I made Piper pick it up. They went crazy on her so I threw a grenade into the mix. Everything was fine :-D

Not the case at all. There are so many occasions where you enter a room or settlement and you’re challenged and have to speak with someone. If you find every encounter is turning nasty, it’s you and your choices.

‘lazy and simplistic developing.’

Nope. There is another option and one which I took.

Exactly right :-)

So make your own story. I haven’t followed the main quest to the end because it isn’t interesting to me. I just made my own tale to tell and I follow that. Less boring :-)

Lovely spoilers