In his birthday message Thoma said, that Kaeya refused to visit him, because it would be too far of a travel. But in Mona hexeri quest we would casually stroll from Mondo to the depths of Sumeru desert. How any of that makes any sense?
There was a very old post in this subreddit about how Xiangling mentioned in a quest or something that it took her 3 days to get to Mondstadt from Liyue and someone actually tried to do the trek in game and it did take 3 in game day and night cycles.
It's not like she took a stroll. Mona literally described what she would have to do without us, like hiring a guide and investigating to find place B was talking. But since Traveler and Paimon already know the place, she just ported us.
Since you didn't mean a transportation fee just now, Paimon's guessing that means...
Yep! Same method as usual. Let's go!
Mina's usual method is teleporting. The loading screen with image of flowing water and bubbles as the next scene in Sumeru started is like a visual interpretation without needing to actually animate it
Leaving aside the fact that Mona can teleport, different people have different definitions of “far.” In this case, I think it’s pretty reasonable for most people to think that a trip from Mondstadt to Inazuma is far.
It works on video game logic. AKA gameplay and the immediate story will always takes priority over background immersion. The world is big, except when the game needs to move characters from point A to point B.
Imagine you run into Itto in Inazuma. He's having trouble because his prized Onikabuto refuses to fight and there's a big beetle brawl event next week. After some shenanigans, you decide to visit Lauma in Nod Krai since she can speak to animals, and have her ask the beetle what's going on.
Too bad Inazuma and Nod Krai are on completely opposite sides of Teyvat. Is Itto supposed to spend 3 months traveling to Nod Krai, then another 3 months traveling back to Inazuma, and still make it to the beetle tournament that's happening in 2 days? Obviously not. What if Lauma is conveniently in Inazuma already? Now Itto doesn't need to travel, but that means the Head Priestess of the Frostmoon Scions is away from her tribe for over half a year.
You see the issue? Acknowledging how big Teyvat is gets in the way of pretty much any story that involves multiple regions, or characters from multiple regions. You want Varesa to drop by Mondsadt for a cross country event? You want Yanfei to show up In Nod Krai for work? You want Durin to travel from Mondstadt to Sumeru and back to Mondstadt? Then you'd better ignore all the in-universe logistics behind how big Teyvat is, cuz that's gonna throw a wrench in every single one of your narratives.
Birthday mail isn't active gameplay though. It's flavor text. If a quest needed Kaeya to travel from Mondstadt to Inazuma though, he would probably pop right over in no time.
You'd also think that the travel between Nod-Krai and Mondstadt in Durin's SQ would be eventful granted that either the Traveler is taking a new route we haven't explored yet up in the north, or going through Natlan, the Sumeru desert + rainforest, Liyue and then Mondstadt. But nah it's just "go to Mondstadt". I really hate the implications that we can just inconsistently hop nations in no time at all, because it breaks the immersion so bad in every quest where we go from one to another with another character.
I think perhaps something like a single animated image with a conversation or something on the road could fix scenarios like this. In Durin's SQ, it could be used to let the Traveler get to know Durin a little more, since his birth and development happened off-screen and we didn't see it. It doesn't have to be long, but something that acknowledges the fact they travelled such a long distance.
Or alternatively, just get Alice to teleport us like she has done before lol
I don't think so, since nobody acknowledges the waypoints. A lot of people (myself included) just imagine that Traveler is probably using them to blip between nations when alone. Or like, when they go out for "a walk to clear their mind" and end up on the very west of Hiisi Island
That one I didn't even think about, but when Durin has us take a quick trip down the road to the library in Sumeru I definitely had a "in your condition?" moment
The game is just super inconsistent with distance. It's something that's been a giant plot hole for the entire story that people ignore. Like "no one can go to nod-krai to help us because it's too far", meanwhile Venti is traveling to Natlan for fun to go with Bennett, and Iansan, Xilonen and generic NPCs are traveling to Dragonspine for a race lol. We also walked halfway across nod-krai for a "midnight stroll to clear our mind".
Everyone saying "Mona can teleport" is conveniently forgetting that we casually went to Nod-Krai with Fischl for her hexeri quest as well.
After saying goodbye, you begin your return journey.
It is implied that in case with Fischl, they actually had to go all the way personally. But it wasn't a "stroll" but finding the author of the book the whole Fischl's personality is based on. And on top of that the author was considered missing, it was a commission, and Fischl is in the adventure guild just as Traveler. IRL people travel across the world to see their idols all the time.
Venti didn't come to Natlan "for fun". He came all the way to Natlan to fix the problem his choice long ago created. Him blowing away Mare Jivari "from Teyvat's timeline", and Natlan leylines being broken, means the soul of Mondstadtian adventurers that stuck there had no way to go home. But after Natlan Night Kingdom eventually got straightened and Leyline rules were rewritten thanks to Capitano's sacrifice, Venti got an opportunity. He returned to Tenochtzitoc to collaborate with Mavuika and guide the lost souls back into leylines, tagging Bennett along so the young man could find the truth about his origin the Anemo Archon knew all along.
