Suggestions and Ideas

[Dark]

do it like in thief(wow thief comes up alot in this tread :p ): just make a room wich seems important but is just a square(like gamgam said)
and then give that room a secret entrance to a important room and your good to go

but dont make it to free at the start
i like it more where the freedom gets gradualy
so no morrowind: after the char creation, boom you can go anywhere and dont know what to do and that is anoying