Valid criticism. I would also like more focused storytelling and down to earth characters.
It's like this story throws everything and the kitchen sink at you right from the start. It's so much to take in that the multiple storylines and super interesting characters start eating each other's narrative power. I mentioned earlier I would have postponed the whole vampire story sidequest later in the game when you reach the city, when Astarion could also be a higher level character to reflect his 200 years. Give the city a fresh twist too. The beginning has enough with "just" the mind flayers and the githyanki which is already very exotic in Faerun, Hell and cambions... And the Absolute. Put all the focus on what's going on first.
Shadowhearts "reveal" could have waited until later. Well, it sort of is I guess but her secret isn't exactly a secret when her armor has like 15 symbols of Shar on it.
Gale could have received his condition later during the adventure. Etc.. Not everything needs to happen right away.
All of act I happens over the course of a few days. Less is more.
I think you might have the right idea here perhaps? Have some of this stuff happen later in the game, maybe have some of these companions later, switch them around.
Personally I think Gales most of all needs an overhaul, ,as I mentioned in my "story notes gale" thread, it can be toned down by having his need for magic items start off small and escalate... and by removing the part where he actually boned down with the god, and instead have had this thing happen because he was trying to get to that goal of making her fall in love with him, and trying to impress her...
