Flix,
I have to admit, I play ARPGs to nuke stuff and that's about all. I've never worried about back story.
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Lurker,
P&P RPGs are about what the players do, and the GM can always give EXP for role playing, ideas, etc. Even the most blatant dungeon crawl can be an excuse for characterisation and character interaction. Modules frame the narrative, but they are not the story. The players create the story. That's the part that the games companies tend to miss.
I've GMed games that were intended to be mainly talking and had players ignore all that and just kill stuff, and the reverse.
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Just to be clear, I played tabletop RPGs for just over 20 years before I burned out on them and gave up. I still do play RPGs on the computer/console - and I mean pretty much all types: Diablo-type ARPGs, Dragon Age type RPGs, Final Fantasy type JRPGs, weird hybrids like SpellForce and Divine Divinity - and I thoroughly enjoy them all. My desire for clarity in the genre in no way comes from looking down on any type. I just think the RPG designation has become absolutely meaningless and I'd like to see the industry clear that up.
I tend to use the terms as (Which, yes, are far from computer industry standard):
RPG: involves characterisation by the player. Includes such games as Dragon Age, The Witcher and PS:T. Story & plot will be important, but who your character is will make a significant difference to how the game plays out. Played by people who like to develop a character.
JRPG: interactive films, like the Final Fantasy games. The games are made to tell a story and everything else is incidental to the story, including anything the player might do. Played by people who like a good story (Or at least an entertaining one with fun characters).
ARPG: involves hitting stuff. A lot. Everything else in the game is just an excuse to let you hit more stuff. Possibly the best stress/frustration reliever ever invented!
Of the three types, only the first are 'true' RPGs.
All have their virtues and their place, but the possibility of misunderstanding is near-infinite with the current set-up in computer games. Especially with the nefarious 'RPG elements'. A more meaningleess term has never been invented...
