What constitutes an RPG?

I don't know what's so hard to understand about the term "adventure game". The Zelda games are adventure games, yet there are an overwhelmingly large number of people who insist that the word "adventure" is nowhere to be found In Zelda's genre title.

Action games revolve around action. Combat of some form is the focus. Action games are fast-paced and they test your reflexes and eye-hand coordination.

RPGs the polar opposite. They focus on details. They focus on stats. RPGs focus on character/party management, equipment management, experience gaining, level building, strategy and plot.

Adventure games focus on exploration and puzzle solving. Yes, many adventure games allow for your character to become stronger over time and have interesting plots. Yes, many adventure games have action elements in them. But the core of the game's design revolves around exploration and puzzle-solving. The Zelda games revolve around exploration and puzzle solving. Even the boss battles are puzzles! The Zelda games have always been adventure games, and people need to realize it. Now. My patience wears thin.

And yeah, BobtheDead just folded in the end. That's part of the reason why I dislike that forum so much. Try to argue with anyone and they just collapse like a house of cards.