Updated Genshin's expansions diagram with 1.x | Bet your predictions for Nod-Krai
With this diagram, it's easy to see how hoyoverse is dealing with maps expansions now.
Although I acknowledge that HoYoverse has improved a lot in some aspects of the game, such as giving more time for character interactions outside the main quests and improving quality-of-life features, the development and release of maps has clearly been neglected.
The biggest proof of this is the delay in releasing new maps and the delivery of very small areas, like the new regions in version 6.3, which are only the size of the largest island from 6.0. Back in the Fontaine era, we were constantly getting new maps to explore.
As we can see, in version 4.x we had only 3 “dry patches.” In Natlan, we had 5 dry patches. And now in 6.x, I’m betting we’ll once again have 5 dry patches. My prediction is that Dornman Port will arrive in 6.6, and that we’ll get a new permanent map through the summer event in 6.8.
What are your predictions for the remaining map releases up to 6.8? Do you think they’ll release more maps beyond what I’m predicting?
Some important notes about the diagram:
**1** – Although we have a lot of nostalgia for version 1.x, that was actually one of the worst periods of the game. Three patches in a row without any expansions… Many of my friends stopped playing between 1.4 and 1.5 and never came back, because there was nothing to do in the game besides dailies, artifact routes, and mining routes.
**2** – Version 2.5, although it was the same map as 2.4, required you to explore everything again and came with new rewards. In other words, we actually had content to play in that update.
**3** – Between versions 3.1 and 3.6, we only had desert expansions. Even though the maps were good, it eventually became very repetitive and tiring.
**4** – Fontaine 4.x era map expansions were **PEAK**!
**5** – While Natlan was one of the best regions, having 5 dry patches was not a good decision. HoYoverse could easily have anticipated the first expansion to 5.1, released the volcano in 5.4, and a map from another region (Mont Esus, for example) in 5.6, then followed the normal course in 5.8 with the version-area expansion.
Although I acknowledge that HoYoverse has improved a lot in some aspects of the game, such as giving more time for character interactions outside the main quests and improving quality-of-life features, the development and release of maps has clearly been neglected.
The biggest proof of this is the delay in releasing new maps and the delivery of very small areas, like the new regions in version 6.3, which are only the size of the largest island from 6.0. Back in the Fontaine era, we were constantly getting new maps to explore.
As we can see, in version 4.x we had only 3 “dry patches.” In Natlan, we had 5 dry patches. And now in 6.x, I’m betting we’ll once again have 5 dry patches. My prediction is that Dornman Port will arrive in 6.6, and that we’ll get a new permanent map through the summer event in 6.8.
What are your predictions for the remaining map releases up to 6.8? Do you think they’ll release more maps beyond what I’m predicting?
Some important notes about the diagram:
**1** – Although we have a lot of nostalgia for version 1.x, that was actually one of the worst periods of the game. Three patches in a row without any expansions… Many of my friends stopped playing between 1.4 and 1.5 and never came back, because there was nothing to do in the game besides dailies, artifact routes, and mining routes.
**2** – Version 2.5, although it was the same map as 2.4, required you to explore everything again and came with new rewards. In other words, we actually had content to play in that update.
**3** – Between versions 3.1 and 3.6, we only had desert expansions. Even though the maps were good, it eventually became very repetitive and tiring.
**4** – Fontaine 4.x era map expansions were **PEAK**!
**5** – While Natlan was one of the best regions, having 5 dry patches was not a good decision. HoYoverse could easily have anticipated the first expansion to 5.1, released the volcano in 5.4, and a map from another region (Mont Esus, for example) in 5.6, then followed the normal course in 5.8 with the version-area expansion.
Commentaires
Most leaks speculated Dorman Port was a part of 6.4 itself before the beta leaks mentioned it was not. Almost all leakers regularly mentioned Dorman Port to be a part of 6.x(just check out the leaks sub)
Given that it's not in 6.4, if it's still a part of 6.x, wouldn't it make sense to release it with the new Mondstat character coming soon
Hoyo has cheaped out on map updates 5.0 onwards, but we've had versions with consecutive Map Expansions plenty of times in the past. 6.5 being the last Nod Krai Map with Linnea coming out and 6.6 being Dorman Port with Lohen coming out doesn't feel too far-fetched.
