How about define what Role PLaying is before running off to the difference in roleplaying games. You classify Fallout and Oblivion as exploration RPGs and not substantially different from Action RPG. So I present this
A role-playing game is a game in which the participants assume the roles of characters and collaboratively create stories. Participants determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization, and the actions succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules and guidelines.Within the rules, they may improvise freely; their choices shape the direction and outcome of the games.
1. First bold is pretty standard for a majority of games. Such a statement then can't be applied to gaming since it would also mean that GTA, Gradius, DMC, MGS, Ninja Gaiden then become an RPG.
2. Second bold is interesting indeed. Since most CRPG don't all allow any kind of player collabertaion, but since it is in computers we do need to be more lenient.
3. Third & fourth bold is by far the most important element to an RPG. The "actions they choose based on their characterization" working within the rules to "improvise freely; their choices shape and direction and outcome of the game"
That is Roleplaying Games. A majority of RPG that you(OP) listed are by far not RPG in the most important sense of all. Role Playing and I refer to Role Playing as in improve acting than I refer to games. Have any of you when younger pretended to be a Rockstar, Marine, Cowboy, space man, super hero? When doing so you change your behaviour and make decisions based on the role. The difference when you apply a game is that now you success or failure is formalized into a set of rules. Some rules obviously cut down on ability.
This is why the OP find it hard to distinguish what really makes an RPG and RPG. Often citing rather shallow/shadows of what defines a RolePlaying game. Listing upgradable equipment or some form of advancement as RPG. Where as the defining element is participation from the player to create stories based on a characterized role. Games like Zelda, Metroid, FF, CC:CB have nothing of the sort in regards to colaberation in the stories they create and instead end up following a precrafted story.
Where as the supposed "exploration" RPG of Fallout or Oblivion were overlooked when in fact that Fallout 1-3 does infact allow player participation to create stories. Everything after the begining and until the end is ultimatly the players choices based on the type of characterization or gameplay the player wants to experience. If Zeek the murderer wants to kill everyone in every town in Washington Wasteland. Well he can.
So infact there are a handful of RPG that are on the computer side of RPG(computer as in CPU). Many have the same elements of these RPG, but are in fact not RPG at all.
Squilliam: On Vgcharts its a commonly accepted practice to twist the bounds of plausibility in order to support your argument or agenda so I think its pretty cool that this gives me the precedent to say whatever I damn well please.
