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.
The problem with that is that as apparently the choice of companions will be locked from Act 2 forward (same like in DOS2) they kinda have to spill the beans early so people know what they would get with each character.
Has this been recently confirmed? The last update I've seen on this was on Kevin Van Ord stream where he mentioned they weren't sure if locking in was a thing. Although that stream appears to be gone now, so I'm not sure if it was pulled down because Larian doesn't want to stand by some of the things he said.
The lock of the party composition is the biggest issue that I have so far. I like my characters to evolve slowly over time. Not everything at once. Also locking means that when you leave Act 1, you know that you will not meet anyone new that would join you... kinda anti immersive because you know beforehand.
Another issue with it is that all that content is forced into the first area/act and what leaves that for the rest? Only content for the three people you take with you
I also loved how I could switch out characters in NWN 2 via the Inn-mechanic. And that game also offered some exciting plot twists for the companions that traveled with you. Even some that lead to them leaving/dying etc. This couldn't happen with a set team.
Depending on where you go first and last would also lead to meeting some companions so late that you couldn't have a chance of getting to know them enough to make any choice.
I hope they overthink this :S
