I like to roam and explore - but lately I've just been following quests.

Mainly b/c I enter a cool place and then either find a named item or a named NPC and realize I just ruined hearing about a quest from someone and being sent there.....

This is probably my one main complaint about Skyrim.

Why not either lock Quest specific locations, or only have them trigger the item/NPC once the quest is given and otherwise just fill the place with random bad guys/loot.

J

well for items you could just pretend you thought they were worthless and just left them there and then do the dungeon again once you get the quest.

most quest items aren't worth that much, and aside from the fact that the name puts them apart from the regular loot, there isn't anything special about them.