Yes the original context for that remark (if I've remembered it correctly and still can't find) is about open-world exploration and the difference between intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Or as is pertinent to us, Sandbox and Railroad narratives. But I still think it's a industry-wide move, regardless of genre and beyond open-world gameplay.
Of a scale of Dwarf Fortress to Mass Effect; BG 1&2 incorporate more of D&D's attempts to realize actual adventuring concerns than BG 3. i.e.
mr_planescapist=
Auto health/magic regain Unlimited inventory space Fast travel No ammo Less <junk> spells and abilities because they bring nothing to combat No random encounters No day/night Dump down creature type and abilities Less weapon types/skills Story mode MMO/Smart phone like UI.
simulation isn't just about environments it's about a lot of things, if there's a better word for that I couldn't think of it.
Of course, how much D&D deals with this type of gameplay varies by campaign, with a majority of players being uninterested, which is why it's more or less an afterthought in the rules without supplementary material.
I like Bioware games and I'll be happy to play a Baldur's Gate game in the vein of one, but especially with the last Dragon Age I've reached a tipping point with the way certain aspects of RPGs have been streamlined or are now out of the player's control.
