I have been playing/DMing RPGs for over twenty years; started with AD&D 2E. As a player and DM/GM I tend toward games that have a healthy balance of combat, role play, and exploration. I enjoy starting at first level (for games that involved the concept of levels) or with inexperienced characters, building them and shaping them as I go.
I prefer games involving low to mid level fantasy/magic and appreciate games that involve a very real possibility of character death or the possibility of failure (both as a player and as a GM) but as a GM I do not hold to a strict interpretation of rules/mechanics; viewing rules/mechanics as a means to an end (ultimately having fun) rather than the end itself.
I enjoy collaborative gaming/storytelling as opposed to predefined story arcs and/or plots. As a GM I like to present obstacles/challenges to players and see how their characters react rather than posing right/wrong situations or predetermined outcomes.