[Monster Hunt ON] MH3- WiiSpeak sucks, Free online play, OUT NOW

Airan · October 2009

***Official Monster Hunter 3 Youtube channel right here!***

WHAT IS MONSTER HUNTER?

A brief summary:

The latest installment in the series, Monster Hunter 3 (Tri) is now available in the US and soon for EU, on the Wii!
With some 1.1+ million copies having been hunted down in Japan alone, MH3 places you in a brand new hunter’s world, where man and beast are still at each other’s throats.
You arrive at a quaint fishing village by boat. This village has been having a slight monster problem, and you, a magnificent hunter, have been asked to help. Ok, you’re not magnificent at all, but you’ll get there eventually.

Um… I’m new to Monster Hunter. How does the game flow?
Ever played Phantasy Star Online?

No.
Well whatever. You start in a home location. In the offline mode, it will be the fishing village. Here you may purchase, or craft equipment, buy items to help you out on your next quest, and tend to a mini farm which will produce various crafting materials for you. Or perhaps you may decide to sample the local felyne chef’s delicacies, of which the ingredients you can choose for him to prepare a dish. This can result in a stat boost for one quest period, or debilitating food poisoning with the opposite effect on stats.
Then it's off to the Guild Counter to pick a quest! You select and confirm your quest choice, at which point you may make last minute checks (such as stocking up on health potions) before heading out.
You will now arrive in the quest area. Here you will attempt to achieve the objectives laid out by the quest, be it slaying/capturing a monster, or collecting a number of items and sending them back through the drop box at your field camp. Once you succeed or fail in the quest, you return to your home location. The cycle repeats.
The appeal of this game is that your successes are primarily dependant on your reflexes and knowledge of your target. Numbers play a lesser role here – you may have the best armour in the game but that will only give you around 3 extra hits before a knockout as opposed to being instant-KO’ed for a beginner. Likewise the largest beasties still take a while to topple even with the best weapons, and they’re not going to be sitting still to take a beating either. That’s not to say it’s not worth building on your equipment – armours can be decorated with gems which will install upon the wearer different abilities which will help make your hunt a little easier. On top of that, a wide variety of items are at your disposal to aid in the hunt, including pitfall traps, flash and explosive bombs, or even meat to distract your prey!

I dare say that I, on the other hand, am quite the veteran at the previous Monster Hunters. Tell me my good man, what’s new in this sequel?
Well for starters, a brand new world! Of special note is Moga Island, an area where you may harvest materials and hunt certain monsters freely without having to accept a quest beforehand.
Underwater battling is a new addition to the franchise, giving you and your target an extra axis to manoeuvre through in battles.
There’s also new weapon type and plenty of new monsters join some old favourites, all of which have received some tweak in one way or another.

Introducing the SWITCH AXE.
Hell yeah, this hulking titan of a weapon can SWITCH from an AXE to a SWORD, and BACK AGAIN. Monster hunting tools don’t get any better than that folks… for now. Link explaining the concept and controls.

Some other points in particular are that our cuddly buddies turned field assistants, the Felyne Buddies, are absent from MH3. The cute cats still exist, but they’re taking a back seat from battling monsters for the time being. Fret not, for you have a replacement, which will be revealed in the single player story.

Hmm, I quite liked battling that fearsome beast, Tigrex. I would certainly like to try out this new-fangled Switch Axe on him! Is he in the game?
No. The only veteran monsters to my knowledge that have joined the new cast are Rathian, Rathalos, and Diablos. Everyone else is new. The crabs, monkeys, various other lizardy monstrosities and everyone’s favourite, Plesioth, are all gone.

Oh, I see. Well, I was quite a dab hand with Dual Swords, Gunlances, Bows, and even those Hunting Horns! Those are in… right?
I’ve some bad news for you my posh speaking friend. No. The original Monster Hunter five (Sword n’ Shield, Hammer, Great Sword, Bowguns, Lance) return, plus the Longsword, first introduced in the PS2 sequel, MH2 (Dos). And then of course there’s your new bitchin’ SWITCH AXE. Aww yeah. Best get started with learning a new weapon type eh?
On that note, each weapon that survived the transition gets tweaked too! More shall be unveiled in a coming section.

