First of all I do not actually own Fallout 4 yet, I'm still struggling to find time to finish off Fallout 3's DLC and Fallout: New Vegas altogether (waiting for retirement). I'm guessing here, simply and possibly stupidly judging only by a couple of reviews I've read and with the information of a couple of gameplay videos I've seen.

I'm guessing that there is no way of controlling a party familiar NPC outside of talking to them and telling them to stay close or take a step back? How about being able to give straight commands to NPC party members amidst combat? Stop! Hold! Hide! Sit! Good boy, getcha raider!

I think it would be beneficial both to the player (and the AI programmers) if some NPC cliff-diving events could be prevented. It could also be possible to give NPCs more character too, maybe only Dogmeat does exactly what I say (after I've met a dog trainer...) Others could maybe look me straight in the eyes, cursingly protesting my self-proclaimed evil or wussily good domain over them while not looking where they are going...