Getting into a game community before release is always fun.
The fact that this one is a 40k MMO with RVR just makes it the best thing coming in my mind.
The Devs enthusiasm matched with the fans enthusiasm is what motivates me to check these forums every day.
The last game to have me this hyped was the XCOM reboot. That one didn't disappoint either.

The theme and Lore of the 40k universe got me interested in the game pretty much by themselves. However, what hooked me in, evento moreso than the promise of massive multiplayer combat, was the team's transparency and dedication to both the product and the userbase. The livestream is the best example of that.

Even though I'm not a founder I've been following the game's development up close. Keep up the good work, Behaviour!

I joined the founder program simply because I love the IP and I have done since I was a teenager when WH40K was first released,

from TT'ing to the BL literature, and my only WH40K computer gaming experience THQ's SM,

I was interested in DMO but that was a dead end so I come onto the forums once a day and argue/discuss with my fellow forumites topics I feel deserve my attention/concerns in order that by the time EC makes the release date we (forumites and the Dev team) have ensured that the majority of obvious gameplay vs lore issues have been nutted out to a point where both newcomers and veterans of the IP alike will be at least satisfied with the game produced,

we (forumites and Dev team) dont want this to roll off the production line and turn into another short-term dedicated population game like so many, we want EC to stand tall in the MMO field and have a reasonable population for several years,

our hopes for EC are varied but I think that most of us hold the same goals,

1. That EC will refresh interest in the IP and engender further development of the IP in this product genre,
2. That EC will influence the MMO genre itself with its new server concepts, UI's and Metagaming mechanics and thus bring about a minor revolution in current gaming circles that desperatly needs it,
3. That EC will be a immersive and entertaining gaming experience that will draw a player in and hold their attention for a significant time span (between 12-24 months)

wether we accomplish these goals and the myriad other hopes held by our community is in our hands and we must fight/suport/argue/discuss/theorycraft/test/polish every concept we can while we can

500 vs. 500 was what I heard and that sold me on that fact alone.

The artwork.

I think the interest grows as the information is revealed. There was nothing but hope when it was initially announced, but as of one of those earlier livestreams which showcased all of the mobility, melee, and other details in the game, I knew that this game in and of itself would be extremely special for far more so than the setting (greatest setting ever).

The cinematic, trailer, and other videos have only ever added to that with each passing iteration. It's all about knowledge vs how it suits the individual's taste, is the best answer I can give.

Cold in Wisconsin too, getting colder. On the upside it's reminding my wife why we're moving back to Sydney next year. Polar Vortexes ... I'd rather have Warp Storms

1. The 40K source material itself. It's on the scale of Tolkien for sheer depth.
2. Seeing the source material actually appear closer to expectation than I imagined possible.
3. The intellectual property being handled by people with actual reverence and enthusiasm.
4. The commitment the dev team show.
5. The forum community itself. Face it, we're fanat-astic.

I floated around the forums for over a month before joining, honestly I was quietly excited but you know: GW games ... When do they actually match/exceed your expectations at launch ? Maybe 40% of the time if we're extremely generous. Then I read Brent's epic What Is Combat Like In Eternal Crusade thread from start to finish (at the time it wasn't that huge), watched Mr Lumpkin's art reveal on his stream, read the almost unnatural direct communication between studio/fans and found some of Miguel's presentations/interviews (the C2E2 one was gripping. Empassioned outreach ftw), I signed up and posted my first 100 suggestions that week

What keeps me coming back is the progress and the on-mission attitude the team have. From Miguel being cautious about finding the right Publisher to Ivan throwing some really exceptional art and concepts out there is a lot of positive examples that reward my fan-ship and very few instances I can point to of being let down (most of which have been subsequently addressed). This project is on extremely sturdy foundations. I'm hooked

Simply put, it was the fact that it was a Warhammer 40,000 game that wasn't on the mobile.

That's always enough to catch my eye.

Getting aboard the ship was more plainly just thanks to me being a forum-whore. Buying the founder's pack was a leap of faith.

Not likely what you were hoping to hear, but it's the best way for me to show my support, outside of body paint and a waving banner.

The ip was what started my interest in the game but it was how open the development team has been that holds me here. After how badly warhammer online: age of reckoning was messed up I was leery but BE has been far more open about the development than Mythic was. If the team had not been so open I probably wouldn't have stuck around more then a few weeks.

For me it's a real mixed bag. I've been waiting for and wanting a Warhammer 40k mmo for a long time. When Dark Millennium was announced I was pretty stoked but when I heard they were going Warcraft-y with it I was pretty disheartened. I can't say I'm "happy" about Dark Millennium being canx'ed but I am pretty friggin happy (happy enough to spring some cash for it) that Eternal Crusade is taking the "more like planetside" route.

Speaking of springing cash for... I've been burned quite a few times on the early access/kickstarter type thing so for me to actually pony up the cash before the product has been reviewed and out for a while is...unusual. I've got really high hopes for this game though.

Ultimately I'm hoping for a great FPS type game with all sorts of extras added in. RP friendly, some sort of out of combat activities and/or things to keep me interested and busy when I get bored of constantly shooting my enemies in the face. Also, I hope that you guys (Behavior) capture the "feel" of what it is to be a combatant in the 41st millennium. For example, when I played Space Marine, I thought they did a GREAT job in expressing how it must feel to be a juggernaut made flesh. A Space Marine is bigger, faster, tougher and generally more bad-ass than any human can ever hope to be, and I actually felt like that playing that game.

In regards to the dev team being responsive and such...I've only recently come into this community and I have not had much time to really get to know the Dev team and how they operate so...Hi Dev Team! Do good work and I shall shower you with praise (and probably money in the shop and such) .