Play Online
You may be aware that MH3 offers completely FREE ONLINE PLAY WITH NO FRIEND CODES.
Yes! Westerners can now cackle with glee as our benevolent overlords over at Capcom (perhaps with Nintendo’s assistance?) have enabled us to play together online at no cost! And you can use Wii Speak! Holy shit!
To find your ID, it will be on your character Status page when you log in to the server. To send a friend invite, go to the options, Online tab, then compose a message to your friend. Flip the 'Friend Request' switch to ON.

CAVEATS!
Unfortunately it’s not all sunshine and lollipops regarding this subject. REGION LOCKING IS GO, thus Europeans have to make do with other Europeans and you Americans will be hunting with other US residing folk. Also, while there are no Nintendo Friend Codes in use, each hunter will receive a 6-digit Capcom ID upon logging onto their servers for the first time. Use these to quickly invite your friends together for a hunt. Friend invites have to be done to a person when they're not in a quest AND also online. The recipient must also invite you back.
Oh, and by most reports, Wii Speak has terrible voice quality, and requires both users to have WiiSpeak to hear the other person talk. Use a PC based chat program (Vent, Skype, etc) or even your 360/PS3 chat functions! Or just use ANY wireless or wired USB keyboard, they work too.

Everyone needs to turn their Lobby Chat setting ON so that they can still get chat messages from town while on missions. This setting defaults to OFF. Option is in Main Menu > Online tab (3rd one) > Online Settings > Town Chat.

CAPCOM ID LIST (PM/post to be added in, please also state EU or US)
PA Wiki page for MH3. Enter your own details here. This is not maintained by me, and only serves as an alternative list where you may wish to add more information about yourself as a hunter.

Forum name - Online ID - Character name(s)

NOTICE: Please gather at the Minegarde 1 server, Citygate 9, for any PA hunting party formations, friend invites, etc. Applies to both US and EU.

US

IceBurner - WHXJM6 - Jezzgiott/Vanadies
WAH - RTHB18(or RTH818) - Ceres
SightTDW - 9RKJT6 - Sighit
Romantic Undead - 5BXMHU - Romund
Lemming - A9UWXY - Lemming
Crotchless Gorilla Suit - 22VDA4 - Luna
PikaPuff - VLRUN1 - PikaPuff
Hahnsoo1 - E8HJCA - Hahnsoo
Dracil - X3G5UA - Dracilia
Dyvion - 1KP8K4 - dyvion
elliotw2 - 2A5V76 - Elliot
Zero413 - V95382 - Zero
MonkeyConQueso - F7YDGR - MonkeyCQ
Kaseius - N8FYAL - Kaseius
Preacher - 42W7H2 - Trezlan
Elderlycrawfish - 73KR5V - Yupa
vagrant_winds - FYQWC7 - V Winds
DeMoN - Y5FQ9B - Toxic
Entaru - BTADEA - Entaru
Dashui - 7RW2KG - Dashui
Foefaller - VAW987 - Leanna
Redlance - IKAIIZ - Jaren
hatedinamerica -XXQQWLV - cappy
DarkMecha - LNZKUD - Thorgal
Dracil - X3G5UA - Dracilia
Crovaxan - B3G8MB - Crovax
Rhar - ZH13TK - Yere
Svevin - D694DU - Kevko
fRAWRst - 7FEU56 - Dain
Magic Pink - 56KU5Y - Hobgoble
UncleChet - WYF66F - Ursa
ygrella - 49X9MN - Ygre
LCDXX - L54J9B - LCDXX
Niceguyeddie616 - NPVY79 - Marco
Vanderbrent - JVAMK2 - Vander
Hahnsoo1 - E8HJCA - Hahnsoo
CorporateLogo - K3CY4M - Agnate
kdrudy - 4XUD1A - Kryu
amateurhour - TTUXEK - Khyorshk
Keffy - PWFNVJ - Sithpien
ED! - W25V18 - Anderson
Htown - L9WF49 - Domrond
jothki - 4L9GQ6 - Josh
taliosfalcon - U4H5Z6 - talios
ShinyRedKnight - LPN7XJ - Athlos
TimFiji - F3EAFA - Hound
krylon666 - JZ5KGZ - Kazak
Rubycat - 1P6P2U - Seto
Drascin - QZFHJL - Signum
thepizzaelemental - B77AE9 - Natou

EURO

Xavier_8 - QW189U - xavier8
fencat
Airan - QGJ7TU (OR QGJ77U, can't tell) - Airan
Klyka - XTQE6R - Klyka
Prime
homargoodness - 7X1RME - homar
mere_immortal - XFXTG5 - Mere
TheBana - FZVK6U - TheBana(?)
Big Isy - PRTUGW - Big Isy

