Let's not forget that combat opportunities exist within Cyseal, so it's not like the notion should be inconceivable to anyone.
- You can always choose to fight with the guards if you get caught performing criminal activity, but not everyone wants to roleplay that way.
- You can always choose to fight the elder elf, but not everyone wants to resolve the quest in that manner.
- You can always fight the ghost in the graveyard, but that requires failing his test (and currently the combat trigger doesn't appear to be functioning as the journal states a battle was fought, yet he vanishes without ever attacking).
So, while there are combat opportunities within the town for people who choose to handle every NPC encounter with force (or incompetence), the problem is there are no combat opportunities within the town for players who respond to the NPC more passively. However, just because someone doesn't lash out at the townsfolk doesn't mean they're not interested in "tactical turn-based combat".. a mechanic which is half of Divinity - Original Sin's equation and part of the reason why we're all playing it. Nobody should be saying "combat? ewwww..."
I wouldn't want fights in the city that don't make sense, nor do I want fights in the city just for the sake of having fights. I would, however, enjoy a fight or two within the city (besides the ones mentioned above which are aimed at a particular playstyle that I don't share) for the sole purpose of breaking up a very substantial patch of dialogue and errand running. At that point it ceases being "a fight for the sake of having fights" and instead serves an important pacing purpose. I also trust that the developers can add a battle or town in ways that makes perfect sense, without it sticking out like a sore thumb.
