That's just combat but with stronger rules

If we want to go that route, any conflict would be a kind of combat.

As a conflict has multiple parties trying to reach their own goal which doesn't completely overlap with the others.

i think this would rule out nearly all games (including most non violent ones)

Yes, I sim race, but don't enjoy other sport games. But that's pretty limited scope, when it comes to creative worlds and storytelling isn't it? I am interested in what a game in a world like Bioshock would be like if the game could have no combat.