Some players want markers, others do not. Maybe that's a case for an option in a menu you can turn on - but only for the cases where you're specifically directed to a place by an NPC.
I agree that the crafting system is a bit overwhelming, and even with the books scattered around town, it's rather tiring to track them down. I have to thank the person who found the plaintext list of crafting formulas in the alpha files and put it into an Excel spreadsheet for easy reference.
Here's an example of something I wouldn't have assumed the game supported: clicking on an item in a shop marked as "stealing", and being asked if I want to buy it, instead of trying to steal it. The usual assumption is that you would try and steal it instead - especially because it's marked as "touching this is a crime".