(While I’ve removed a significant amount of MHFU related content in the OP, I shall leave the player lists for it here for the time being, if people still want to hook up and go slay some Nargacugas or Tigrexes)
List of PS3 Ad-Hoc Party(JAPANESE VERSION) PA'ers (PM/post in this thread to be added in):

Renzomaru
Elderlycrawfish
Hahnsoo
super_emu
elliotw2
VaregaDiablo
zero3002
TheFarthestSide
fRAWRst

List of Xlink PA'ers (PM/post in this thread to be added in):

Klyka
GorillaSuit
Dyvion
Hahnsoo1
CorporateLogo
Airan
Lethardicus
Kranger_Rudy
TheIceBurner

I heard there’s offline co-op?!?!
For those without online access, you may fight monsters in the Arena with a buddy in split-screen mode. Slay boss monsters in the single player game and they will be available to fight again in the Arena! Sadly this co-op feature does not extend into the main game.

Hunter’s Guidebook
Monster Hunter is not your typical action game. It primarily requires reflexes, not numbers. It’s a goddamn tough game, but my god will you feel like a badass when you topple your first large monster.
Provided here are tips and weapon descriptions to help beginners out. Note that these tips were written for MHF2, then tweaked for MHFU, though I would safely wager that most of the tips here also apply for MH3. Veterans are welcome to add more information. PM me/post here and I will add it whenever possible.
Control notation in this section will be in Classic Controller format. Please refer to other sources such as the manual for Wiimote control listings. This section is being worked on over time.

Sword and Shield

This deadly duo will offer decent damage and slight protection from those bum rushes you may frequently encounter on your outings in the field. Attack and recovery speed is fast, and you can also use items even when unsheathed! Just hold block and use the item of your choice.

Sheathed
While running + Tri = Forward leap slash
R + Tri = Ready Shield block

Unsheathed
Tri (x3) = Slash combo.
Tri+Cir = Forward leap slash. Press Tri repeatedly afterwards to start a combo.
Cir = Spin slash (only affects forwards though).
R = Shield Block. Can attack with Cir while standing. You may also move slowly. Press Square to use an item while blocking.
Roll + Tri = Upwards slash after rolling.

Dual Swords (MHFU)

This deadly duo will offer okay damage but no protection from those bum rushes you may frequently encounter on your outings in the field. Attack and recovery speed is fast, but the range is short. The main feature of this weapon type is Demon mode (my name for it – it’s probably called something else officially) – activated increases damage and opens up new attacks in exchange for constant stamina loss. In MHFU, you may now craft Duals which have 2 elements, 1 per blade. Every other hit will have the 2nd element in effect. How this is useful, I'm not sure yet, but I'll find out soon enough!

Sheathed
While running + Tri = Forward leap slashes
R + Tri = Enter Demon mode. Stamina drains while in Demon mode.

Unsheathed
Tri (x3) = Slash combo.
Tri+Cir = Forward leap thrust. Extended slash combo in Demon Mode ("Demon dance"). MHFU combo has an extra hit.
Cir = Spin slash (only affects forwards though). Spins twice in Demon Mode.
R = Demon mode

Lance

Annoying pointy poles. Best used in the hands of a master, since most newcomers will likely keep using the infamous CHARGE! Attack, which can also hit innocent victims (the other players), causing them to spout profanity in your general direction. You may also jab monsters to death in between hiding behind the massive shield that comes with this weapon.

Sheathed
While running + Tri = Running stab
R + Tri = Ready Shield block

Unsheathed
Tri (x3) = Stab stab stab
Tri+Cir = Charging rush. Press Tri while charging to end it with a stab, or press Cir to end it without doing anything. Charging drains stamina.
Cir (x3) = Upwards stab (x3)
R = Shield Block. Press Tri while blocking to stab while moving forward. Press Tri+Cir to charge rush.
X = Backstep. Hold Left or Right to sidestep in that direction after making an attack.

Gunlance (MHFU)

Slighty less annoying pointy poles. These lances are infinitely cooler however, being a massive cannon with a bayonet. The cannon can fire off big short-range explosions, causing much hilarity (for you) when you accidentally blast your buddies away instead of Mr Angry Dragon. As with the Lance, you also get a shield, and the shielded attack works much better than the Lance version, in my opinion.

