I wouldn't mind if RPG's did less to no puzzles and more immersion, npc interaction, roleplaying, choices and dialog... in the end if an RPG puts in gameplay stoppers with no reason or plot to it then they are just padding game-length. The Barrier in the forest in D:OS is a good example of a "pointless gameplay padding" aside from side-tracking some players and confusing many others it is only there to impede you for no integral part of the plot whatsoever (and disabling the barrier involves either killing mushrooms (plot relevant how?) or digging a hole) that's bad puzzle design right there. Especially since we don't have a *real* motivation to even bother with that barrier.
And to me, BG2 is one of the best RPG's ever made exactly because of it's near complete lack of puzzles, unless you consider finding traps and the combat system puzzles. The real core of the game was always managing the companions and their interactions (amongst each other and towards you) it ended up being a superb role playing game because your party reflected your roleplaying. In D:OS your party is a monolithic stone devoid of any emotion or actual consequential opinion.
Good puzzle? "Free your sister from the Spellhold" BG2 .. the amount of possible (And interesting) solutions to this quest line is more than 1 (and more than 2 too ,p) - and the player is guided to the first possible choice (but not necessarily the best one) if player explores, he finds more choices opening (not all of them good for you) up to solve this one quest. D:OS doesn't even have such gigantic "arc" quests. The actual questing feels more or less unstructured and very loosely held together by Zixxax hints, probably because the game grew organically and wasn't planned out from the get-go to be how it is now.
Bottom line. I agree with you Esett, I think physical or intellectual puzzles have no place in RPG's if they are not integral part of the plot or an entire story arc. And to me the major issue is always that many RPG's post BG2/Torment forgot how to give MOTIVATION to the player and instead put gameplay stoppers in form of puzzles in with no rhyme or reason.
