I think that the problem is that you are to lazy/rushe/uncaringd to read what they say. You might call it poor "qeust communication" but it's just poor attention on the part of the gamer.
I reckon the same aplies to Morrowind, if you had been reading what they told you'd know that the reason for finding Casius was to find out why you were released. He told you that you were going to work for the blades and investigate a certain profecy that might be about you.
That's just not sufficient motivation, and it's bullshit. Sellus Gravius says something like "I have no idea why you're being released, just that Patrick Stewart himself ordered it. Now be a good little monkey and deliver this package."
He doesn't even give you a decent thread to pick at.
Sellus: My background is not important. I'm here to welcome you to Morrowind.
Me: Er, thanks? See ya.
Door: Make sure you talk to Sellus Gravy about 'duties'!
Me: I don't see 'duties' in his wiki topics.
Door: Make sure you talk to Sellus Gravy about 'Morrowind'!
Sellus: Go deliver this package, monkey-boy, so you can get even more
orders!
Not to mention it's a direct order from your
captors. It's stupid to have such a broad, freeform world, and then tell the player "Go here, do this, just because."
Fuck, even a quest checklist is a better motivator than Morrowind's "plot," but ideally, the player should be able to define their own goals, and know they're going to achieve something, preferably something that has a gameplay effect.
Morrowind was purely self-motivated, it had no carrots. It would be like playing Civ, and having technologies with no effect, they just show up on your character sheet. Why would you be motivated to select
any of them?
