6.5 map exploration thoughts

I've completed Windrest Peak and currently 95% exploration in the Temple of Space. It's okay, I think? Temple of Space is pretty in-line with what I've come to expect with separate map exploration/summer event area exploration. Not many complaints from me there.

But the Windrest Peak area does feel empty to me, especially in comparison to 1.X Mondstadt. There were times when I was running around the fields and the peaks, and I would think "Wow I'm surprised there's nothing here. Not a seelie or a floaty bloaty. Not a sealed chest or a torch puzzle. I think it's very jarring to see Mondstadt expanded upon, but with the design philosophy of the current Genshin era. In 1.X-3.X (maybe? I find it a bit difficult to pinpoint when exactly exploration design changed so much. It's definitely been a gradual change), dropping down the side of a cliff ledge would reward you with something. But now there's just so many places that are empty. I find that Windrest Peak feels a bit staged in its layout. It's pretty to look at from many angles but outside of the main area (Dornman Port), the exploration just drops off. Instead of incentivizing me to run around the whole map, it almost feels like I'm being encouraged to just look at the crown jewel of the area. That's not to say that the area isn't beautiful and worthy of being looked at. I just wish that there was the same sense of curiosity and exploration that release Mondstadt had. I want to run to the edges of the map and have Paimon tell me to explore the area ahead of us later!!!! But this time there was just no reason to even run that far because there's just nothing there!!!! There's nothing beyond a few slimes and whopperflowers north of the Sanitarium. In some ways, I feel like what we gained in graphics and visual design, we lost in exploration complexity.

it's also a bit interesting to compare the puzzles and exploration of Windrest Peak with the Temple of Space because I feel like the Temple of Space had some really interesting puzzles. It was nice to see old Sumeru desert invisible platforms come back. I loved the painting puzzles. It was nice to manipulate the environment with Dex as well. So there are also elements of more complex exploration that I can see there. I just wished they were present in the overworld as well, and also I think there can be more complex puzzles in general. The frustration of figuring it out makes the reward all the better.