I'm not sure if you've played Morrowind, but I'd argue that while major destinations were easy enough to find because they were marked on your world map, smaller destinations were a pain. Navigating the Ashlands in the middle of a red sand storm while constantly being attacked by bird creatures is not fun. The first time I played, I would literally spend hours wandering around trying to find the right location because there are fifteen different crypts, tombs, caves, and ruins that might be described as being 'Southwest of the Ursulaka Camp,' and there aren't signs or land marks.
I both loved and hated that aspect of the game. I would go, follow the directions, enter the cave and explore. I'd spend like half an hour to an hour never finding what I came for.
Only for it to turn out it was on top of an unassuming crate at the dungeon entrance.
Or that I'm in the wrong bloody dungeon because I made the left turn too late.
I loved it because it's like I'm being tricked into exploring places I would never have visited anyway. I hated it because I'd never ever figure out I was lost until I start looking it up on the internet.