What are you playing?

[Rai]

I enjoy old RPGs because they are pretty much a book and calculator combined. I get to read a story, and to break up the
reading bits, there is the simple pleasure of grinding your characters levels until they are way stronger than the next area
boss.

Oh, haha. Those are exactly the kinds of RPG's I hate. ^^;

Yeah, I'm not the one you wanna ask then.

The Ultima Underworld titles may pique your interest, then (they're text-heavy when you talk to someone, and the combat revolves more around numbers than gameplay), although admittedly I have this very particular dislike for Richard Garriott. Might be the whole "I'll put myself into the game as an indestructible god-creature" thing.