If you look closely at what I originally responded to, it was that there are zero RPG elements, which is untrue. If you want to amend it to specific kinds of elements, then obviously my response wouldn't be correct to your new post.
Actually...what I wrote that you responded to said " It has exactly zero of the elements that make a game an RPG." Which is true, given my definition. It has plenty of RPG elements, but none of the things that define an RPG.
And I disagree about combat having to translate to a pen and paper RPG to be a real RPG. But if you want to specify a D&D RPG, then sure.
What does any of that have to do with D&D? It has to do with tabletop RPGs in general (which you might mean by D&D RPG?) but nothing specific to D&D.
Whether you like it or not, there are many kinds of RPG games and the definition of RPG is broad.
It didn't used to be. That is my issue. The meaning has been diluted so much as to be absolutely meaningless.
You can wish for RPG games to be very D&D centric, but that isn't what RPG means anymore to most people.
And those people are wrong. It's not really their fault (it's the industry), but they're still wrong.
Even so, most RPG games can translate to paper if you really wanted. There may be some differences that need to be done, but it can still translate.
Hence why the directly without change is important.
As far as physical abilities being irrelevant, even D&D made use of strength and agility, which are physical abilities, so I don't know what specifically you mean.
The player's physical abilities should be irrelevant. If I break my arm, my character shouldn't get worse at shooting a gun or swinging a sword, but in the action games that get called RPGs nowadays, they would, because I can't control them as easily/effectively.
I have an acquaintance whose definition of RPG includes that it should be able to be played easily (if slowly) by a quadriplegic. I don't really disagree with him, I just don't think that's a clear enough definition.
Btw, Planescape: Torment is will one of the best RPG computer games ever made.
Yep
As far as action RPG games, they are just a sub genre. Just like JRPG or CRPG. There isn't anything wrong with those being a sub genre. You clearly prefer true RPG games. I personally like any of the styles of RPG games, as long as the game is good. But they are still a form of RPG.
I like them all, but I object to them all being lumped into the category of RPG. There need to be a lot more specific genres rather than just lumping things into one category to try and sell them to people. ARPGs should be called "Loot Grinding Action Games" or something similar, JRPGs should be "fixed story driven action/turn-based" games (depending on their playstyle.)
Words mean things, and when that meaning is diluted, it hurts communication. Things should be called what they are, not just lumped into general categories that over time get diluted into meaninglessness.