The idea of "quest items" as a separate category is a compromise to minimize the chances of the player entering a fail or lockout state.
More generally the things players find "annoying" are the ones that most create immersion. Because those are the ones that most closely tie the gameplay to an analogue of real world activity. Organizing, traveling, looking for hard to find objects, etc.
The trick is to optimize the frustration so that the player notices but isn't overcome by it. If the player doesn't complain then the experience isn't memorable. If he quits then it was too much. But if the players complain and still keep playing, that is where immersion happens.
A great example of a game that uses a completely modern UI is Horizon Zero Dawn where there are no inconveniences or nods to older style gameplay (except a minor use of random drops) but the game is utterly forgettable.
Play Zork.
The idea of "quest items" as a separate category is a compromise to minimize the chances of the player entering a fail or lockout state.
More generally the things players find "annoying" are the ones that most create immersion. Because those are the ones that most closely tie the gameplay to an analogue of real world activity. Organizing, traveling, looking for hard to find objects, etc.
The trick is to optimize the frustration so that the player notices but isn't overcome by it. If the player doesn't complain then the experience isn't memorable. If he quits then it was too much. But if the players complain and still keep playing, that is where immersion happens.
This strikes me as a case of "traditions are answers to problems we no longer remember.*
A great example of a game that uses a completely modern UI is Horizon Zero Dawn where there are no inconveniences or nods to older style gameplay (except a minor use of random drops) but the game is utterly forgettable.