Sheathed
While running + Tri = Running stab
R + Tri = Ready Shield block

Unsheathed
Tri (x3) = Stab stab stab
Tri+Cir = Upswing
Cir (x3) = Cannon shot
R = Shield Block. While blocking, press Tri (x3) to stab upwards. Press Cir to reload. Press Tri+Cir for Wyvern's Fire (Super cannon shot, has cooldown timer.)
X = Backstep. Press Cir during backstep to reload after backstep.

Notes: Cannon shots reduce sharpness dramatically. You cannot use a cannon shot when the Sharpness meter is flashing red. You shouldn't have it red anyway. Use a whetstone!

Longsword

A fine weapon – long reach, wide arc swing, and devastating demon spirit attacks. The Longsword is favoured by yours truly, but some find it a little slow for their tastes. Attacking fills up the Spirit gauge, when it is full you gain a temporary boost to sharpness and attack ratings.

Sheathed
While running + Tri = Forward Vertical slice
R + Tri = Spirit attack

Unsheathed
Tri (x2) = Vertical Slash.
Tri+Cir = Wide forward radius slice (character steps back after slash)
Cir = Forward Stab.
Tri Tri Cir Tri (repeat) = looping Longsword combo
R = Spirit attack (uses spirit bar)

Great Sword

This weapon screams badass. That is, until you use it. A hard-hitting but ridiculously slow weapon ensures that newcomers will be immediately discouraged that they couldn’t be awesome right from the get-go. But stick with it, and you’ll find the Great Sword to be a venerable beast of a blade.

Sheathed
While running + Tri = Running forward vertical slice
R + Tri = Ready Sword block

Unsheathed
Tri (hold) = Vertical slash. Hold to charge the attack.
Tri+Cir = Swing-back slash (hits front and back)
Cir = Wide forward radius slice (100 degree range? Character steps forward after slash)
Tri Cir Tri Tri+Cir (etc) = looping Great Sword combo example
R = Sword block

Hammer

One of the two blunt weapons, the Hammer can cause a lot of hurt. You won’t cut through anything though, so pack a boomerang to cut monster tails. One of the benefits of a blunt weapon is that, if you smack a monster’s head enough times, it’ll be dazed. Plenty of time to inflict more pain, while the monster takes its time to recover. In MHFU hammers now produce a yellow 'splash' whenever you manage to hit the head of the monster, helpfully showing you that you are indeed, causing it eventual brain damage.

Sheathed
While running + Tri = Running forward swing
R + Tri = Ready hammer charge

Unsheathed
Tri (x3) = Vertical hammer bash.
Cir = Forward side swing
R = Hammer Charge. Hold till flash, then release while running for spinning hammer attack. Press Tri during the spin at two different intervals to activate a different finishing attack. Release the charge while stationary to use a heavy vertical bash (hits twice). Consumes stamina while charging.

Hunting Horn (MHFU)

The ‘support’ weapon of the Monster Hunter world, Hunting Horns provide boosts by blaring out horrendously sounding noise. Buffs range from stat boosts, to health/stamina regeneration and even element resistances. Oh, and you can hit things with it too. In MHFU, horns too, produce a yellow 'splash' effect when you slam it onto a monster's skull.

Sheathed
While running + Tri = Running forward swing
R + Tri = Ready horn playing

Unsheathed
Tri = Horn swing. Press to keep swinging.
Tri+Cir = Overhead smash
Cir (x3)= Horn hilt poke
R = Horn playing. Use Cir, Tri or Tri+Cir to activate the different coloured notes in certain orders to cast various buffs. In MHFU you gain one extra song - with a Sonic Bomb effect. See image below for further elaboration, courtesy of Hahnsoo1:

Bow (MHFU)

The Bow is a flexible weapon, allowing a good balance of mobility and damage. The benefits of ranged weapons are obvious – you can stand far away from your target (don’t expect your prey to idly sit there taking hits though) and rain death upon them. Coat your arrow tips with various substances to further expand their utility.

Sheathed
While running + Tri = Shoot
R + Tri = Precision shoulder aim

Unsheathed
Tri (Hold) = Fire arrow. Hold to charge the arrow up to 3 times (charge amount depends on bow) for more damage and further range. Attack type may also differ, depending on the bow. Charging consumes stamina.
Tri+Cir = Apply arrow tip coatings (require the appropriate items). In MFHU you gain two new coatings - Paint (paintball effect) and Close-Ranged (increases melee arrow swipe damage and shot damage the closer you are to the target).
Cir = Melee arrow swipe
R = Precision shoulder-view aim
X = Backstep while stationary. Roll while running.

