Is artwork and marketing the biggest factors in why you will check out a new system?

No.

I mean, I like cool art, but I rely on word of mouth over marketing, let others try it and then speak on it first.

No. Not even close. Having goof art is important- it definitely goes a long way towards grabbing my attention, and it’s useful as inspiration for the kind of character you want to make, or adventures you want to take part in. But there is an endless landfill of garbage, barebones games that would be better off as art books. Mörk Börg is the classic example, but I see at least a dozen of them every time I visit my lgs and they never sell. Cain too, which sucks because I really do like the artist behind the game.

On the flipside, one of my favorite games is Ars Magica 5e. Most of the art in that game is buns (at least in the core book). Clear and competent layout design and formatting are more important (which AM also doesn’t have, but y’know).

>>95932379 (OP)
Artwork is a factor, but as part of overall presentation. If no effort has gone in to make ot readable and your cover doesn't reasonably evoke the subject matter without leaning on unprocessed AI art I am probably going to care about your RPG as much as you did. But on the other hand expecting full colour photographs every page of a lush miniature world that looks like its made out of cake icing and oil paintings of the main characters might be unrealistic. There's DIY executed with some tasteful restraint and then there is DIY unreadable black metal font. Hummuside? Your band is about Hummus?

>>95932379 (OP)
For me artwork is about 25% of the appeal, especially if the artwork is unique in some way - in technique, art style, presentation, medium, composition, or theme - that isn't just generic fantasy. It inspires my imagination and gives me a good reference point for my own descriptions in games.

>>95932379 (OP)
Premise and hook first. Then mechanics and system. Art and layout are important, but without the entire book in my hands, it will be hard to truly know if that matters. I've made the mistake in the past of grabbing a game that looked cool, only to find some watered down mork-borgian artpunk bullshit in the actual meat of the game. The games I've liked the most hooked me with a good premise and good art, but the reason I actually bought and played them was because of the rules and mechanics.

>>95932379 (OP)
No.

I refuse to check out new systems, because too many discussions about them have ended with "well you can just rewrite it".
I'm not going to waste any more time on shit that I'll end up having to rework to some degree.

>>95932379 (OP)
No. I learned as a child that advertisers are lying manupulative fucks and that nothing they promote (via art and marketing) is true. If an lying dishonest manipulative advertiser, social influencer or shill tries to sell me something I previously never had a need for, I ignore them and add their product to my 'do not buy' list.

>>95932379 (OP)
Trench Crusade