Either way like you said hoyo has cheaped out on map updates so getting a map in 6.5 then in 6.6 seems too good to be true. Plus we have that guy who trades random useless stuffs for primos (forgot his name) also talked about dorman port. And as much as I can remember he talks about the next cycles updates
So 6.7 would be the summer map in that case.
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There is at least two more expansions coming.
One is Dornman Port. They have been hinting at this like crazy the last few patches.
The other is whatever region of Nod Krai that has the last set of the Lunoculus.
Neither is going to be a limited area.
There is also Hyperborea, which may or may not have the Lunoculus
so were getting at least dorman port and a nodkrai extension.
then from the livestream we supposed to get some part of mare javari.
And both of them are still probably the two best sub-maps.
I even soft quit genshin right around when they came out (also due to life circumstances)
Not saying anybody's wrong for liking it but man it was a rough time getting those two sub regions to 100% exploration
Despite using the treasure compass in sumeru, i still somehow didnt get over 80% in most areas and somehow didnt find 50 or so dendroculus. With all the layered underground stuff, its probably hard to navigate and find stuff even with an interactive map
All of that is to say that I’m no doubt one of the people indirectly responsible for their diminished focus on explorable terrain, but Nod-Krai and the new treasure compass have done a great job turning me around, because 100%ing now feels like a much more tangible goal.
If this is how it’s going to be going forward (and hopefully retroactive as well), I can see participation and completion rates going up across the board, which should hopefully incentivise Hoyo to give us more frequent map updates again.
There's no reason for the compass to show the whole map other than on first activation or after the first usage every login.
But I do think the Lv.3 Compass is just too OP for something you get at 90%, to the point of actively making the game LESS engaging. To the point I actively DIDN’T grab my exploration reward after 70% until I got 100% exploration (it still wasn’t that hard).
90% exploration is just comically easy to get with Lv.2 Compass already. Lv.3 is just way too much of a cheat sheet, I’d rather they’d given it at the fake 100% so you could just clean up the random mora rocks scattered about.
I hated Lv3 so much since I didn't know it would keep opening the map. I use the compass to guide me to the treasure chests' location (and elevation) and there's no reason for it to always show the minimap.
There will be only 4 dry patches, because we'll start Snezhnaya after Lunar VIII.
There will be 2 more expansions, because we have two more avatar frames to earn. Dornman Port in Lunar VII, with Nod Krai finalized in Lunar VIII.
Two are achievable currently, with the other two locked.
well dorman was teased alot lately, thats why
Version 1 really only gave us Dragonspine, which really isn't that much of a new region. It's really just the mountain. Both versions 2 and 4 gave us Liyue areas, so that's +2 for Liyue. So, at some point maybe, Mondstat should get another 2 (assuming Dragonspine actually counts as 1) and one more for Liyue.
Then there's the whole Mare Jivari thing, so I dunno.
::edit:: what's with the dv's?
Dormant port is defo coming, hopefully mare jivari when a natlan intelude cause going to snez without all 7 gnosis in fatui hands is just awkward for plot
Given that the latest map (the one that came with patch 6.3) has exactly 80, they can easily cram all of the remaining ones into an equally small map
Imagine the thirst for new adventure everyone had to endure for months. Then finally it happened with a bang. A special summer vacation people will never forget.
Most of my friends stop playing genshin between 1.4 and 1.5 and never came back.
The summer "event" shouldn't be a part of the main region, it should be exactly like before but just make it permanent. Permanent Golden Apple Archipelago (1 and 2), permanent Veluriyam Mirage, permanent Simulanka, that sort of thing. By making Natlan's summer event a part of the main region they simply deprived us of another exploration expansion and made it the driest patch cycle by far, and it's looking like NK is following in its footsteps with that stupid 2 dry patch gap.
