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Oblivion. Though it's up to debate whether it's a RPG. But because enemies scale with the player, basically it's like you don't get stronger (relatively to the monsters).
Or maybe Ghost of a Tale....
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Strijkbout: RPG = Role Playing Game, so games where you are put into the shoes of someone (spoiler alert: a LOT of games do this), like Wing Commander for instance.

Progression systems actually have nothing to do with Role Playing itself, it's more of a sidegame for the statgeeks.
Then that would make every PC game where you play as another character an RPG.

Doom is an RPG cos you're role playing a space marine
Command and Conquer is an RPG cos you're role playing a commander
Call of Duty is an RPG cos you're role playing a soldier
Sam and Max is an RPG cos you're role playing detectives

See the problem yet?

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blotunga: Oblivion. Though it's up to debate whether it's a RPG. But because enemies scale with the player, basically it's like you don't get stronger (relatively to the monsters).
There are skills to level up and each 25 percent to that skill gives you a perk. As flawed as oblivion was, there is still a system of progression
Post edited April 16, 2018 by IwubCheeze
Yeah .... that's indeed a very strange question, especially coming from you, since I always had the impression you have a much stricter definition of what an RPG is than most other people. But even I who's usually much more lenient with the genre definition would say that it's very debatable whether a game without growth system can even be called an RPG. Unless you explicitly state your definition of an RPG, excluding games "whose RPG-ness is debatable" sounds like a pretty nonsensical request to me, especially in this context. One could almost think you were trolling ...
I consider System Shock 1 a kind of RPG survival, even if there aren't character stats or levels.
The only improvements present are limited to the items you'll find.
Post edited April 16, 2018 by phaolo
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Strijkbout: RPG = Role Playing Game, so games where you are put into the shoes of someone (spoiler alert: a LOT of games do this), like Wing Commander for instance.

Progression systems actually have nothing to do with Role Playing itself, it's more of a sidegame for the statgeeks.
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IwubCheeze: Then that would make every PC game where you play as another character an RPG...
He was being a smartass/troll. We all know what RPG literally means - we're talking about a genre of computer games.
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IwubCheeze: Then that would make every PC game where you play as another character an RPG...
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teceem: He was being a smartass/troll. We all know what RPG literally means - we're talking about a genre of computer games.
Oops. the smartassery/trollery obviously went over my head there *facepalm*
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Darvond: Define a growth system, please.
Getting bigger. Not just physically, but also mentally and spiritually, sometimes even sexually (The Witcher games).
System Shock 1 (not 2)
The very old Sapiens
Paper Sorcerer
NEO Scavengerr
Sunless Sea

Argually :

Ultima 7 and Ultima 8 due to irrelevant progression (you can increase 3 irrelevant stats and 1 mostly irrelevant stat (only really used for how much you can carry)
Ghost of a Tale
STALKER, especially STALKER : SOC
WC: Privateer
SPEC Ops, the Line
Post edited April 16, 2018 by Narwhal.644
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dtgreene: I am wondering if anyone is aware of any game out there that:
* Clearly is an RPG. (I don't want games whose RPG-ness is debatable)
and
* Does not have any system that allows the player to get stronger as the game progresses.
I would say the game "Squad" belongs to that category. Many others too like Quake and Doom.

https://www.giantbomb.com/rpg-7/3055-682/games/

I presume this was the answer you were looking for?
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dtgreene: I am wondering if anyone is aware of any game out there that:

* Clearly is an RPG. (I don't want games whose RPG-ness is debatable)

and

* Does not have any system that allows the player to get stronger as the game progresses.

This means that there can't be any level up system in the game, nor can there be a mechanic like purchasing equipment upgrades.

Anyone know of any RPG of this sort?
Some of LARP games, expecially historical reenactment variety.
Post edited April 16, 2018 by LootHunter
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blotunga: But because enemies scale with the player,
Kind of iffy about that since I know the MMOs I play, the enemies get harder as you level and move thru the story lines.
Well there are MMORPG's without progression and that has RPG in the name.

Minecraft, Roblox, Club Penguin (RIP)
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magejake50: Well there are MMORPG's without progression and that has RPG in the name.

Minecraft, Roblox, Club Penguin (RIP)
I thought you could gain some kind of levels in Minecraft? Anyway, can't really say I ever thought of Minecraft as an RPG, but with all the genre mixing that goes on these days, who can tell what's what anymore.
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IwubCheeze: It might help if you define what an RPG is to you.
I want one with a battle system that is recognizably an RPG battle system; I'm thinking something like Wizardry or Dragon Quest here.
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Catshade: Isn't RPG without level progression or equipment upgrades is basically just adventure games? So probably Sierra games (if you want older classics) or Telltale games (for newer sensibilities).
The way I see it, an RPG has an RPG-ish battle system.

A pure adventure game does not have a battle system at all; any combat in such a game is scripted and treated as a (adventure-style) puzzle.
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rtcvb32: Reminds me of the NES gargoyle game, the only 'growth system' was how long you could flap your wings (once, twice, three times, or infinite) and was more to unlock areas and less about growth...
This game (and its Game Boy predecessor) are really action games that happen to borrow a few elements from the RPG genre. Of note is that the dungeons consist entirely of action stages with no "out of combat" exploration found at all. Also, you gain jump height, wing strength, health, and even a few different shot types as the game progresses (though it's progress-based rather than level or exploration based).
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rtcvb32: And if you consider speedruns, i've seen speedruns of both Morrowind and Fallout where no leveling was done and they beat the game within 15 minutes, so depends on those approaches i suppose...
Actually, in Morrowind:
For Any%, a glitch is used to boost certain stats (Speed and Luck included) to absurdly high levels.
For All Main Quests, the glitch is still used, but in addition, the player actually does level up to level 3 (as it's required for the main quest) by raising the Mercantile skill.

Also, even if the player doesn't use it, the growth system is still present, and the developers still designed the game with the assumption that the growth system would be used.
Post edited April 19, 2018 by dtgreene