I'll stop the socratic sh*tposting and answer the OP through answering the CRPG question straight up.
What is a CRPG?
CRPG is a video game and a RPG genre. There are other games that are both RPGs and videogames, like JRPGs, ActionRPGs, Hack'n'slash or Roguelikes. These genre are culturally and historically constructed, and many video games are genre edgecases or defy classifications.
CRPG, for ComputerRPG was defined by the computer medium. Hence the name. CRPG as a social-artistic category (genre as it would be understood by players of the genre) is understood now by one salvo of games, mainly : Fallout 1 & 2, Arcanum, the Baldur's Gate trilogy (BG1, BG2, Throne of Bhaal), Planescape : Torment and Icewind Dale. Other notable titles uncontroversially included in the genre contain Neverwinter Nights 1 & 2 and Temple of Elemental Evil. Blobbers are also often considered part of the genre and so are action/CRPG hyprids à la Bethesda (relatively uncontroversial up to Morrowind).
The core features of the genre are :
-Emulating a solo module, using PnP rules, or rules inspired by PnP, through a video game.
-Being primarily computer based, devs understood that meant possibilities not available to consoles. In archetypal CRPG Computer isn't there for show, it is an integral feature. Archetypal CRPGs are easy to mod, have many inbuilt options, have console command, and likely come with dev tools. They are at your disposal to curate the modules as you please.
( ffilz to answer your comment, it has indeed been the case that not every CRPG is equally modable and not everything in any CRPG is equally modable either. Some things (scripting) are harder to do than other (adding/removing item). Somethings are impossible or extremely hard to change, which is called "hardcoded" in modder linguo. That is why how good the engine is is often a criterion for CRPG quality.)
(S sharps54 to answer yours, being on a computer means it is moddable so indeed, safe for edgecases that inherit the CRPG genre for whatever other reason, a Computer RPG is indeed modable, or it is not a CRPG)
Why does it matter to the OP?
That means they are to be compared with solo TTRPG modules, not gaming in a group. It is what they mean to do, and what they do perfectly. Which brings us to : solo RPGaming is as old as the hobby and does not rely on a conversation or a separation of labor between player and GM. Like when buying a solo module, you have the module, the system, the player and the devs. You can curate your experience however you wish and that is expected of you. There is no GM nor any need for a GM.
( robertsconley )In that context attributing Gmhood to the computer, devs or players is absurd and false. There is simply no GM, or the player is also GM if you'd like to think of it that way. What the CRPG module is equivalent to is a module, the system is the system and the devs are devs. There is no GM. If nothing about the dev's vision is to your taste, play another game, if a lot is to your taste but not everything, you can curate it.
Which leads us to the thrust of my criticism : whether or not there is a GM or not, a conversation or not, is only a general feature of RPGs because they are largely played in groups. However not playing in group does not make something not a RPG.
Verdict :
CRPG is a type of solo RPG module play where the module is simulated virtually in more or less depth. It does not require any improvement or change, or a Gm (simulated or real) to become a RPG. It cannot represent the totality of RPGaming, but neither can any sub-genre of the hobby.
That said if you do not enjoy solo RPG module play, it is likely you won't like CRPGs. If you'd like to solo play D&D modules and want the computer to handle the rolls and stuff, you will likely fall in love with BG trilogy or IWD or ToEE. Or Fallout 1/2 if you prefer GURPS.
So it leads us to what is a RPG ?
It's a game about roleplaying, playing roles.
If you look for additional characteristics, please keep in mind they are likely bullsh*t, so when a recognized RPG form does not meet your theoretical criterions, consider your criterions might be wrong before declaring « not a RPG ». It might even be generally right but not in all cases.
Post scriptum : BG3 and IIRC NWN at the time were promoted as mimicking tabletop play with a table of friends. NWN delivered the VTT and I'll let BG3 players decide whether BG3 did it right, but I'm guessing not that well. IMO it's just not possible, and it's not what the CRPG genre is about. I've played a couple games who tried to go against the core logic and gameplay of the genre and they were all mediocre to sh*t in large effect because of it so I will also assume purism leads to superior games in that regard. If BG3 still has new mods 20 years from now I'd be surprised.... ha!
Post scriptum 2 : (@robertsconley to adress your specific points& experience in detail, what defines NWN as a CRPG is the solo module capacity, the rest was additional. Probably part of why modern VTTs outshine it. I guess I understand if you mainly use it as a VTT/MMO that the GM question would be how you understand the medium. But that's not what makes NWN a CRPG, or typical of the genre. What is typical of the genre is endlessly moddable solo modules where there is simply no GM. And in your defense NWN main campaign was kinda sh*t so I can't blame you for not thinking more about it if that was your entry point.)
Post scriptum 3 : modding can be extremely easy. In the Infinity engine, one of the most moddables of all, you can change all 2 handed weapon damage up or down by simply changing numbers in a table and that would affect 80 hours+ of gameplay per game - easier than changing all 2hw enemies in a 80 h+ pnp module.
To finish on a touch of sh*tpost, here is my 5 minutes modding tutorial to play Richard Nixon in BG1 :
-Find pictures of Richard nixon, use paint to export 2 copies format BMP one thats 170*110 pixels, the other 38*60
-Put them in document/BG1/Portrait
Think of the endless roleplay
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You can even change his haircut in game! Endless roleplay possibilities :
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Rolled a Richard Nixon Lawful Evil Conjurer, but he committed battery on his imp! in plain sight! NOOOOOOOOOO RICHIE WHY
To not be arrested by
The Harpers he had to change his appearance, let his hairs grow long
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Sadly he went paranoid and killed the imp with a club in the Candlekeep inn's first floor, so it wouldn't speak of this abuse. But he had forgot that actions have consequence and was killed by the familliar death magical backlash
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RIP Richard Nixon
(5 min tops for this whole operation including screens.)
