31:56
Converted from Phorums BB System

Actually, it's a smart marketing move.

Not wanting to follow TSR's direction off a financial cliff (you know, too many products, too little audience to support them, debt piled up, might as well declare bankruptcy), they want to make sure they cater to their largest fanbase, D&D gamers. Urban Arcana bridges the gap between D&D and d20 Modern. It makes the transition flow smoothly from one period setting (medieval fantasy) to another (modern fantasy).

As for a (city?) setting, granted the product is more of a toolkit. But I don't think we'll see something in the form of, oh say White Wolf's LA by Night. They could try a fictional city, similar to Mutants & Masterminds' Freedom City, but wouldn't it be easier to use what you already know: your local area?

Or perhaps, they want to leave that niche market to third-party d20 publishers.

As for the "shadow," I'd rather not have an explanation for it. Keep that air of mystery, and let the GM define it. I understand the need to define something like that in White Wolf's WoD, because the players play the creatures that relies on the Veil or the Masquerade or Delirium, whatever, which in turns protects their "food resources."