Developer miHoYo has announced Genshin Impact update “Vibrant Harriers Aloft in Spring Breeze” launches this month.
The new Genshin Impact update launches on January 31st, the first update of this year. Players can expect a new area, Chenyu Vale, as well as new outfits, the return of the Lantern Rite Festival, and “loads of rewards.”
Genshin Impact is also getting two new technical features in the update: Global Far Fog and Gradient Tint Rock.
Here’s a rundown on the new update, plus a trailer:
Genshin Impact Update 4.4
Liyue will celebrate the annual Lantern Rite and expands further northwest with a new region, Chenyu Vale to explore. Meanwhile, players will have the chance to get various rewards, including 10 + 3 Intertwined Fates, a free Liyue four-star character, and a brand-new outfit for Xingqiu.
This year’s Lantern Festival features a brand-new kite theme to welcome a prosperous new year with abundant rewards. New events, mini-games and redeemable items, including Xingqiu’s new outfit, will be available to players. Adding to the joy of Teyvat’s new year, up to 10 Intertwined Fates can be claimed during the limited-time daily login event, and an additional 3 Intertwined Fates and 2 Fragile Resin will be delivered to players via the in-game mailbox. Ganyu and Shenhe’s new outfits will also be launched at a limited-time discount at the in-game store.
Along with Teyvat’s new year, Xianyun, the human form of an adeptus that players might have encountered in previous storylines, as well as Gaming, a young Wushou dancer, will join the game as playable characters. The five-star character Xianyun, aka Cloud Retainer is an Anemo catalyst wielder. Xianyun can take a flying leap and dash forward twice in mid-air, or help nearby teammates by boosting the height of their jumps and Plunging Attacks, as well as providing healing. The new four-star Pyro character, Gaming, is a claymore user who incorporates his beloved Wushou arts into his combat style. In the two phases of Version 4.4 Event Wishes, the first one will feature Xianyun, Gaming, and Nahida’s rerun, while the latter will feature Xiao and Yae Miko’s rerun.
This version will introduce Chenyu Vale, the latest expansion of the Liyue area. It is a beautiful, mist-shrouded area of majestic hills, cascading waterfalls, flourishing villages, and mysterious tales of the adepti. Qiaoying Village is famous for its tea cultivation methods that were imparted to them by the adepti. Further west lies Yilong Wharf, a key trading nexus connecting Fontaine with Liyue. It is distinguished by its remarkable elevator that is powered by the force of water.
However, the majority of Chenyu Vale lies off the beaten track. With the blessing of the adepti, players will be able to transform into a special carp to soar into the sky and reach previously inaccessible areas. During your journey, you will encounter legendary beasts that roam the valley. One of the most formidable and mysterious of them, the “Solitary Suanni,” will appear as a boss enemy.
Two significant new technical features will be applied to better represent Chenyu Vale with a touch of shan shui style. Global Far Fog (GFF) allows mist and clouds to change their density and direction along mountains by taking into account altitude, terrain, and other conditions. Another new feature, Gradient Tint Rock, tints mountains cyan, green or tan depending on the height, visibility distance, textural characteristics of the rocks, and the structure of each mountain. Please check out the press kit for detailed descriptions and video showcases.
Global Far Fog and Gradient Tint Rock Technology
Being a part of Liyue, Chenyu Vale is also inspired by a traditional oriental aesthetic. To render its hills, valleys, and waterfalls in the distance and near enveloped by clouds and mist in a style similar to shan shui painting, we deployed two new technologies: Global Far Fog (GFF) and Gradient Tint Rock on PlayStation and PC, as well as a simplified version on mobile.
Clouds and mist are constantly present in Chenyu Vale, and the Global Far Fog (GFF) feature allows you to better observe how they take on different forms around the rolling hills. By taking into account height, terrain, and other conditions, the developers were able to allow Volumetric Fog to change in density and direction as it passes through different locations. For example, thick clouds converge in low, narrow areas of the valley, while light mist lingers around the cape of the mountains or open areas.
Inspired by shan shui, a traditional painting style, and ink wash techniques, Gradient Tint Rock technology is a new tool that our artists and developers created to portray different parts of the lofty mountains through transitions between three colors: cyan, green, and tan. By creating various distance fields in 3D and customizing them for each mountain, it is possible to see a different color gradient depending on the altitude, distance, textural characteristics of the rocks, and structure of each mountain. For example, the leafy parts, the summit and the ubac will appear in dark cyan and green, while the barren paths and the lower parts can gradually integrate into a lighter earthy tan, hence the name of the technique: Gradient Tint Rock.
We highly recommend exploring the peak of Mt. Lingmeng or Mt. Mingyuan, from where you can enjoy panoramic views of Chenyu Vale. With Global Far Fog and Gradient Tint Rock, we want to offer you an even more intense and visually impressive experience during your exploration journey.
Genshin Impact is available and free-to-play on Windows PC (via the Epic Games Store and official website), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Android, iOS, and coming soon to Nintendo Switch. Check out our Genshin Impact review here!
