NPC's: Means to an end vs. Decorations

[Natasha]

In my Systems Failure game I have detailed about 15 NPCs. I tried to make each unique, giving this small community of survivors a believable yet flavourful population. I expect that the PCs might actually interact with five or less of them; but they're around in the community and the PCs know them.

Sorta like gadrin said. The NPCs are there if the PCs need them. Or if I want to do something with the story I can use one of the NPCs without appearing arbitrary

[Dog_O_War]

I have a dual-problem with this; NPC's created for this "means to an end" position often end up ignored, meanwhile those "filler" NPC's are too often sought as the means to an end. I'll mention a quirk (on the fly) a background character has, and all of a sudden he springs to life because the players will it.

While not expressly about Rifts, I had run a D&D adventure where some noble got the players to "play cards" (via a web adventure titled "A Quiet Night of Cards"), where the guy used the PC's to help defend him from some assassins. He then promptly kicked the PC's out when their end of it was done, and fled to a country-side manor.

Well if the next 3 sessions weren't dedicated to finding out information and the where-abouts of this guy. They're still looking out for him actually (players don't like to feel used), despite getting a ton of treasure in exchange for their unwilling services.
And the guy was a one-use nobody that lacked any defining features, which I set up that way to avoid this very situation!

My advice? Keep a list of random names and occupations (as well as a very brief descriptor beside each name) for that "just in case" scenario. God knows how many NPC's named Barstad there are amoungst my various play groups (inside joke - courtesy one of my players/GMs).

[Syndicate]

More than once I have been forced to stat out an NPC who was just a part of the scenery because of unusual PC interest in the seemingly inconspicous and many times nameless face in the crowd. On an equal note, interestingly enough, many times I have been forced to shelf an NPC that was supposed to take on a key role because of complete PC indifference. Sometimes if my characters take an unexpected twist and I haven't the time, a little change in outward appearance and name of the rebuffed and neglected NPC he/she suddenly becomes the once statless face in the crowd and my purpose is served. So I would have to say that NPC's are a means to an end.....but as part of the world you are providing for your PC's they are as important to each setting in their own right which is a bit more than just decoration.

Ditto...

Normally, the NPCs that I end up "stating-out" are the main baddies that are central to the game/plot. Casual or more interactive NPCs will have a personality and slight history that the players will determine if deemed worthy of stating through said interaction.