Well .. where should I start... I fully understand your point of view. Please believe me when I say, that I wish one would have the time in his life to enjoy this game to its full extend and have multiple game stories running (more or less) parallel. a Solo gameplay, a session with one friend, a session with two friends, and a session with the other friend.
It would be great to play this game as you suggest, and that was always the great experience when playing D&D as pen&paper "back in the days". But as it is right now, in my live at least, and perhaps for some other players of BG3, they simply do not have the time or let's say the luxury to endulge in such gameplay.
For an instance, if I where to only play a game session when two of my friends would have time to play... this session would go on for a year perhaps. At the same time I would spoiler my experience with a solo session. But if you are able to play drop-in drop-out you can enjoy the time together with your friends while still managing to progress in the story. each on their own, and also together (depending on how many session each is willing to create).
If that would really be the intention, that you drop in and are a fully integrated part of the story, then how come the friend that joint your session does not get can only give ratings to the options in a dialogue but can not make the decision on what should be answered... simply because he/she is "just" another hireling that runs along in the story.
The NPCs are an integral part of the story, but you are able to leave them in the camp and take Shadowheart instead of Karlach with you... there is no problem... so how come you can not play it like that if you want with your friends?
Again, it is great if you want to and can manage to play the game as you described above, but stating that the intention of the game is meant to be so that once you drop in, you are integral part of game stands in contrast to the fact that you can switch Origin Char in the camp at any time... if that be the intention, there would only be three other Origin chars in the game and you would not be able to switch them in camp.
