Which aspect should RPG developers devote the most time to?

[Pellinore]

It was a tough 3-way struggle for my choice. Story/dialogue, character development, npcs/companions were the choices I was contemplating and I wound up biting my lip and going with character development as it ties in heavily with story/dialogue as someone else here had mentioned (npcs help add to this as well). Tough call, Character development and story are the backbone of any good rpg but having real npcs with personalities helps tremendously which is why Baldur's Gate was better than Icewind Dale...IMO

[Domi_Ash]

I voted for NPCs, because I strongly prefer games with large parties, a lot of character interactions, and NPCs having a place in the world. A game with a very average story imo can bloom simply on the strength of the relationships that PC develops with the NPCs. BG2 has a horrible main story, riddled with plot holes and propelled by shameless plot-devices, but the NPCs really made that game worthwhile.

[Aerris]

I really like to see interesting and friendly Npcs and Companions(becouse of that
i really like KotORs and Gothics)but skills and story are important too

[Jedi Guardian]

I think character is important being able to make your character more "You"

[DesR85]

Originally Posted by Jedi Guardian

I think character is important being able to make your character more "You"

I think that's what most RPGs seem to be able to accomplish. Some players feel like they're playing as themselves when it come to playing a mute main character. While I'm okay with this, my grudge with these mutes is that they are put into a game, given some conversation options and the developers call it a deep and rich main character (when it is so obvious that they lack character, or even personality for that matter). Some may say that is role-playing but to me, it just smacks of being lazy and sloppy on part of the developer when it comes to developing a main character. Just my POV, though.

[Kipi]

Originally Posted by Jedi Guardian

I think character is important being able to make your character more "You"

Partially, I agree with that.

But, that would mean that the game would actually recognize the differences. I just don't like the situations described already by Des, that it doesn't matter what kind of character you have createn, there is no affection to the story or even dialogies. It's not fun to create something which eventually doesn't matter at all...