The quest log's actually pretty straightforward once you understand how it works (this helps prevent quest overload, which can be overwhelming). You can track three side quests along with your main story quest, which is particularly useful because some missions have time-sensitive elements that you'll want to keep an eye on.

Something interesting to remember is that there are two major story points that can lock you out of previous content - one near Trosky and another around Kuttenberg (I always tell people to wrap up their side activities before these, since you can't go back). The game does this to maintain story consistency, but it's worth knowing ahead of time.

For getting around, you'll find the map markers incredibly helpful, and the carriage system opens up as you progress through the story. When you're tracking objectives, pay attention to environmental details like cart tracks and NPC movements, since these often guide you naturally to your destination (this design choice makes navigation feel more organic than just following arrows). If you're ever feeling stuck, checking back with previous locations can sometimes reveal new quest developments, especially when NPCs have moved around.

Just keep in mind that quest tracking works best with a clean installation - some mods can mess with the tracking system, so maybe hold off on those until you're more familiar with the base game.