A bit more evidence the game was slightly rushed to hit the 2017 deadline. But I'm very happy these fixes will be in place when I get around to it. Like how I first played BOTW after the framerate fixes were added. Have the game, but there's other things I need to to finish first.

Nah, if they were rushing, they would have cut out entire features and storyline things as they did in previous Xeno games.
These are just minor polishes. With the ability to patch, they can put these changes into a post-launch schedule.

I don't consider 3,5 years of development time rushed. The game is full of content. There is no moment where it feels empty or missing stuff. What they are fixing are rather odd design choices.

So we'll just have more Blades in 2nd playthrough? I'd wish they make important Blades as playable characters.

And nothing about shutting the horrible lootbox system to get the Blades... This must be the major source of dissatisfaction imo, more than map issues.

While having a full out quest to get a rare blade like Vess is neat and all, I do like the loot box system for blades due to one aspect.

Future playthrough will feel different depending on the rare blades you have throughout the game.

I have like 8 Rare blades that I have and use. Next time playing through my first 8 may be completely different and thus make the game feel slightly different.

It's not like you can't get all rare blades easy enough. Heck, right now I have like 90 common core crystals, 15 rare core crystals and 1 legendary core crystal I have not opened.

The lootbox system hasn't gotten any flack really since 1) it's not tied to microtransactions and 2) the game showers you with a huge number of cores.  As for Blades being playable characters, within the context of the game's lore and setup that doesn't really work.  

Full Notes:

• An easy mode will be added to Tiger! Tiger!
• When you press the X Button, the Skip Travel screen will open the map to your current location. We hope this will make it easier to spot Skip Travel locations and Salvage Points on the map.
• An additional 1:1 zoom on the mini map will be displayed by pressing the L Stick. This will allow improved visibility of your surroundings and make it easier to check quest locations.

We will further improve the convenience of the mini map as we add more quests and additional elements for second playthroughs next year. We appreciate your continued patience.

Note: The second playthrough elements will be available for all players, not just those who purchased the Expansion Pass.

• In your second playthrough, you will be able to have “those” Blades join your party! You can also dispatch Blades like Pyra and Dromarch as a Merc Group, and unlock the “LV 4 Special” of a certain Blade.
• We will distribute the following useful items to those who purchased the Expansion Pass:
  • Driver Essentials Set: 10 x Rare Core Crystal, 1 x Legendary Core Crystal, 3 x Overdrive Protocol
  • Upgrade Parts for Poppi: 30,000 ether
  • Pyra’s Favourite Things: 5 x Jenerossi Tea
  • Nia’s Favourite Things: 5 x Ardainian Bear Carving

This final boss is super frustrating. Is it a glitch that I can't attack until after I get hit by the first attack in phase 2?

EDIT: Nevermind. For anyone else, before the fight starts run to the corner of the edge of the stage before pulling out your weapon. Otherwise he will move out of range, which will 100% mess you up in this fight.

Noted. That's a weird glitch, for sure.

How did you find the game, by the way? Except for those map/quest issues xD.

I'm in the beginning of chapter 7, and I must say that the character work paid off in this chapter. I mean, I was pretty invested in the characters' feelings, and that's something new for me in the Xenoblade franchise. 

Same. Kind of wasted time doing affinity charts for the common blades early. Once found out that they get them doing merc mission I ignore them.

But I constantly find myself running off to fight some random enemies in a previous area cause some affinity chart needs to kill 5 of said enemy. I like to do all the Rare blades by myself and not through merc missions.