There is a simple version of genshin ao3 and a complete version. Both are here, in that order.
Most of the disagreement online here comes from people describing different versions. There is a point where further refinement stops being worth the time, and it arrives early. Bookmarking the exact step you stopped at saves more time than remembering the whole guide. The complicated explanation and the simple one usually describe the same thing at different zoom levels.
What it comes down to
Get the basic version working, confirm it, and only then optimise — reversing that order is where most of the time goes.
Why it works
Where a guide and the game disagree, the game is right and the guide is old. The result is consistent once the inputs are, which is less obvious than it sounds. Anything described as guaranteed is worth reading twice before you rely on it. Checking the outcome takes seconds and prevents the most common category of wasted effort.
Doing it faster once you know the method
Community wikis are excellent for data and unreliable for timing, which is a useful distinction. Anything described as a known issue is worth checking before assuming the fault is yours. Checking the result immediately costs seconds and saves the most common kind of wasted time. A result that works but that you cannot explain will not survive the next change.
It is worth knowing which part of this the game actually enforces and which part is convention. Most guides are written once and never revisited, which is worth remembering when one does not match.
Getting a better result
The approach below has been checked against the current version rather than a patch from two years ago. A change that works but that you cannot repeat has not really solved anything. A method that works for everyone is usually slower than one tuned to your situation, and worth it anyway.
Following the steps for genshin ao3 without understanding them works until something changes, and something will. The difference between a smooth run and a frustrating one usually comes down to preparation, not skill. The second time takes a fraction as long, which makes the first attempt worth doing carefully.
The straightforward version
Where a guide and the game disagree about genshin ao3, the game is right and the guide is old. Terminology differs between communities more than the underlying behaviour does. Expect the second attempt to go noticeably better than the first, and plan around that. The optimal approach and the reliable approach diverge more than people expect.
The useful part of genshin ao3 is one sentence long; the rest is the reasoning behind it. Two answers to genshin ao3 circulate online, and both were correct at some point.
- Check the known-issues list first.
- Re-read the step before the one that failed.
- Confirm the result immediately rather than later.
- Set aside enough time to finish, since stopping halfway causes most of the confusion.
What not to do
- Blaming the game before checking the one setting that was changed last week.
- Optimising before the basic version has worked once.
- Mixing instructions from two versions and getting neither.
Loose ends
Is the longer method worth it?
Only if the short one has already failed for you. Starting with the complicated version is how simple problems become long evenings.
Where should I look if this does not cover my case?
The official notes for your version first, then a community thread from the same version. Both together beat either alone.
Do I need to finish the story first?
No, though a few things are simpler afterwards. Where progression matters, the relevant step says so.
Can I undo it?
Yes, in nearly every case. Anything permanent is flagged in the steps, and there is usually a safer route worth considering first.
Why do two sources say different things?
Almost always because they are describing different versions, or because one of them repeated an assumption without testing it.
That is the whole of genshin ao3, minus the parts that only pad out a page.