Bowgun

Bowguns are to Bows what Great Swords are to Longswords. Capable of firing at very long ranges, Guns are to be used with care, as they take a long time to setup and fire. Two types of guns exist, Small and Large. Smalls are lightweight and allow you to stay mobile, while Large guns are cumbersome cannons of death, but heaven help you if a monster charges at you. You may however, attach a shield to Large guns to block frontal attacks. Attachable scopes enable zooming, and an array of bullet types enable the gunners to tackle any challenges they face.

Sheathed
While running + Tri = Ready gun

Unsheathed
Tri = Reload
Tri+Cir = Melee attack
Cir = Fire
R = First Person Aim. Use arrow keys to zoom. Use analogue nub to aim. Melee attack is not possible.
Hold R = Third Person Aim. Use arrow keys to move target reticle. Use analogue nub to move.

Miscellaneous Tips

Aim for the legs!
Most two legged monstrosities can be forced to trip over to their sides if you keep whacking away at their legs. This provides very valuable time in dealing damage with little harm to yourself. Beware of long tail monsters though, they can swing their tail while you’re attempting to poke their legs and deal pretty harsh damage.

Panic Leap!
When you sprint away from the view of an alert monster, you will Panic Run. Panic Run is usually unfavourable to you, since it drains stamina much more quickly than if you would normally sprint. The upside is that it allows you to Panic Leap. Roll while Panic Running and you will launch yourself into the air and land face first into the dirt. This manoeuvre has the longest invincibility frames – from the start of the leap up till you immediately hit the ground. A monster can literally be rushing headlong into you while you’re Panic Leaping and you wouldn’t take a scratch.

Traps and Bombs! Tasty Meats too!
Two types of traps exist – Shock and Pitfall. Shock traps paralyze the victim for about 7 seconds, while Pitfalls leave the monster flailing helplessly in the tangle of ropes for 10 or so seconds. The advantage of Shock Traps is that they can be set in any environment, while Pitfalls require plain or grassy land. You’re also unable to attack the tail end (often the source of rare weapon materials) of a monster in a Pitfall.

Bombs are awesome, but user beware. Two types of Bomb exist - Small and Large. Smalls have a fuse which is immediately lit when you plant it on the ground. They don't really serve much purpose alone in my experience. They are however, useful for detonating Large bombs. This type requires an external detonator, be it a stray arrow, a small bomb, or if you're feeling suicidal, your own sword slash. They deal a respectable amount of damage, further enhanced if you wear armor with bomb-damage increasing effects.

There's also Raw Meat. Hunters are far too civilised to chew on this stuff uncooked, and while you can simply drop it in front of a monster's face and have it scoff it down, you can also coat this delicious hunk of flesh with things such as sleep powder or poison, which when consumed by the unsuspecting monster, will have some rather... unfortunate effects on it. Use this to your advantage, poison the monster then make it sleep the poison away, leaving it weak and frail, ready for you to deliver the final blow.

Roll Cancel!
When you are attacking, you can eliminate the recovery animation of the attack by using the dodge button (X). Your character will roll or backstep, depending on the weapon. Very useful for weapons such as Great Sword, which has a huge recovery time, and Lance. Move a direction to roll sideways!

Use the Shield!
If you have a shield, fucking use it. More often than not it will save your ass from a split second charge, or at least reduce the damage it would have caused. You can improve your shield skill by adding Jewels that raise it into your armor. +10 provides Guard+1, which reduces knockback, health and stamina loss, while +20 nets Guard+2 which eliminates knockback and reduces stamina loss greatly (In MHF2 it was +15 points for Guard+2).

Pig out!
Stamina is vital to perform a variety of actions in Monster Hunter. You need it for sprinting, rolling/dodge, using Dual Sword Demon mode, shield blocking, etc etc. Be sure to keep your stamina levels high, else you won’t be able to say, sprint that last metre to the exit of the zone before an angry dragon runs you over.

Felyne Slavery!
Following from the previous tip, use the Felyne Kitchen. The Kitchen allows for delicious meals - made from ingredients provided by you - that provide a variety of attribute boosts to help you on your next venture into the field. Be warned however, for a bad combination of ingredients will induce food poisoning, and you’ll be afflicted with some stat decrease for the next hunt.

