First rpg? How am I supposed to remember that? Let's say Zelda II, if that counts, heh. Close enough to the truth in all likelihood.
I think another interesting question, albeit one no one asked, is what was one's first completed rpg. Once again, search me, but I'll just put that down as Final Fantasy.
As for favorite, well, now that's another difficult question, even if it's a different horse. I guess I'd have to say Neverwinter Nights, because it's the one I've probably put the most hours in, it's Dandy (If I'm a fan of anything, it's D&D computer games), and user modules (Did someone say Swordflight?)
Of course, feel free to ask me again after I beat Wiz8.
Hmm, I've been giving a lot of thought recently to what I enjoy in rpgs, as a video game enthusiast who has finally come to terms with it being my favorite genre.
Character creation/building, if you're going to have story, then also reactivity.
I prefer create-a-party and turned based, but single character and real time (w/ or w/o pause) is nice too.
Level design is my favorite thing about video games, so no exception here. With rpgs, encounter design is the most important. I.e. combat design, dialogue sequences, and fun puzzles. However resource management is great when done well; especially with meaningful consumables. So good dungeons is tops.
I think I prefer first person perspective, for some reason. So It's no wonder that my favorites are Sworflight, Knights of the Chalice, Wizardry 8, and Daggerfall.
Although no one asked, my favorite rogulike is Stone Soup. Isn't it weird that rogulike and blobber transcend not only rt/tb, but also rpg. Of course non-rpg blobbers practically don't exists, non-rpg rogulikes (and rogulites) are more than extant. I guess we could call them meta-genres, like platformer.
Even better, I've heard that the Japanese call both rogulikes and blobbers drpgs. How can you just call two radically different styles of game the same name!?