Enkanomiya/Design

Version 2.4 Special Program

Level Design

Jef, Environment Concept Artist: Greetings, Travelers! I am Genshin Impact's Environment Concept Artist, Jef. I have some good news to share with everyone: in Version 2.4, an all-new world region, Enkanomiya, will open soon. We can't wait for you to come and explore it. Enkanomiya is located in the abyss below Watatsumi Island and is a mysterious locale bathed in white night on the border of Teyvat. Due to a devastating change in the past millenia [sic], the entire island of Enkanomiya sunk into the deep abyss below Inazuma. It was here that Enkanomiya's denizens had long struggled against darkness; they refused to give up hope and built their own civilization underwater. Guided by the serpent god, they illuminated the murky depths with light as bright as day.

Thanks to its unique geography, the land of Enkanomiya is one of a kind. Deep in the abyss, they are isolated from the rest of the world. Thus, their color palette and ecology are very different from the surface. Here, there is no natural light from the outside world and there is no alternating cycle between day and night. The vegetation and soil are pale — everything seems mysterious and profound. We tried to explore the theme of light and darkness from all angles to interpret this ancient kingdom for our players.

Xue, Level Designer: Even though it is a part of Teyvat, Enkanomiya is somewhat disconnected from it. Based on this premise, we wanted to make Enkanomiya evoke a general feeling of "solitary exploration." After attempting to accomplish this in several different ways, we finally decided on this empty space in the form of a grotto. For this reason, we decided to use spatial contrast to design the level structure. When players first enter Enkanomiya, they will arrive in a relatively dark, enclosed space. However, once you open the gate to Enkanomiya, a vast, sprawling world will open up before you — this creates a huge difference in spatial contrast. We wanted to use this contrast to evoke players' emotions. At the same time, a new mechanic applicable to the entire area has been added to the gameplay: a transition switch between day and night.

The change between day and night in Enkanomiya can be made manually via the tower in Byakuyakoku - Dainichi Mikoshi. This mechanic has also influenced puzzle and quest design throughout the region. So the basic concept is to use the day/night transition to create puzzle contradictions, and you will have to use this mechanism to solve these contradictions so that you can solve the puzzles in order to continue exploring.

Yiyi, Level Artist: In contrast to the other islands in Inazuma, Enkanomiya is a huge floating island located beneath the ocean. It is also the birthplace of an ancient civilization. Therefore, when designing the landscape of Enkanomiya, we wanted to encapsulate both a mysterious visual expression of the depths of the sea and the feeling of desolation of the ruins of a forlorn, ancient civilization. To this end, we have designed some particularly representative huge cultural ruins and deep-sea vegetation with more fantastical forms than the ones on Watatsumi Island. Together, these contribute to the unique style of Enkanomiya.

The first thing the players see when they enter Enkanomiya is a strong halo of light shining from the Dainichi Mikoshi that envelops the entire landscape in light, as if the player was in plain daylight. The highly symbolic energy light source sets the mood for a stage-like experience. With this, we wanted to give players a sense of stark contrast between light and dark with further exploration of the map. For example, during day, players can better understand the characteristics of the civilization's ruins and society through light and shadow: the bold architectural lines intermingle with the errant, twisting trees with huge branches twisting around them; the colder hues of the setting highlight the desolation of Enkanomiya. When going into the night state, the landscapes and buildings blend into the background, underwater plants of different shapes and sizes glow as if they were alive.

What gave me the biggest impression was the giant colony of fluorescent corals at Evernight Temple: they are scattered across the mountains, like a roll of parchment at the bottom of the sea. The large river Styx runs through the landscape, making you feel like you are in an entirely different world.

Xue, Level Designer: Yes. At the point when you enter Enkanomiya, you will encounter an introductory quest that we made. When you get to the tower and find the day and night switch, the order and flow of the gameplay will no longer be limited, so how you will complete the exploration process is entirely up to you. Therefore, while designing the World Quests, we adopted a fragmented approach: you will be able to converse with afterimages to learn about the history of Enkanomiya from different points of view.

Enemy Design

Lezhou, Monster Designer: The new region of Enkanomiya is also home to an ancient species: Bathysmal Vishap. These creatures live in groups in the pitch-dark watery depths for years; they have adapted to the dark and are formidable predators. These Vishaps are extremely dangerous. When their special attack hits their target, it absorbs energy from the target and deals additional damage. The less energy the target has, the more damage it will take. Influenced by Enkanomiya's unique environment, some of these Vishaps have become extremely cunning and ferocious. They appear as bosses in the area and fight particularly well in groups. They can also work together to unleash more powerful attacks. At the same time, they can also make use of their surroundings in combat. Of course, you can also use the environment to launch a counterattack!

While exploring Enkanomiya, you will also encounter Abyss Heralds and Abyss Lectors. Among them is an incredibly deadly Abyss Lector who is adept with the Pyro element. If you are hit by his Abyssal Pyro attack, it will deal delayed bursts of damage regardless if characters are shielded or not. Approach with caution, Travelers! When the Pyro Abyss Lector reaches Phase 2, he will summon a Flame Core which will be used to trigger even more powerful abilities. Of course, for the seasoned Traveler, this Abyss Lector can be defeated swiftly with the right combat strategy. Well, a new world is at hand — we hope all of you will be able to experience this new adventure and have fun exploring!