Let me share my experience. I started work at a game company as a game designer with little or no experience but with the opportunity to learn at first and the excitement of being involve in a project of that type. Firstly, game design is not a regular stuff in my own part of the world, so it is seen as something super cool. At the beginning, I was so motivated to work, I will stay up late in the nights and wake up very early to continue working, until oneway, I realised that the project wasn't really moving forward and the owner of the company, due to reasons unknown couldn't keep up the pace with the production. Suddenly, the production picked pace again and I was inspired once again, this lasted for few month and by now, I have actually been able to do some stuffs myself, like level design, I've learnt a lot during that time, until the production was slowed again and it was like everything was crumbling. While this was happening, I was down psychologically and I being to thin about my salary, how it was not enough and all, and after few months it was increased and I picked up again, but this time it was because of the money and when I compare the two times I've been motivated, It was the times the production was going smoothly that I enjoyed the company most not when my salary was increased, but the increment to my salary showed I was appreciated with my contribution too. I agree with most of what is stated here, its not always about money sometimes but still, the role is a noticeable one