Rub the Pig! (MHFU)
This is probably more superstition than anything, but the little pig in your home? He is rumoured to bring good luck (better drops and what not) if you rub him the right way. No, not that way, you sick bastard. Time it right (a little bit after the music stops) and press X to have him jump for joy, with a big heart popping above his head. Personally he’s fucked me over on many a hunt, so my pig is now neglected. It may work for others though, just ask Varega. An overwhelming majority in this here forum agree that this is entirely superstition however, but you're free to believe :P

Lights, Camera, Action!
We get it, the camera controls suck a big fat one, and if you hold the PSP the standard way you can't change the camera position when you're moving around trying to avoid the latest death rush from the angry Tigrex you just woke up. You can solve this issue two ways. The first is to employ the "Claw" position, where your thumb is on the analogue nub, while the rest of your fingers are on the D-pad. Now you will gain full camera control at the cost of potentially cramping your hand.
The second is to change camera during "dead time". This is what I call moments where you cannot control your character's movement. In the middle of an attack animation? Adjust the camera. Reeling from an attack? Adjust the camera. Panic leap? Rolling? Adjust the camera. Drinking a potion? Eating some meat? Adjust the camera. Monster standing there, taking a shit while contemplating how to kill you next? You get the idea.

Any moment you can't move your character, or the monster does an attack which moves it out of screen, take that split second to adjust the camera slightly. It moves pretty fast, and once you get used to the timings of your attack animations, your roll animations, or the monsters attacks, you may change the camera ahead of time, just as you enter the animation.

Oh yeah, the L button is there too folks. This centers the camera behind your character's back. Move your character in the direction you think the monster is, and hit L. So much easier.

Patience!
This game is not about running into the fray swords flailing. If you don’t study the movements of your target, it will tear you a new asshole faster than you can react. Damaging attacks are usually telegraphed heavily, but use your surroundings to further ensure safety. Set traps while the dragon is flying around the battlefield. Stick to the sides of the beast to avoid front attacks, like a fireball to the face.

Useful Links
GameFAQs for MH3.
GameFAQs for MHFU.
MH3 Weapon strength calculator. Useful for finding the best weapon, damage wise, per boss monster.
Minegarde. An excellent fansite full of information including weapon/armor databases and a forum with lots of useful information.
Encyclopedia Gigantica. Capcom's official wiki site for Monster Hunter information.

Armor Skills
A brief but great post about popular armor skills that you may wish to possess one day, can be found here, written by resident Hardcore Hunter, Hahnsoo1. These skills are obtained by having enough points (usually at least +10) in your armor to activate. The armor itself may contain the points, or you might have to add Decorations (alternatively known as "gemming" or "adding jewels") to the armor, slots permitting, to increase the points until you can activate it.

Now get out there and hunt, hunters!

MonkeyConQueso · October 2009

Hunt, GO!

e: I love that comic summary!

-Loki- · October 2009

MonkeyConQueso wrote: »

Hunt, GO!

e: I love that comic summary!

Showcases my favorite female armour!

Also, is Khezu purposely not on that huge image (because it's creepy) or am I just not seeing it? And some of those are fucking huge. What is the massive light grey one that spans the whole image?

Elderlycrawfish · October 2009

There's a red khezu. I thought there might be a bit of a normal khezu near the white monoblos, but upon further examination, it's just his arm. But the red is definitely there.

The large fella taking up the picture would be Ash Lao-Shan Lung. You can also see the long, stilt-like legs of a Shen Gaoren (but his body is off-screen), as well as a Yamatsukami floating in the background (looks like the treasure hunter guy found a shiny on his back!). And yes, those are to scale. The whole damn picture is, which makes it all the more aweome.

Also note, that picture is missing all 3 versions of fatalis as well. Still though, it's a pretty damn impressive image.

Zombiemambo · October 2009

I haven't played any of them since the first, but I've been tempted. Maybe when I run out of the millions of other things I have to buy.

Dyvion · October 2009

Love the comic summary! Female Rathian Armor FTW.

e: /Facepalm. That's butterfly isn't it. Rathian armor is my favorite female armor btw.

e2: I really like the basarios image... just the ridge, nice.

Airan · October 2009

Thanks dudes, yes that is the Butterfly armor. Figured that would be instantly recognizable without going into meticulous detail, but I guess I needed to add a bit more :P

[edit] http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/22/capcom-still-undecided-about-monster-hunter-3-fees/
Aw poop. No additional P2P development costs here! I can only hope for no fees, but I am willing to pay for a few months if it comes to that.

