Nah, they were RPG's alright mate and they DID give good RPG experiences.
At least in the old school sense, with traditional dungeon crawls, emphasis on Combat, map making, puzzles and the AD&D party dynamics. Perhaps they were limited interaction wise compared to the Ultima's and the BG series, but that is evidence on how far RPG's have come - the old school stuff shall remain RPGs by classical definition. The little 3d window view by the way is also first person in the old goldbox stuff, but I take your point. Exploring a world in complete first person does help to make it all the more immersive. (Ultima Underworld being my prime example of this!)
Strategic Chess? Nice analogy which I think is befitting in describing any turn based combat system quite common in RPG's even today. Wizardy 8 even the horribly misnomered Ruins of Myth Drannor. (PoRII?) feature a similar feel to combat. There are obvious subtle differences of course. But I don't see how this detracts from an RPG experience nor how strategising in a methodical chess like fashion can be considered 'un-rpglike'. It all goes back to one's own personal definintions I guess, aswell as the games we played as a kid.
We'll agree to disagree then, eh? [img]smile.gif[/img]
Incidentally,
Perhaps someone has already made a NWN module for the Dragonlance fans out there? Any takers for remaking any of the Dragonlancee goldbox series for NWN? That I'd like to see!
[ 10-09-2003, 02:15 PM: Message edited by: CerebroDragon ]