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FQScout wrote::? This has been a question that has been nagging at me for a while so i wanted gather some opinion on the matter.

It all depends on what kind of game you want, what kind of tone you want it to have, and what trappings you like.

There is no 'the best'.
It's personal preference and that isn't going to help you much.
Where depends on the details KC pointed out.

I'm surprised 'a bar/tavern' is not on the list since many games I have been in start out there.

So trolling aside the feel of the game I am trying to achieve would dictate the geographical location.

I go with Chi-Town usually. The burbs are essentially a haven for anything to pop up and Chi-Town is pretty centrally located to any and all North American areas you can adventure to.

I personally like the New West due to it being far enough away from CS territory that they won't chase after you unless you are a major criminal (and even then it's easy to lay low), there are enough places that are open to psychics, d-bees, and magic users so that no one really has to worry about hiding their abilities.

FQScout wrote:I was wondering simply off others personal preferences no need to pick at the question.

Maybe ask for "favorite" instead of "best," then.

Killer Cyborg wrote:

FQScout wrote:I was wondering simply off others personal preferences no need to pick at the question.

Maybe ask for "favorite" instead of "best," then.

Any location that has enough background information to make the write up for whatever adventure you are planning easy. Chi-Town is a good one since theirs more information on that particular area than just about any other part of the world, including adventure books. Also be sure to write up your adventure: Rifts is not a good setting for "by the seat of your pants" gameplay.

Really?
Some of the best times I had was from seat of the pants when things go awry and off track.

Most of my Games start in Lone Star, Merctown, or Russia. Merctown and Lonestar for the location and Russia because alot of my players like classes from that area.

Burgler

The off the cuff answer to this question w/o seeing the poll options was "Bar".

In a taverne/bar .

Around a table with game books..

Padum-dssssh.

/\ that dude started it.

I voted for the New West out of the choices I agree with the reasons that Dragonfett listed earlier

I would like to add that Russia and Atlantis are both a lot of fun too.

Colt47 wrote:Any location that has enough background information to make the write up for whatever adventure you are planning easy. Chi-Town is a good one since theirs more information on that particular area than just about any other part of the world, including adventure books. Also be sure to write up your adventure: Rifts is not a good setting for "by the seat of your pants" gameplay.

I all ways GM with a loose plan a couple of plot ideas and then just run with it so the break down is about 25-40% prep and about 75-60% by the seat of my pants. I like to build off of my players actions unmotivated players might get bored in my games. It all comes from the way I play as a player I don't function well in a strict adventure and I like to try unconventional things and end up throwing off the GM and making them "fly by the seat of their pants". So as a result I plan (or don't plan as the case may be) for my players to do or go where ever they want. Are they caching what I'm throwing? Some times, but as long as they are doing some thing I will work with it.

Why does this way not work for you?

Snow Hawk wrote:

Colt47 wrote:Any location that has enough background information to make the write up for whatever adventure you are planning easy. Chi-Town is a good one since theirs more information on that particular area than just about any other part of the world, including adventure books. Also be sure to write up your adventure: Rifts is not a good setting for "by the seat of your pants" gameplay.

I all ways GM with a loose plan a couple of plot ideas and then just run with it so the break down is about 25-40% prep and about 75-60% by the seat of my pants. I like to build off of my players actions unmotivated players might get bored in my games. It all comes from the way I play as a player I don't function well in a strict adventure and I like to try unconventional things and end up throwing off the GM and making them "fly by the seat of their pants". So as a result I plan (or don't plan as the case may be) for my players to do or go where ever they want. Are they caching what I'm throwing? Some times, but as long as they are doing some thing I will work with it.

Why does this way not work for you?

The problem comes down to a few things. One of them being house rules, which Rifts forces GMs to create to deal with nuanced situations, and another is setting proper power level, scope, and stage. Needless to say, people who plan out an adventure properly often handle these kinds of situations better than those who don't.

Generally, I've found that GMs (including myself) often forget what rules are house rules and which are actual game rules, such as how MD explosives might affect terrain (Palladium MDC settings) or alternative uses for skills (Pretty much any system). In a planned adventure, a GM is much more likely to warn a player of the possible consequences of their actions and therefore prevent a possible issue from occurring due to house rules.

Detail is another part that gets overlooked when running by the seat of ones pants, and this can really come back to bite the player group in completely unfair ways. Describing odors, distinct sights, and sounds are important because not only does it provide a back drop, it can also help players understand the constraints they must work within. When adhocing a room (what I call an area description), a lot of details can be unintentionally omitted due to the GM assuming that certain aspects of the said room will be assumed by the players. If a place is important enough to have a battle or major event occur in it, the place in question is important enough to give a detailed description committed to paper.

Again, this doesn't mean someone is writing out everything that can possibly happen in an adventure, but that the main NPCs are written out, all major rooms and areas are written out (mapping them out doesn't hurt, either), and what rewards are available is written out along with a possible equivalent in currency in case someones character gets no benefit from any of the rewards found in the adventure.

Colt47 wrote:

Snow Hawk wrote:

Colt47 wrote:Any location that has enough background information to make the write up for whatever adventure you are planning easy. Chi-Town is a good one since theirs more information on that particular area than just about any other part of the world, including adventure books. Also be sure to write up your adventure: Rifts is not a good setting for "by the seat of your pants" gameplay.

I all ways GM with a loose plan a couple of plot ideas and then just run with it so the break down is about 25-40% prep and about 75-60% by the seat of my pants. I like to build off of my players actions unmotivated players might get bored in my games. It all comes from the way I play as a player I don't function well in a strict adventure and I like to try unconventional things and end up throwing off the GM and making them "fly by the seat of their pants". So as a result I plan (or don't plan as the case may be) for my players to do or go where ever they want. Are they caching what I'm throwing? Some times, but as long as they are doing some thing I will work with it.

