Both in the sense of what keeps you going through one particular game, and also playing games in general.

(Normally I would say it's the story and concern for the characters keeps me going in a game, but on those rare occasions I get some way unaided it can be the hope of beating the game myself.)

Escapism is what keeps me playing games in general:

A Good Story wrapped up in an Immersive Environment. For me, playing games is an escape that comes close to a world I might see only in a dream. And 1st Person... I want to see it from my perspective (like I would in a dream).

Sorry for going off topic, but had to ask Carrie - don't you see dreams in third person also?
Playing games in general - for the same reason I greet the day - there's magic waiting around the corner. With a new book or game, the anticipation level is high.
Continuing a game - that's another story. I don't get bored, but I do get distracted easily. A good story (all genres) will keep me centered.
And hey, who turned on the colors?

a really juciy plot.... lets get into like per say... You are a pilot,(or a pilot-tress) female pilot... driving... your plane and is so very low on fuel, omgoodness you forgot to fuel, its empty! you must land, aaahhh here is an Island beautiful isnt it then mazes, puzzles, help..directions...oohh other people ((nah it was just a ghost)) scary??? creepy??? then daylight... aha!!! an empty fuel can and look there is fuel... lets go home,,, then!!! another scary thought you land and there is no one there time zap? lets look for more fuel.. did I just hear a door slam (Im good right) oh well, I must tell you all that its games that do not keep you thinking its daylight and your hunting and solveings going all day... I would like some night adventure too!!! but dont get me wrong.. I dont like blood and killing... so make our night games Night Games...like looking for that ghost who directed us to the killers etc.
ok anyway thats what keeps me going add this oh say maybe to stretch out to about a couple weeks... lets say oh about 400 hours worth of really juicy Game play
yep that would surely get my attention!!! yes now thats what keeps me playing whew anyone out there thinking about making a game

I wish I knew how I would!

A good story that I can get lost in and a different environment that I can escape to. This is my private time when I can get away with it.
Marion

Leeana that was quite a flow of inspiration there!

Great stream of consciousness post, Leeana - I know what you mean, though!

The story and characters - they really take me away to a different world (kind of an escape). I love puzzles, so I'd rather take my time to solve puzzles - it's quite an adrenaline rush when I actually figure out something by myself! This is my addiction

I play cause...I love adventure games...I can get lost & wander away from the everyday things in life..
Adventure games makes me Happy...

For me, it is a third person character that I like and then curiosity takes me the rest of the way. I'm not curious about ghosts or scary things that go bump in the night, I find them boring, case in point, Dark Fall: The Journal. I like inventory puzzles the best because again, curiosity as to how something will be used or where it will be found keeps me interested. I like dialogue and finding things out that way too. Graphics, storyline can be anything. Humor is good and action is bad.

It depends on the particular game and what its strong points are.
For example, I play
RHEM, Obsidian, and Safecracker for the puzzles.
Uru and some action/adventures (on god mode) for the exploration aspect.
Schizm, Reah, and Obsidian for the exotic surreal game environments.
Syberia, and Grim Fandango for the game environments, atmosphere, and story.
Grim Fandango and Moment of Silence for the story and characters.
Secret of Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle for the characters and humor.


In general, there may not be any good reason to finish a game, but I'll do it anyway just so I can say I finished it and can take it off my hard drive.

The plot & puzzles & characters & graphics & music keep me interested. I adored Secret of Tunguska.
The things that make me give up are silly timed puzzles, awkward movement, action sequences, puzzles with no clue or indication of what to do, usually mechanical ones and the sort of humour that isn't funny.

Hi

A gripping story does it for me every time

1st or 3rd person, modern or ancient graphics, cartoon or realistic characters etc etc etc ....

I can take ANY as long as the story gets to me

Cheers.

Mad

Playing games is pure escapism for me. The game must be immersive for me, keeping my interest by providing intriguing puzzles and lots of environments to explore. It is probably the 1st person solitary exploration that is the most gripping for me. I love nothing better than the anticipation of knowing there is a room or area beyond a door or gate that is just waiting for me to investigate. Puzzles are important because they keep me connected with the game, thinking out solutions even when I'm not playing. I prefer no character interaction and minimal inventory, since that seems to disrupt the continuity of the exploration.

A good story is everything, with puzzles that are fun and challenging but not so impossibly difficult that they necessitate glueing your nose to the walkthrough just to get through the game. Graphics are also important, as well as a user-friendly interface. I play games to escape into other worlds and characters' lives, to be amused, entertained and enthralled.

Nickie~~ Can't think of a dream where I've looked at myself, except in a mirror. It's always just like in life.. looking at the world through my eyes.

Oh goodie! ... I found I could make colors! But the 'palette' is only limited to red & green (probably a good thing). I even thought of fiddling around with the bracketed color names & numbers to see if I could mix them!

I like a game that keeps me wanting to come back for more, whether it's first or third person. I want to escape - do things I will never be able to do in real life.

Thought that was turned off. Shhh, I won't tell.

Carrie, thanks for your response. Something I'm curious about and if it makes a difference in how much people enjoy first or third person games (Ok, maybe a wild hairbrained idea, but still!)

why Thank-You....Peter Smith
Renee... I try really hard but glad you understood me a majority of people dont

I wonder if people dream in either first person or third person, and this (unbeknownst to them) influences their gaming choices.

First person dreamer here too.

I dream in 3rd person 99% of the time, but that doesn't influence my preferences in games.

For the 1% of times when I dream in 1st person, I don't have a body in the dreams but can float around and look at things. Occasiomally I'll watch people in these dreams, and if I spend enough time watching a certain person I become that person in the dream and it turns to a 3rd person dream.

Usually the storylines in the dreams, if present at all, are stupid and disorganized and tend to get REALLY disorganized toward the end of the dream.

I very rarely remember my dreams anymore. I had better recollection of them when I was younger.

Is it possible to have a game that plays like a dream or do dreams only make sense when you're dreaming?

Hi

Am I actually replying here .... or am I only dreaming ??



Cheers.

Mad

They all play like dreams, except the ones that play like nightmares.

Interesting notion... never thought to make that connection. For me, it doesn't make a difference, because I play both (but prefer 1st).

Although... if a game is like one of those dreams in which you're: late to a class and don't know where the classroom is; or not prepared for an important test**; or trying to escape something & the ground is thick mud & the air, Jello (which I have had in 1st-person), I can see wanting to play it in 3rd-person perspective.... watch as it happens to someone else.

Oh dear... this is too deep ... can't think anymore... must 'zone-out' now...

I don't know, but I've had dreams that play like video games.



Yeah I get those too.