I don't like forced NPCs either. I prefer the Baldur's Gate type of, "Hey can I join your group?" or "Would you like some excitement in your life? Come join me." Plus NPCs have to be interesting, have a back story, etc. One thing that annoyed me about Baldur's Gate 1 is the lack of communicative NPCs, they were nothing more than mules to hold all of the loot you found. Baldur's Gate 2 did it right in that regard, communicating NPC's, interesting personal quests and romances.