Genshin Impact 7.0: Other Players' Primal Ice Structures Hide Treasures — the Complete Eye of Graie Guide

Graie's Eye is presented as a simple exploration companion — "a strange mechanism discovered in an abandoned station," which "often takes the shape of a monocle." In reality, it unlocks four distinct systems in Snezhnaya, and three of them don't unlock at the same time as it does.

Hence a recurring confusion since the release of version 7.0 on August 12: players who have Graie's Eye but can neither build any structure nor open their adventure log. Here is the exact list of conditions published by HoYoverse, and what each system brings.

Five unlock paths, three different doors

The sub-quest "Gunshots in the Silent Lands" is therefore the real gatekeeper for exploration: as long as it isn't completed, neither building nor progress tracking is available, regardless of how far you've gotten in Act 1.

Five uses for Primal Ice structures, and none of them are decorative

HoYoverse detailed the module in its official adventure guide, under the name "Creative Resonance." The structures come "in all kinds of shapes, each with its own functionality":

• Leap upward to easily reach high places;
• Set up grappling points for quick movement;
• Provide a temporary heat source, for safe respite from the cold;
• Record information and transmit it remotely;
• Set items aside to prepare for any eventuality.

Building costs two things: Primal Ice raw materials and Graie's Eye energy. Some creations also offer multiple appearances. And if your map gets cluttered with unwanted buildings, Graie's Eye accepts a batch demolition command — no need to remove them one by one.

Other players' structures mark hidden treasures

This is the part of the system that guides tend to skim over, and it's the most rewarding. The second module is called "Transmission of Benevolence," and it concerns the structures left by other travelers.

Graie's Eye is explicit: these creations "may be mechanisms indicating the location of a hidden treasure, or may contain secret messages." In other words, an ice structure encountered in your world but built by another traveler isn't just scenery: it's often a clue, left by someone who has already scouted the area.

The system works both ways. You can leave messages and materials for travelers from other worlds, and give a "Like" to those whose structure helped you — and your own creations can receive them in turn.

The train isn't just a means of transportation

Calling a train is one of the functions of the Eye of Graie, and it connects the cities of Snezhnaya. But the official description adds two uses that are easy to forget once on board: you can synthesize items and claim daily quest rewards there.

A trip between two cities is therefore never dead time: it's the moment to clear your synthesis queue and claim your dailies without having to go back to a city.

The Survivor's Frontier and its leaderboards, open since August 17

The third-person shooter mode is played in the Twilight Realms, where you use firearms and equipment while combining elemental reactions. Weapons and equipment unlock as you progress through the mode.

Aboard the train, a shooting range gives access to a simulated Twilight Realm called the Survivor's Frontier, designed to test pure skill. Each level has an extreme record page with two tabs: "All Records" and "Friends' Records".

The former was not accessible at launch. HoYoverse had announced its opening "on August 17, once data collection is complete": the global leaderboard has therefore been active since yesterday. The studio also states that the Survivor's Frontier "will feature more levels in future versions".

The weekly quests tied to this mode are obtained from Yarovaya and require clearing specific Twilight Realms. They require having progressed to Act 2, "Nocturnal Serenade".

The Polaris Expanse, the area where your energy never drops below 30%

In certain parts of Snezhnaya, starlight prisms generate mirages that briefly persist after they disappear. Approaching a mirage reactivates the corresponding prism, which then becomes permanently visible.

The mechanical benefit is considerable: in the Polaris Expanse transformed by a reactivated prism, Eye of Graie energy no longer depletes and always stays at 30% or above. Primal ice structures placed inside also benefit from "various extraordinary bonuses".

These reactivated prisms also travel between worlds: yours can appear for other players, and vice versa. A difficult exploration area therefore becomes significantly more manageable if someone has already done the work there.

The journal that saves you from counting everything by hand

The last system, and the most discreet one: the Snezhnaya Adventure Journal tracks your progress, the content still left to discover, and unclaimed rewards. HoYoverse describes it as "a complete overview of what's left to explore in Snezhnaya", with direct tracking of the corresponding quests.

If you've progressed through Act 1 without finishing "Gunshots in the Silent Lands", that's also what you're missing. Complete this sub-quest before resuming your exploration: the rest of Snezhnaya is meant to be played with it, not without it.