Some questions on gaming preferences

[Rökkan]

In PC games, do prefer full screen games over windowed games?
It's nice to have options to toggle between full-screen and windowed mode, but I always play in windowed mode. Because then I can focus on other stuff instead of just the game

1) In an adventure heavy game, do you like large, explorable, detailed environments or more compact environments that are more platformer and 'avoid the pit' oriented?
It really depends on the game's genre, gameplay, the feel of the game, and how well you'll be able to work out with that. I think if you're the developer, you choose whichever it feels right to your game. But if you want my opinion, I prefer a mix of both, an obvious platforming level design but with a lot of exploration and alternative paths added to it, and with an environment that changes as you proceed.

2) How do you feel about collectible items such as coins/rupees etc. ?
I'm fine with them, but as long as you give them importance to work to get them, and have the level design structured in a way that as you're better in the game, you'll achieve much more collectibles than a not-so-skilled player would. For instance, in Super Mario Galaxy, collecting Star Bits had some decent importance in the game, but collecting Coins had almost none. Another example, in classic Sonic, collecting lots of Rings and keeping them was a hard task, and if you did clear the stage with 50 Rings, you'd be teleported to a Special Stage, but in Sonic Unleashed, the level design automatically gives you rings. No skill or anything, you can finish the stage with 400+ rings easily, plus, if you're hurt by an enemy, you don't lose all of your rings.

3) In general, what aspects of adventure games do you like most?
Original gameplay and environments. The game must feel something new or different to appeal me, but above all, fun and not tiresome. The game must renew itself at each stage so that it can keep the player interested.

4) How important is music to your experience?
A lot. There ain't good game without great music behind. Music contributes a lot to the feel of the game, and I'll admit that I wouldn't like Klonoa: Door to Phantomile or Sonic CD as much as I do if they both had mediocre music (which is why I didn't like Sonic CD much when I first played it, because I played the North American version which doesn't have nearly as good music as the Japanese/European one). And I have to admit that I have soundtracks of games that I haven't even played before (Daytona USA), that's how good some soundtracks are. And with great music I mean great, original compositions of all genres, not only orchestral or guitar stuff.

5) How important is story to your experience?
Also a lot. Story doesn't have to be complex, but it has to be something interesting, that makes the player want to play more and more to see it unfolding, plus great stories can give huge depth to the characters. The problem with doing huge, complex stories like in RPGs is that with that, you'll make huge games as well, and that costs replayability. So I prefer stories that aren't very long or complex, but still interesting, well-written and original, because then I can have enough patience to re-clear the game again.