MonkeyConQueso · October 2009

Airan wrote: »

Thanks dudes, yes that is the Butterfly armor. Figured that would be instantly recognizable without going into meticulous detail, but I guess I needed to add a bit more :P

[edit] http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/22/capcom-still-undecided-about-monster-hunter-3-fees/
Aw poop. No additional P2P development costs here! I can only hope for no fees, but I am willing to pay for a few months if it comes to that.

Well FFfffffff...Now I'd RATHER pay to play, since that will up the server lifetime a year or two. Hopefully.

IceBurner · October 2009

You do realize the old NA MH1 servers were only pulled because the host wasn't Capcom, but a 3rd party, and the host exited the business of hosting PS2 game servers entirely, and that Capcom had no part or say in the decision (aside from looking at the numbers and deciding that getting new servers would cause their accountants to murder them)?

MonkeyConQueso · October 2009

IceBurner wrote: »

You do realize the old NA MH1 servers were only pulled because the host wasn't Capcom, but a 3rd party, and the host exited the business of hosting PS2 game servers entirely, and that Capcom had no part or say in the decision (aside from looking at the numbers and deciding that getting new servers would cause their accountants to murder them)?

Oh! I did not know that, and that makes me feel quite a bit better.

IceBurner · October 2009

Yeah. That's also why online play for all other Capcom games went down at the same time, which really cheesed a lot of RE Outbreak File 2: owners who'd only had the game a few months.

The Japanese servers (hosted by KDDI) are all still going for MH1, MHG, MH2, all RE: Outbreak Files, and their other stuff. The 800 yen/mo fee lets you play all of Capcom's netplay-capable PS2 games online.

Dyvion · October 2009

So is anyone else online with Tri?

Airan · October 2009

I'm not, sadly. I decided it wasn't worth it after all to go through all that trouble to change the Wii's region, and I don't want to burn myself out on a supposedly shorter game (compared to previous offerings) before the English version's even out.

Also, a spin off MH game featuring the felynes: http://kotaku.com/5389748/new-monster-hunter-coming-to-psp Any guesses as to what the gameplay entails? I'm betting on Sprite RPG, or even Animal Crossing style graphics.

LCDXX · October 2009

So a buddy of mine at work just imported a copy of Tri. Lucky for him, his girlfriend is from Japan so she's helping him out with the language barrier.

I asked him if I could borrow his girlfriend. He said no. But at least my wife was cool with it!

Cucco Leader · October 2009

My hope is it would be another hunting game just like Unite, except you are a Felyne. Just to up the epicness and hilarity. But, that's probably unlikely.

A google search gave me the translation: Monster Hunter Diary Poka Poka Airu Village.

If I had to guess, it'd be a collection of mini games, like Chocobo for the DS.

Dyvion · October 2009

I'd have to agree... So there will have to be a cooking mini-game... and a farming minigame... but other than that, I don't have any clue where they could be going with this.

MonkeyConQueso · October 2009

"Help the Hunter" mini game, where you take hits for him/her...

Airan · October 2009

That got me thinking, Capcom should've added demo capability into Unite, where a friend could act as your felyne sidekick :P

Dyvion · October 2009

Airan wrote: »

That got me thinking, Capcom should've added demo capability into Unite, where a friend could act as your felyne sidekick :P

"Hey, why is it when I hit X he lays down and goes to sleep?"

"Circle brought out this giant bomb, but I can't get rid of it!"

IceBurner · October 2009

"Hey select makes me do this kinda danc--OH HELL THE DRAGON'S AFTER ME!"

Hahnsoo1 · October 2009

I love that comic.

While Monster Hunter has been relegated to the back of my backlog at home, I'm still hunting a lot at work. Every lunch break, we have a group of about 7 to 10 hunters of various experience and skill levels. I don't know why it has really taken off now, months after release, but I'm not complaining.

fRAWRst · October 2009

Gravios + is out timing me. I think i might try to start ranging, waiting on gravios's stupidly long animations just to hit that chest which takes me 20 mins to break off just doesnt seem to be cutting it.

Is bombing alot more effective?

-Loki- · October 2009

Progress on Tigrex: There has been no progress. Fucker.

Dyvion · October 2009

fRAWRst wrote: »

Gravios + is out timing me. I think i might try to start ranging, waiting on gravios's stupidly long animations just to hit that chest which takes me 20 mins to break off just doesnt seem to be cutting it.

Is bombing alot more effective?

