Well, Saint, the logical conclusion of this is that the best system for an RPG would be a realistic-physics 3D system, kinda like the Half-life engine. Does this mean that the perfect RPG in terms of physical abilities of the character would be VtM:Bloodlines?
Also, for the Fighting Fantasy books. They were indeed made by SJ, but NOT, repeat NOT, the one from GURPS. One is a Brit, the other is American. Apples and Oranges, and they both resent cross-fanmail.
In all seriousness, in my mind, I agree with Skorpy on the comparison between CRPGs and CYoA, to a point. I think it's somewhat BETWEEN a CYOA and an RPG. the best analogy I can think of is that a GOOD CRPG is like the collection of notes a GM brings to the table before the game starts.
A CYOA defines two things. A world setting, complete with a list (in the writer's head) of locations, people, items, etc, AND a tree of ocurrences designed to take the player from one point to the other of the events through a limited number of paths.
A full-fledged RPG has the same world setting, complete with list of locations, people, items, etc. Furthermore, the GM knows, when he sits at a table, that some locations or people have attached a sequence of events designed to let the players tackle it. but there is no set path *between* locations. There is a freedom to tackle the different locations at will. Of course, the one unimplementable thing kicks in when the game starts, which is the players find an infinite number of not-foreseen possibilities.
The main difference, in my mind, is that the encounters in a CYOA are all stringed together, start to finish. You cannot jump from the end of one situation to the beginning of a totally separate situation if it doesn't lay directly ahead of the first one in the path the player is on. On an RPG world, though, even assuming the players will NOT deviate from the GM's plan, they can jump from the Ruins of Myth Drannor to the Underdark to Baldur's Gate to the Sunset Mountains. There is no link between these separate locations/situations, and the players can choose between them. More importantly, after finishing one, they can start any other.
With the current level of technology, this is the range of possibilities in terms of world construction.
1) One linear path (computer adventure, book)
2) Several possible paths, with one beginning, one end, and some divergent paths in the middle (BG, NWN, lots more, CYOA)
3) Several possible paths, with one beginning, several ends, and lots of interconnections in the middle (no single "choice" leads to a specific end, instead the player can follow the branches liberally and choose the end only AT the end. (Ultima 7, more?)
4) Several possible paths, but with multiple beginnings, multiple endings, and multiple ways to go from start to stop. think of it as several threads, with connections between the threads all over the place. (Basically only one example: ToEE)
5) No concept of "paths". The world is defined, and several small "threads" of events are placed around the world, including one which is more focussed on (the main story). The order in which the player starts the threads, and even WHICH he chooses to start are completely up to him. (Fallouts, Arcanum, Morrowind, Daggerfall)
I feel all of the above can be done in a CYOA except the last, and 4 will struggle. So CRPGs AT THEIR BEST beat CYOAs