Why does this way not work for you?

The problem comes down to a few things. One of them being house rules, which Rifts forces GMs to create to deal with nuanced situations, and another is setting proper power level, scope, and stage. Needless to say, people who plan out an adventure properly often handle these kinds of situations better than those who don't.

Generally, I've found that GMs (including myself) often forget what rules are house rules and which are actual game rules, such as how MD explosives might affect terrain (Palladium MDC settings) or alternative uses for skills (Pretty much any system). In a planned adventure, a GM is much more likely to warn a player of the possible consequences of their actions and therefore prevent a possible issue from occurring due to house rules.

Detail is another part that gets overlooked when running by the seat of ones pants, and this can really come back to bite the player group in completely unfair ways. Describing odors, distinct sights, and sounds are important because not only does it provide a back drop, it can also help players understand the constraints they must work within. When adhocing a room (what I call an area description), a lot of details can be unintentionally omitted due to the GM assuming that certain aspects of the said room will be assumed by the players. If a place is important enough to have a battle or major event occur in it, the place in question is important enough to give a detailed description committed to paper.

Again, this doesn't mean someone is writing out everything that can possibly happen in an adventure, but that the main NPCs are written out, all major rooms and areas are written out (mapping them out doesn't hurt, either), and what rewards are available is written out along with a possible equivalent in currency in case someones character gets no benefit from any of the rewards found in the adventure.

I hear you and on a lot of points I agree like my NPCs are all fleshed out characters and I will often supply art drawn by me. But I treat the game with a lot of free will as in I don't hand out a lot of in formation unless asked I use the perception roll a lot as well to give hints at my plot lines but if they fail or don't figure it out oh well some stuff will happen wether they figure it out or not but others won't.

Snow Hawk wrote:

Colt47 wrote:

Snow Hawk wrote:

Colt47 wrote:Any location that has enough background information to make the write up for whatever adventure you are planning easy. Chi-Town is a good one since theirs more information on that particular area than just about any other part of the world, including adventure books. Also be sure to write up your adventure: Rifts is not a good setting for "by the seat of your pants" gameplay.

I all ways GM with a loose plan a couple of plot ideas and then just run with it so the break down is about 25-40% prep and about 75-60% by the seat of my pants. I like to build off of my players actions unmotivated players might get bored in my games. It all comes from the way I play as a player I don't function well in a strict adventure and I like to try unconventional things and end up throwing off the GM and making them "fly by the seat of their pants". So as a result I plan (or don't plan as the case may be) for my players to do or go where ever they want. Are they caching what I'm throwing? Some times, but as long as they are doing some thing I will work with it.

Why does this way not work for you?

The problem comes down to a few things. One of them being house rules, which Rifts forces GMs to create to deal with nuanced situations, and another is setting proper power level, scope, and stage. Needless to say, people who plan out an adventure properly often handle these kinds of situations better than those who don't.

Generally, I've found that GMs (including myself) often forget what rules are house rules and which are actual game rules, such as how MD explosives might affect terrain (Palladium MDC settings) or alternative uses for skills (Pretty much any system). In a planned adventure, a GM is much more likely to warn a player of the possible consequences of their actions and therefore prevent a possible issue from occurring due to house rules.

Detail is another part that gets overlooked when running by the seat of ones pants, and this can really come back to bite the player group in completely unfair ways. Describing odors, distinct sights, and sounds are important because not only does it provide a back drop, it can also help players understand the constraints they must work within. When adhocing a room (what I call an area description), a lot of details can be unintentionally omitted due to the GM assuming that certain aspects of the said room will be assumed by the players. If a place is important enough to have a battle or major event occur in it, the place in question is important enough to give a detailed description committed to paper.

Again, this doesn't mean someone is writing out everything that can possibly happen in an adventure, but that the main NPCs are written out, all major rooms and areas are written out (mapping them out doesn't hurt, either), and what rewards are available is written out along with a possible equivalent in currency in case someones character gets no benefit from any of the rewards found in the adventure.

I hear you and on a lot of points I agree like my NPCs are all fleshed out characters and I will often supply art drawn by me. But I treat the game with a lot of free will as in I don't hand out a lot of in formation unless asked I use the perception roll a lot as well to give hints at my plot lines but if they fail or don't figure it out oh well some stuff will happen wether they figure it out or not but others won't.

Oh no there are things they have to look for. What I'm describing is more akin to writing a sentence and forgetting a word because your mind implies the word is there.

CS Special Forces wrote:New West without a doubt..but its where i live and there is inspiration everywhere! Vast deserts and some old building where I live are the perfect backdrop.Also the guys in my game tend to make characters from back east;magic zone area so why did they come west? What are they hiding from? The new west is a great place to start over without "Imperial Entanglements".

I like the west as well, since it gives access to a lot of new toys that would normally draw fire from local authorities and lets you play with a whole bunch of different character concepts. One of the ones I'm planning out right now is a construction based character who uses a combination of Circle Magic, Wards, and Conjuration to build homes and necessary support structures. Conjuration for the tools, circle and ward magic for home security.

Africa. Because it is awesome and there are plenty of forces at work that you can get on the bad side of before running away to start over in the New West.

Dinosaur Swamp is probably the most fun. I always have a blast there. Either that or out west where the tech isn't so high.

"Somebody call the Cajun."

I love canada as its not overly scripted yet so there is a ton of room for a gm to not have a player say..." that not cannon" also i often start in idaho and montana so i can make up most of my physical area myself as it is again kinda vuage....

I've had several groups start in or near Kingsdale. While anything goes, it's not inherently evil or good. Merctown works well too.