The Daily Grind: What motivates your faction choice?

For me it's typically the character models, or if each faction has specific classes. After some in game experience the community can sway me also. If say one side is full of idiots, I'll either switch server or if the game allows it simply switch factions.

I roll factions based on racial bonuses and visual appeal alone.

I tend to try to play races that are as less human as possible. Horde in WoW, Goblins and Orcs in Vanguard, etc. But if the class combos aren't there, it might sway my decision. The main factor, though, is that I play a human IRL and want to go to the other end of the spectrum in my game experience. I also find that humans are always very very vanilla in games. Big stone castles, "jack of all trades", etc.

i pick the faction that i think would love baby Jesus the most.

Evil, evil, evil. Unless theres a class i really want to play which is good-exclusive. As for why, its probably because ever since i was a child i always played the 'baddies' in games with my brother, and throughout the film industry, 'baddies' always get the cooler stuff, without question. Even in RTS games such as empire:total war, stronghold, age of empires etc, I'm always the 'kill the peasant scum' kinda guy, no prisoners, no mercy, just ruthless totalitarian autocracy.

I guess that simply carries over to MMOs, I dont want to be the elf who makes dinner for the whole village every sunday, helps old ladies across the road and blushes at nasty words. It just doesnt appeal.

Of course, there are exceptions, such as in Guild Wars, where you are the good guys whether you like it or not, but it works there because the only bad guys are NPCs (outside of PvP).

Maybe it's all an expression of my frustration at the government? Who knows :P

I roll the side closest to evil, usually, as I enjoy roleplaying lawful characters that keep the evil side running but closer to honorableness as well as point out the obvious contradictions and flaws with the other side. ... that, and the eventual "holy crap my side really *IS* evil!" is always a fun roleplay.

Example 1: I played Imperial in SWG Pre-CU. Galactic Empire = evil as it comes. Was my character evil? Hardly. My character was a volunteer Imperial Agent trying to uphold the lawfully elected successor to the Old Republic against an onslaught by an unelected paramilitary force.

Example 2: I play Horde. I started Alliance but got bored with them. While people may argue "The Alliance's hands aren't clean!" they are a LONG WAY FROM DIRTY. And while "the Horde isn't evil" it still has a LONG WALK on that road to full redemption.

I love that moral complexity in the "not evil by a longshot but not your shining beacon of Light and hope either" situation. Lemme elaborate:

As it stands of the Horde's 6 races, three races are barely-contained monsters and the other three are eager enablers. I play two of those races primarily: an Orc Shaman and Warrior, and a Blood Elf Paladin. Now, the Orc's baggage, as well as ongoing warmongering and blatant racism, are obvious. But the blood elf is downright intriguing to me.

As a Blood Elf, yes, my people screwed up--and by screwed up, I mean:

A) they left the Alliance after getting all the benefits of shed blood protecting them but split when the bills got too high to keep the orcs alive rather than genocide them,
B) gleefully sucked on a captured Narru (albeit we find out he willingly made this sacrifice), and
C) tried to commit genocide, FREAKING GENOCIDE, on the Dranei [whose females I think are hot... sue me] by trying to destroy the ship/city their entire race was on [I guess they were aching to try it after the humans spared the orcs]

--but what's MY character supposed to do? All he can do is act honorably and try to salvage his people's legacy. This is while upholding honor and justice as part of the Horde under a new, blood thirsty, openly racist steward (Garrosh).

To top it off, he can even understand why the Alliance is ROYALLY CHEESED OFF now 6 years into the game. After all, in fairness, the Horde continues to do stuff that would have a war crimes tribunal set up for all six race leaders just for letting it go on.

Meanwhile, when individual Alliance officers, lords, etc. do dishonorable things even regular Horde know that this doesn't represent the normal code of honor of the Alliance. [Example 'Eye for and Eye' quest (http://www.wowhead.com/quest=24513). When the orc Oltarg, who is beaten blind by Cpt. Peake, says: "Peake is a monster. If his superiors knew, they would thank the Horde for ending him."]

I LOVE this kind of complexity. It makes me examine my characters motives--kark, it makes ME examine my own thoughts on subjects.

So yeah, definitely the "less good" factions are my cup of tea..

For me the answer is simple. Every since I was a kid I've always been fascinated by the 'dark side'. When Star Wars first came out (yes, I saw the original in theaters when I was 5 years old), I was a big fan of the Empire. When I'd play with my GI Joes, I'd always have Cobra win. In the He-Man universe, Skeletor and his minions were the dominant power.

When I began to play MMO's later in life I often, but not always, gravitated towards darker elements. In Ultima Online I broke from tradition and ran a peaceful guild devoted to helping new players rather than spend my time PKing, and n Everquest I gravitated to Wood Elves as opposed to Dark Elves.

Later, however, when Dark Age of Camelot debuted, I found myself drawn to the darker more savage nature of the Midgard faction. That continued when I began to play World of Warcraft. In the 6 years I've played (on and off) I've spent 95% of that time as Horde, only dabbling with Alliance to see some of the content from the other side.

So, in short, while I lean towards dark undertones it really does depend on the game and how the different factions strike me at a given time.

The character models is most important to me when selecting which "faction" to join.

When I started Dark Age of Camelot, I was keen on going Midgard. Norse legends are cool! Then I see the ugly troll and kobold races. Ugh! Next, I looked at Hibernia. Elves and magic should be good, right? Ma ma mia, the firbolg and lurikeen looked horrendous. Finally, I just settled with Albion.

Of course, there were many times too when picking the nicest looking race backfired on me. Picking Cora faction when trying RF Online was one example. The other two races decided to take turns beating up the weakest Cora race during the Chip War.

Lore, art, stats, accessories, and the chance to crush my enemies, see them driven before me, and hear the lamentations of their woman.

Mostly the look to be honest. Initially, I see a race that I can picture myself playing (and roleplaying) and think the idea of it is cool, so I go with it. Game lore comes second and stats come last. I don't think I have ever chosen a race/faction based on racial abilities or stats. I choose a race I most identify with and think I will have the most fun playing and go with it.

Race is my primary concern.
The faction they're on falls wherever it may.

Add depends on the race, stats, bonus, ect. Or is any of my friends are on either side.

If a faction has traditional Dwarves, it has me. If no faction has traditional Dwarves, then it's which has a PvE stealth-based class, followed by looks if both do....

Art style of the characters and lands mostly. The hardest choice was Fallen Earth, because factions had really developed philosophies. I ended up being a traveler which would be described as family-centric or mafioso depending on your faction. EVE was tough too because the nations were all despicable in their own ways. Minimatar are self-loathing, Amarr are slavers, Caldari are corporate hacks, and Gallente are just posers.

The dark side, because it has ice-cream and cake.

I always choose race over faction. If I have a awesome-looking darkside crony whose race just happens to like needlework over warfare, so be it.