Most motivating things...

[SoulSojourner]

#1 motivation is customization. I like to have my own style and I like to be different. I want billions of choices for every option available to me. Hair, eyes, face, accessories, piercings, tattoos, makeup, hats, socks, shoes, pants, underwear, shirts, coats, gloves, masks, suits, weapons, armors, colors, dyes, shapes, sizes, body styles, names, titles, spell appearances/combinations, move styles, fight styles, multiple-choice dialogues, voices, pets and customizing them, items and customizing them, menu's and customizing them, and basically anything and everything and this extends to things like controls and menus and also extends to choices like fallen mentioned. When it comes to choices, having npc's remember and know what you've done and get different results and possibilities because of it. Outstanding. Further customization lies in skill trees and play-styles. I am almost always as heavy armor clad, light footed, thieving a warrior as possible. Picking locks and sniping with bows, while wearing the heaviest gear I can and sneaking around killing things silently.

I can and do literally spend hours upon hours customizing a character for a game before I even start playing it, whether it's my first time playing the game or not.

Another note on customization, I still love games where you are a character who has a story and a name, a pre-made look and little customization. However, I like as much as possible in these cases, but I do enjoy some good character humor once in awhile, where it's like your reading a book about the character you play and he says some great things you might not have expected.

#2 is story and character depth. I like a good story a lot, but more importantly I like a story that can move me. If it can make me laugh out loud, swear at the screen about an enemy or rival, shed tears, and make me miss my time with each and every one of the characters involved to an extent of feeling like I could no longer be with my friends any more when I'm through with the game, then it's a great story. A good reference, Legend of Dragoon. I remember being touched by the story in that game at the time I first played it, and also Dragon Warrior 7.

#3 Play-ability. I need to be able to play in a way that I enjoy, and also be able to play the game without frustration of bad game-mechanics, bugs, glitches, or generally anything that causes an unwanted negative interruption for me, due to the programming or graphics or some other technical conflict. This type of issue can very easily ruin what could have been a good or great game. By ruin, I mean kill.

#4 Graphics. An amazing looking game is great if it has the other things necessary to make it great, but as long as the game doesn't look like it was made for the Super Nintendo it's probably just fine.

[subbassman]

"I want billions of choices for every option available to me. Hair, eyes, face, accessories, piercings, tattoos, makeup, hats, socks, shoes, pants, underwear, shirts, coats, gloves, masks, suits, weapons, armors, colors, dyes, shapes, sizes, body styles, names, titles, spell appearances/combinations, move styles, fight styles, multiple-choice dialogues, voices, pets and customizing them, items and customizing them, menu's and customizing them, and basically anything and everything and this extends to things like controls and menus and also extends to choices like fallen mentioned."


Ahem, just this one needs a couple of dozens of people. Making a plethora of custom stuff IS very time consuming.

[SoulSojourner]

Indeed, I know first hand just making my own items in NWN toolset how long and time-consuming the process can be. And the more unique and more detailed, more descriptions, the richer and fuller the experience, but that much longer to produce.

But that's my honest opinion. Customizing everything I can is the first thing I do, and the most early part of a game I typically notice and make opinions on.

[subbassman]

What's the least important to customize?