Something tells me that they are also going to bring back some of the past events as well
Is it good in a vacuum? Oh absolutely. Is it good in the context of proper expansions? No, it isn't. The effect of this change was very different throught Natlan, and making LESS expansions in a game where EXPLORATION is the main point certainly isn't a good thing. What I'm saying is that merging these two things is outright bad. Natlan's last legs shouldn't have been the summer event, there should've been a proper expansion and THEN the summer event/map.
Which is another thing, going back to pre sumeru region sizes js fine, I'm not gonna act like the actual world size isn't at average Fontaine's at best, but like, actually make more of that stuff and do aot of small updates, not a few of them here and there
So not only size and frequency, but how much effort it takes to complete an area. A lot of the "puzzles" now are basically telegraphed minigames that take zero time to finish. It just basically extra steps before you get a chest (or three, in the latest expansion), without the extra steps providing any friction
That, and you get those rails sequences where you transform into a Kuuhenki and it just conveniently transports you where you need to be
They have absolutely just cut back content super hard and lately have been relying on double/triple chest drops to pad the rewards (both this patch and the Volcano were really bad about this) and still not coming close to how much content the game used to get.
Now we're in Nod Krai and for some reason every 3rd interactible is locked behind some random ass quest again except not even major quests this time it'll just be some random bullshit quest that unlocks that one exact thing you're stuck on it's so stupid.
NK is lucky it's so goddamn beautiful that i can forgive some of its faults.
And the Reed miller stuff wasn't anywhere close to the WQ of Sumeru, Fontaine or Natlan.
Can the open world exploration game stop catering to people who don't like open world exploration?
Its just sad so see, how less Nod Krai made explorable, from all the potential thats still there, just because of MW. No Mt Esus, no Blackclif Forge, no Sumeru desert Completion, no Gap closing of Natlan and Sumeru, no Realm of the Youkai, no expasnion finally of Enkanomiya and the Chasm to connect these undergroudn maps with more overgroudn regions via new tunnel systems of the underground mine from the Chasm.
Just disappointing, how much stuff didn't got done and likely also won't get done for a long time, because when Nod Krai is over, a large amount of time will be used first for Snezhnaya, when the Nod Krai year was supposed to close those many loose ends, that MHY produced over 5 years, just to ignore then again mostly everything of it again, thanks to wasting tons of ressources with MW instead, a project nobody has ever asked for and that feels totally out of touch with the real game
It’s not, though
I do agree with the little exploration. New island of Nod Krai feels like just the Beryl Region in Fontaine. Not a triple region, like they are portraying it. I also dislike the fact that you see a locked chest, fight some enemies, and suddenly two more chests appear. And that happens too much.
I doubt we will get better exploration in Snezhnaya.
I don't care that MW has "own devs", fact is, its ressources, that MHY doesn't spend for enhancing the real game and that now a third time within 5 patches. when that crap shouldnt have such a high priority, as its completely out of touch with all the rest of the game.. heck even Housing n TCG feels being more in touch with the game, than MW does, because absolutely nothign is anyhow connected with it to the real game. All of its content is completely isolated from the rest of the game.
Just look, how long ago we had from 9 Patches the last time 7 with new Maps, that was just with Inazuma once 4 years ago !! Ever since then they slowed down more and more with the map expansion speed to 5 or 6, then just only 4 and at that pace we have now, it seems we end up again at only 4, when Dornman Port and the missing Nod Krai Part eventualy are the only maps MHY plans on addign for the rest of 6.x..
its just sad to see, howe MHY obviously totally neglects now everything just on the pursuit to milk the whales more than ever with a flood of skins, that everythign else seems to be not important to them anymore... sigh
That’s a wild take given they released two nations at once.
Now that the devs made natlan's summer map be permanent (and it's highly likely this is a pattern to continue onwards from now on too), they won't give us more temporary regions to explore, instead they will make temporary rewards for exploration and/or quests instead to make up for the difference.
Still pretending Hoyo is not at the same level as the western gaming giants who ruin their products?
Actually no they're not. Cause I spent much more on genshin for it to be treated like this many years down the line
There still a chance of Dornman Port to be release in 6.x, but it could the new summer area in 6.8 since its close to the sea. And we it could be where we leave for Snezhnaya
(just my speculation/prediction, I can still be wrong tho)
Yes this is partly copium.