I kinda expected that to happen ;-) writing considering the setting versus writing not considering the setting? yes it is

Most of the character stories are well written, so they don't bother me.
The tombstones are another story. There should have been an option to simply remove the magnifying glass icons. I did not know what to expect when I clicked the first one I came across. Ghastly.

Divinity:OS has something similar. I was a bit pissed about it to be honest. Suddenly see some form of credits rolling after clicking a tree. It's simply not done.

I am all for giving kickstarters and backers rewards, but for crying out loud, don't destroy immersion by doing so.

Totally disagree, this is a game funded by the fans for the fans, plus other costumers and fans who couldn't support the game in the moment.
Additionally, the journal has a warning about the immersion, when the scenes are loading appears warnings and they had a format for avoiding problem with the written (Though by the numbers more than one avoid the filter).

And the memorials are a tradition since BG1. There is not a graveyard made by this people that will not make you laugh a little (or too much).

And finally, those were not cheap, the memorial were for 500 USD minimum and the NPC for 1,000 USD. That was a good filter for avoiding putting too much of them, but oh surprise, the game reached the 4 millions, and we got the current "Endless path" deep thanks to it (And Avellone had to play arcanum, but meh).

I love it all and think its brilliant, especially the soul stories, BUT it might be nice to have an option to toggle those on/off in settings, specifically for people seeking total immersion. I just started ignoring gravestones mostly because they didn't do much for the world/story, but the soul stories really add a lot of color. As another person said, it would be awesome to interact a bit with NPCs too.

Yeah, having something fun on the memorials is a tradition that has been adopted by many RPGs, and I generally enjoy them. This is the reason I was somewhat disappointed to see them replaced by random (mostly non funny) internet comments in this game. But heh, nothing to blow a gasket over, just a small twinge of irritation every time I see a tombstone, that's all. Doesn't prevent the game from being damn good :)

In the very beginning of the game there's a dead soul (hiding any spoiler here) hanging from a tree who is female, matronly, and speaks with a heavy Italian accent, and who actually gives you a lot of pertinent information and at least one significant quest in the main story line--but, why would you think every person's soul would be directly related to your narrow quests and interests in the game? Part of being a Watcher is that you observe...and you'll obviously see things that have no immediate or direct correlation with you, personally. For me, far from breaking the immersion, it enhances it--because it's part of being a Watcher, etc.

The tombstones are corny, I'll grant, but once you know what they are and what to expect from them, you can freely ignore them, right? Sometimes they are funny...but you don't have to ever look at them if you don't want. The IE Mod strips them out and replaces them with fantasy names, if you prefer. They don't bother me at all, and I think it's cool that Obsidian would engrave the backer's names in the game--they aren't trying to sell us anything, are they? It's a tribute to the backers and I'm cool with it--we have the game because of them. If it makes you feel uncomfortable, well, maybe that's just a bit of guilt because you didn't contribute...?...;)

I remember Nashkell (Baldur's Gate) having headstones with silly inscriptions and references to the developing staff and other things. I certainly don't remember anyone being bothered by them, even though clicking on them once or twice too often could actually kill you. Silly phoenix guards.

I'm not outraged by the backer content, but I have to agree to the extent that I felt it was very immersion breaking. Certainly well written, but I was disappointed when I could not talk to any of those characters. Particularly when they look so interesting/unusual.

I think they belong to different tiers. The NPC were for the $500 backers as I read recently (it may not be the case), and I have no idea for the tombstones, but I wouldn't expect it to be on the same level ; hence the difference of quality.

However, I didn't find more than half of those NPC memories really interesting, I soon stopped reading them. In another playthrough maybe I will try to read them all.
Otherwise, I may be interested to see some kind of 'top 10'.

Some memories is intersting. Some is not. But hey, not everyone have a intersting life :D PC can dig intro peoples heads. And some people is boring. yep. Nothing unusual in this. But this feature fits game well. Especialy on 3d walktrough :)

Yeah, that's what bugged me about the yellow npcs. Not the memories themselves, but the fact I couldn't interact with them, when every other peasant has at least one line of dialogue. That's the reason they felt out of place, I think. Otherwise, they are fine as a demonstration of your power, as a reminder that many people of Dyrwood were refugees and adventurers coming from every part of the world for their own reasons, and as a "short story provider" similar to the books in other games. But since they are static and can't be talked to, they don't feel like they are "real" NPCs; just signboards with a story attached.

If they'd been previous lives attached on "normal" NPCs, and that you can access by using some power/shortcut, they would have been a very cool feature. Although there probably would have been a problem with the number of NPCs, I think.
As they are now, I still find them pretty cool, but they bug me a little.

I don't like these stories either, because they are not really connected with anything in the game. They are just there. Luckily you can identify the NPCs holding these stories by their color, so it is easy to avoid them. I am fine with that.

I'd much rather take the moment to read some soul story than to have yet another NPC who says the exact same thing I've heard a million times already. I think it was a brilliant way to fill the towns and places up with people, which makes it look more like a living world.

Also, I had no idea they were backer related until about a week ago, after I'd been playing for awhile.

Yeah me too.
I rather enjoyed most of them.

the game tells you how to recognize them which means you can skip them all easily.
Yet it is not fan fiction or immersion breaking, the developers included it in their game, it is part of the game.
I don't mind it at all.