Yeah I agree, I dont like them either.
But maybe there are so many NPCs around that it could be very frustrating to have to speak to them all or to remember who it was that gave the quest.
I just really hope that there isn't some kind of compass where I just run in the direction it tells me to run and just keep doing that for the entire game.
I would also much rather explore the world bit by bit and have some kind of fog over the map untill I have actually been there. At least that way I know where I have been and where I haven't.
