So you find a portal to a game-verse - where do you go and what do you bring?

[FoxWander]

Something about the phrasing of kitsune9's 'book for the asylum' question got me thinking about the ultimate (for here) 'what would you take where' question. So let's say you stumble upon a portal to a game setting, any setting/world for any game system you like. You can summon the portal at a time of your choosing (so you can prepare a bit) but it will close forever once you step through. Where would you go (and why?) and what would you take with you?

Now, before folks try to drive a truck full of craziness into who knows where, let's put a bit of a limitation on the 'what you can take' part. You're limited to what you're wearing and whatever you can fit in a large backpack or military duffle bag, let's say about 3 cubic feet. But, to make things interesting, and since you'll be pretty much uncatchable, let's assume a crime spree through your local shopping mall or sporting goods store won't be an issue- so you can fill your bag with whatever's available on the normal consumer market. And, to dodge the inevitable 'but I wanna take my wife/friend/pet lemur/who or whatever with me' questions, we'll say other people/critters can go but your limited to the ONE bag of gear between you. Maybe it's something about non-living matter outside the aura of living beings, who knows- the point is, you can't load up a gaggle of sherpas just to take more stuff with you! OK?

**EDIT: Apparently I forgot to clarify that you could control where in your chosen world the portal will open. As long as your destination is not magically protected from planar travel, that is! So if anyone's answer would change knowing they're NOT going to pop up in some random [insert bad place here], there's that for you to consider.

So there you go. With all of the gaming multiverse before you, where do you go (and why) and what do you bring?

 

[kitsune9]

Something about the phrasing of kitsune9's 'book for the asylum' question got me thinking about the ultimate (for here) 'what would you take where' question. So let's say you stumble upon a portal to a game setting, any setting/world for any game system you like. You can summon the portal at a time of your choosing (so you can prepare a bit) but it will close forever once you step through. Where would you go (and why?) and what would you take with you?

Now, before folks try to drive a truck full of craziness into who knows where, let's put a bit of a limitation on the 'what you can take' part. You're limited to what you're wearing and whatever you can fit in a large backpack or military duffle bag, let's say about 3 cubic feet. But, to make things interesting, and since you'll be pretty much uncatchable, let's assume a crime spree through your local shopping mall or sporting goods store won't be an issue- so you can fill your bag with whatever's available on the normal consumer market. And, to dodge the inevitable 'but I wanna take my wife/friend/pet lemur/who or whatever with me' questions, we'll say other people/critters can go but your limited to the ONE bag of gear between you. Maybe it's something about non-living matter outside the aura of living beings, who knows- the point is, you can't load up a gaggle of sherpas just to take more stuff with you! OK?

So there you go. With all of the gaming multiverse before you, where do you go (and why) and what do you bring?

I would go into any developed future like Traveller or Mechwarrior and take a lot of books, newspapers, and similar effects. The value of such old relics in the future would fetch thousands if not millions of credits or c-bills and set me for life, unless of course I happen to step out onto a world just when I see the dropships of Clan Wolf begin descending from the sky.....

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

My slightly mercenary but still moral side says:

If I go into the DC or Marvel Universe and take the appropriate, up to date info as published (assuming as you seem to posit that the world is either identical to or closely resembles what we know from media in our world), I could make a bundle as a PI or other investigator, outing Villains by revealing their secret IDs, base locations, secret passwords, and the like to their Heroic foes.

My completely mercenary and amoral side says:

I could do the same as above, but sell my info to the highest bidders.

Of course, you could execute my plan with almost any setting...

 

[Dioltach]

I'm under no illusions about my chances of survival in any setting. I'll just open a portal to Athas and shove my annoying neighbour through.

 

[Nai_Calus]

Let's see. Setting, Planescape. If I get to pick a specific area in the setting, Arborea, preferably Arvandor. Taking my dice collection and my D&D books since those would be a bit hard to replace there. Also enough toilet paper to last me until I find a suitable substitute. Anything else, sod it, I'll be too busy hugging trees.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Hmm. I suppose I might try to download and acquire all the books I like and then some, and take my MacBook. It can't be that hard for Starfleet or the Federation to find a way to interface with the MacBook and download the data. I'd probably also pick some of my real books. The downloaded stuff is just in case they don't have that material in the 24th century anymore, and the books to have something to trade or offer as a proof of my origin.

Of course, this is kinda dishonest - Startrek isn't my favorite RPG setting. It's just a place where I'd want to go if I had to choose from a RPG setting (at least it was an RPG setting. )

Now, what would be my favorite fantasy setting? Diamond Throne? Points of Light? Shadowrun?

For any setting, I'd probably acquire all setting books I have and bring them with me. I'd like to know some secrets and general information that might be useful to me.

Otherwise, I should probably acquire some general survival guides, and maybe some text books that could help me introduce some technological advancements. Might take some time to acquire all that, especially since I am not convinced there are any books "from pseudo-medieval world to the nuclear technology in 500 pages." I'd have to choose carefully to introduce tech that is immediately useful and can help me make some bucks. I am afraid, my computer programming skills will not be of use anywhere, except _maybe_ Shadowrun and with a remote possiblity Star Trek. (We don't know how they create their software)

 

[Aberzanzorax]

Well, if I was trapped on an Island, I'd want my d&d books, my laptop, and a solar cell generator to power it. Also, I'd get medicines galore. Stop at the pharmacy and get doses of antibiotics, allergy meds, etc. That, and also perhaps packets of seeds for my favorite fruits and vegetables in case those weren't in the gaming world.

So, I'd want those same things in any gaming world...but in this case, the books would be REAL.

They'd not just be gaming books, but atlases, almanacs, and history books. I would know, in a nutshell, all the secrets of the most powerful people of that world.

Also, I'd probably get a gun or two and some ammo (and learn how to use them) because who knows where that portal comes out?

 

[Aloïsius]

I would probably stay on earth... But let's say I have to go elsewhere.
The first choice is between sci-fi and magic settings. Most sci-fi setting are very dark (cyberpunk...), so I will go for a fantazy setting.
It need to be high magic, because magic is the only thing that could replace my dear technology if I want a comfortable life.
It must not be a too dangerous or gritty place : no Dark Sun, no Ravenloft. An upper plane in Planescape could be, literally paradisiac, but I don't know if the locals would accept me.
Eberron has its appeal, with it techno-magical approach... Sharn may be a fun place to live, but I'm subject to verigo.
In the end, I would probably choose the forgotten realms, in the most civilized place possible. Waterdeep is somewhat cut-throaty, so what about Silverymoon ?

To go there, I would take some top-notch warm clothes, probably a gun or two, some food and drink (I would need one or two days before finding a source of money, at least) and some modern medics, the last FR books and some math or physic book, to establish myself as a teacher when I would have sold all the secrets of the FRCS.
I would then convert all my money into gold... I would probably leave a few debts in the bank by the way....

 

[darjr]

For 'serious' consideration....

Transhuman space.

I'd take some friends and family.

I'd take as much original artwork as I could afford/pack.

For fun...

Greyhawk, the first boxed set.

I'd take some friends and family.

I'd take books on how to make cordite and bullets and guns and other tech stuff. Then pack as many rough and ready guns and ammo as possible.

 

[Squizzle]

I can bring as many people as I want? Any setting but Star Trek, I'm bringing the US Marine Corps, a few survivalists with experience in improvising weaponry, a team of cartographers, a large farm's worth of agricultural managers/laborers, and enough people to crew a modest fleet of ships.

I don't care if it's Athas; I'm running the place inside a year.