I don't mind being either a PC or an NPC.
If I'm an NPC, it would most likely be because of these reasons (
see things I listed in here for reference), and there are some pretty damn good reasons why I shouldn't be part of a team EVER (I'm basically outlawed from being part of any adventure party), or why there's an absurd bounty on my head. I tend to piss off quite a few people rather easily because of my antics. My character will be referencing some of them, and their degrees of success here and there.
Also if I'm an NPC, then I can run an unofficial/unorthodox sundries shop with a modified teleporter, blinking wildly, on hand as a makeshift deli-slicer, that or some kind of black market, selling things from my offscreen solo-quests, obtained via some of those methods. My vehicle is also a tank with chainsaw treads. Apparently, in this game, my character did most-all the things I listed over the course of his adventuring career. Summary of most of them: "Worth it.". Always good for a quick laugh if you want to hear a blurb about how I pulled off one of the items in the list, and sometimes, the after-effects/consequences of doing them.
If I am a PC, then I can suggest all kinds of absurd random ideas (which by my standards, would work in a way; but shouldn't. Again, read the list, and my suggestions); however, there would be some force of reason, or voice of reason, suggesting we probably shouldn't. It's up to you if you want any of them to actually be a solution to a puzzle or something or to be done/involved at all. Nothing like clearing security out with a pinata full of claymore mines aka "Jawbreakers" (funny enough, filling them with actual jawbreaker candy was a cheaper option) during a security officer's birthday.
If that's a bit much, then considering things, I could always be the dude with the airship.
EDIT:
Another town that had all residents look the same is also the Mr. Saturn village and the Tenda village from Earthbound.