Some form of direction is necessary.
Morrowind even had a minimap.
Agreed. And I very much preferred Morrowind's system of giving me written directions and having to find the place myself.
I very much don't prefer the game telling me EXACTLY where to go, especially if the NPCs beforehand don't tell me where to go in the first place.
I mean, who exactly was telling you where to go in some quests in Oblivion? The Nine Divines?
I don't know why everyone instantly associates fast travel with Oblivion. FFS, it's been in with Arena and Daggerfall.
Yes, but there were consequences in Arena and Daggerfall's systems. You had to have enough gold to stay in inns along the way, you could run into an enemy, you could even get a disease.
In Oblivion and Fallout 3, it's just *CLICK* *POOF* you're there. Nothing getting in the way whatsoever.