Can't say much about the Dragonspine event as I missed it. But I agree that with "I should clear my head" strolls genshin has a big problem. Chiori goes "There's a place i like to go to unwind a bit", then she takes the aquabus to the opera and does some serious trekking in the mountain. And all that in self-designed dress and very uncomfortable looking heels.
Honestly the thing that bothers me most rn is how many characters are just casually hanging out in Nod Krai for anecdotes, it feels really goofy when like Heizou + Mika + Xinyan + Yanfei all just happen to be taking time off work to go to the opposite end of the map at the same time.
Like i do mentally handwave a lot of weird travel gaps, but for whatever reason the anecdote characters really get under my skin, probably because they all exist simultaneously rather than being able to handwave "it probably took a couple days travel" between scene transitions.
there have been moments when some characters literally traveled to other nations with us and acted like it was nothing. This actually counters the theory that other archons can never interfere with these "world-threatening" events because they're too far away and it takes a long time for them to come. I think it's just a plot hole until Hoyo gives an explanation.
it's not just it's too far tho. The main issue would be leaving their own nation vulnerable. If anything, the last archon quest showed the consequences of lowering your guard
Kaeya has an in-person day job that doesn't guarantee he can take time off for that kind of a trip. Mona writes for a newspaper and has a much more flexible schedule, and she could probs get some work done while riding a boat or wagon.
We know the distance in the lore are scaled down in game, but honestly this thing is really inconsistent across all the game
Like i remember when people were use this as reason why the characters in other regions don't help us, but it's not always work like that like ther is a time when the traveler and yoimia got in a bote from inazuma port to sumeru one in what looks like lee then a day, and the worst offender in luna 1 when the traveler walks form nacha town to the west of hisi island in a"late night walk"
Mona can teleport
This is such a forgotten ability of hers tho
mona teleported us
There was a very old post in this subreddit about how Xiangling mentioned in a quest or something that it took her 3 days to get to Mondstadt from Liyue and someone actually tried to do the trek in game and it did take 3 in game day and night cycles.
Mona can teleport. i'm pretty sure she did it during the 1.1 event quest.
Something something replay-able events Hoyo.
I never actually knew Mona could teleport.
She did it again in her hex quest!
It's not like she took a stroll. Mona literally described what she would have to do without us, like hiring a guide and investigating to find place B was talking. But since Traveler and Paimon already know the place, she just ported us.
Mina's usual method is teleporting. The loading screen with image of flowing water and bubbles as the next scene in Sumeru started is like a visual interpretation without needing to actually animate it
Leaving aside the fact that Mona can teleport, different people have different definitions of “far.” In this case, I think it’s pretty reasonable for most people to think that a trip from Mondstadt to Inazuma is far.
It works on video game logic. AKA gameplay and the immediate story will always takes priority over background immersion. The world is big, except when the game needs to move characters from point A to point B.
Imagine you run into Itto in Inazuma. He's having trouble because his prized Onikabuto refuses to fight and there's a big beetle brawl event next week. After some shenanigans, you decide to visit Lauma in Nod Krai since she can speak to animals, and have her ask the beetle what's going on.
Too bad Inazuma and Nod Krai are on completely opposite sides of Teyvat. Is Itto supposed to spend 3 months traveling to Nod Krai, then another 3 months traveling back to Inazuma, and still make it to the beetle tournament that's happening in 2 days? Obviously not. What if Lauma is conveniently in Inazuma already? Now Itto doesn't need to travel, but that means the Head Priestess of the Frostmoon Scions is away from her tribe for over half a year.
You see the issue? Acknowledging how big Teyvat is gets in the way of pretty much any story that involves multiple regions, or characters from multiple regions. You want Varesa to drop by Mondsadt for a cross country event? You want Yanfei to show up In Nod Krai for work? You want Durin to travel from Mondstadt to Sumeru and back to Mondstadt? Then you'd better ignore all the in-universe logistics behind how big Teyvat is, cuz that's gonna throw a wrench in every single one of your narratives.
Then it still doesn't make sense that thoma IS too far away for kaeya, right
Birthday mail isn't active gameplay though. It's flavor text. If a quest needed Kaeya to travel from Mondstadt to Inazuma though, he would probably pop right over in no time.
LMAO true, still inconsistent tho
You'd also think that the travel between Nod-Krai and Mondstadt in Durin's SQ would be eventful granted that either the Traveler is taking a new route we haven't explored yet up in the north, or going through Natlan, the Sumeru desert + rainforest, Liyue and then Mondstadt. But nah it's just "go to Mondstadt". I really hate the implications that we can just inconsistently hop nations in no time at all, because it breaks the immersion so bad in every quest where we go from one to another with another character.
These things also bother me, but I think it's just a storytelling technique.
"Conservation of Details", basically if it's not important to the story it gets handwaved. This could be to save space or preserve pacing.
Would a 5+ minute addition of them just traveling be particularly interesting? I don't think so.
I think perhaps something like a single animated image with a conversation or something on the road could fix scenarios like this. In Durin's SQ, it could be used to let the Traveler get to know Durin a little more, since his birth and development happened off-screen and we didn't see it. It doesn't have to be long, but something that acknowledges the fact they travelled such a long distance.
Or alternatively, just get Alice to teleport us like she has done before lol
Can the traveler teleport others with them via the Waypoints or is it limited to only them and Paimon? I’m not up to date on the Waypoint lore.
I headcannon he invites them into the teapot and then gets them back out after teleporting
That is really funny but makes perfect sense.
I doubt that's how the adepti planned on their gift being used but it's logically sound.
I don't think so, since nobody acknowledges the waypoints. A lot of people (myself included) just imagine that Traveler is probably using them to blip between nations when alone. Or like, when they go out for "a walk to clear their mind" and end up on the very west of Hiisi Island
Okay, hear me out.
Food delivery event.
It's a black history nobody wants to remember, albeit for a different reason, but.
You are tasked to deliver food in a limited time to a middle of nowhere.
Here's a question: how is the business model suplosed to work in absence of traveler and their access to teleports?
That one I didn't even think about, but when Durin has us take a quick trip down the road to the library in Sumeru I definitely had a "in your condition?" moment
It’s also like different characters can have different opinions on subjective matters like travel
Or different immediate responsibilities that influence their ability to travel at that specific moment.
The game is just super inconsistent with distance. It's something that's been a giant plot hole for the entire story that people ignore. Like "no one can go to nod-krai to help us because it's too far", meanwhile Venti is traveling to Natlan for fun to go with Bennett, and Iansan, Xilonen and generic NPCs are traveling to Dragonspine for a race lol. We also walked halfway across nod-krai for a "midnight stroll to clear our mind".
Everyone saying "Mona can teleport" is conveniently forgetting that we casually went to Nod-Krai with Fischl for her hexeri quest as well.
It is implied that in case with Fischl, they actually had to go all the way personally. But it wasn't a "stroll" but finding the author of the book the whole Fischl's personality is based on. And on top of that the author was considered missing, it was a commission, and Fischl is in the adventure guild just as Traveler. IRL people travel across the world to see their idols all the time.
Venti didn't come to Natlan "for fun". He came all the way to Natlan to fix the problem his choice long ago created. Him blowing away Mare Jivari "from Teyvat's timeline", and Natlan leylines being broken, means the soul of Mondstadtian adventurers that stuck there had no way to go home. But after Natlan Night Kingdom eventually got straightened and Leyline rules were rewritten thanks to Capitano's sacrifice, Venti got an opportunity. He returned to Tenochtzitoc to collaborate with Mavuika and guide the lost souls back into leylines, tagging Bennett along so the young man could find the truth about his origin the Anemo Archon knew all along.
Can't say much about the Dragonspine event as I missed it. But I agree that with "I should clear my head" strolls genshin has a big problem. Chiori goes "There's a place i like to go to unwind a bit", then she takes the aquabus to the opera and does some serious trekking in the mountain. And all that in self-designed dress and very uncomfortable looking heels.
Honestly the thing that bothers me most rn is how many characters are just casually hanging out in Nod Krai for anecdotes, it feels really goofy when like Heizou + Mika + Xinyan + Yanfei all just happen to be taking time off work to go to the opposite end of the map at the same time.
Like i do mentally handwave a lot of weird travel gaps, but for whatever reason the anecdote characters really get under my skin, probably because they all exist simultaneously rather than being able to handwave "it probably took a couple days travel" between scene transitions.
yep when i was playing kaeya hangout in sumeru and he went "a walk in liyue would be nice rn" and we just teleport there like?😭
If that poor lad had a horse, he could have shortened the travelling time to the harbour at least…
Many game world sizes need to be scaled down for a variety of reasons. IRL, it would be much, much bigger.
there have been moments when some characters literally traveled to other nations with us and acted like it was nothing. This actually counters the theory that other archons can never interfere with these "world-threatening" events because they're too far away and it takes a long time for them to come. I think it's just a plot hole until Hoyo gives an explanation.
it's not just it's too far tho. The main issue would be leaving their own nation vulnerable. If anything, the last archon quest showed the consequences of lowering your guard
Kaeya has an in-person day job that doesn't guarantee he can take time off for that kind of a trip. Mona writes for a newspaper and has a much more flexible schedule, and she could probs get some work done while riding a boat or wagon.
We know the distance in the lore are scaled down in game, but honestly this thing is really inconsistent across all the game
Like i remember when people were use this as reason why the characters in other regions don't help us, but it's not always work like that like ther is a time when the traveler and yoimia got in a bote from inazuma port to sumeru one in what looks like lee then a day, and the worst offender in luna 1 when the traveler walks form nacha town to the west of hisi island in a"late night walk"
didnt he mention someone knocking at the end? in my head kaeya couldnt come at first but then found the time to give him a surprise visit