Bombing is very effective... I like to take a few large barrel bombs, or +'s, and toss them near the white rocks when he's about to charge. I made the mistake early on of just tossing them on the rocks when I entered the zone, and then he nukes them with his beam. Timing is everything.

But the easiest way, by far, is a water bow (with power coating) or water shots with a few pierce 3's thrown in for good measure. Gravios is just as pincushiony as his little sibling Basarios.

Halos Nach Tariff · October 2009

Also if you'd rather melee then bring traps and materials for more, get him in a trap and then bomb the chest, it shouldn't take too long to break it. Don't forget that if you can get him limping then you can capture him to finish the quest early if you're running out of time.

Tigrex can be a jerk, the key is not being over-enthusiastic with your hits, when he's not in rage mode you can hit the tail after he's charged, and the head after he's roared/spun or whilst he's taunting. In rage mode there is only really one opening for you to get hits in: when he jumps twice straight after the second leap he will go straight into the taunt animation, so try and position yourself so that you can get off a few solid hits to his head after he's leaped.

MonkeyConQueso · October 2009

Holy crap, Nargacuga = Blangonga + Tigrex... or something like that. So jumpy and uses lots of feints and charges ahead a bit like Tigrex. I tried to hammer the bastard, but, yeah, I need to spend a few rounds with him and get used to his tells. I've seen a video of him vs HBG, and from my short time with him, I can see why a bowgun would be much easier to use than a melee weapon.

Elderlycrawfish · October 2009

The first few times I did naruga, I actually used sword and shield. It was pretty easy to get in quick hits, then be out of the way before he pounces. A good fire sword (golden falchion?) is suprisingly effective against him.

Also, and this may seem an odd thing to say, there's a pretty big blind spot he has if you're standing right in front of him. I mean, you can get a couple of quick hits point black on his face if you watch his movesets. It's something you wouldn't think you could do with something that moved around so much, but yeah, it's pretty interesting.

Halos Nach Tariff · October 2009

Yeah Narga's a pretty fun fight, especially once you've learnt what he does, he becomes more predictable than Tigrex so you can really lay the smack down.

mazereon · October 2009

Naruga is great fun to fight because of the precise Evade windows. Meaning, you can easily* kill it naked once you know how to roll

Or, grab a good armour set and wail on them as per:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq9DtAID7tw

MonkeyConQueso · October 2009

Elderlycrawfish wrote: »

The first few times I did naruga, I actually used sword and shield. It was pretty easy to get in quick hits, then be out of the way before he pounces. A good fire sword (golden falchion?) is suprisingly effective against him.

Also, and this may seem an odd thing to say, there's a pretty big blind spot he has if you're standing right in front of him. I mean, you can get a couple of quick hits point black on his face if you watch his movesets. It's something you wouldn't think you could do with something that moved around so much, but yeah, it's pretty interesting.

Actually, I need to farm for some materials (Rathalos Plate, I think) to make a better fire SnS. The Corona, actually, so I can get to the Golden Falchion. That might be a good plan.

e: Bah, work makes me reply slowly. Holy crap Mazereon, that's nuts. It might be worth it to try a HBG, but I really want to melee the bastard for some reason.

Halos Nach Tariff · October 2009

Damn Mazereon, I had no idea you were on this site, it's lucky you've got the same avatar as Minegarde or I wouldn't have recognised you...

Also I suggest you post up that video of you doing the Monster Hunter quest naked, that thing is sheer genius.

Dyvion · October 2009

Narga is pretty easy with a lance... as long as you have at least Guard +1 and Guard Inc... that tail thwomp is a killer.

MonkeyConQueso · October 2009

Dyvion wrote: »

Narga is pretty easy with a lance... as long as you have at least Guard +1 and Guard Inc... that tail thwomp is a killer.

Yeah, I got OHKO'd pretty quickly with the tail thwomp. At least now I know the tell!

Hahnsoo1 · October 2009

The tail slam backflip is his only awful attack, and only because of the enraged damage. Narga is a lot easier than Tigrex for me, because he really can't do much to you if you are right next to him. Tigrex does the spin attack and most of his attacks have large hitboxes. Narga whiffs against you for the vast majority of his attack patterns if you are in the web space between his front and back legs or right in front of his face.

-Loki- · October 2009

Question about Tigrex - can you effectively block him with an SnS set? I was going to try that, but it would probably end in disappointment. I've gotten pretty good with SnS.

Airan · October 2009

If you're asking about Stamina usage, as far as I know his only real stamina draining attack is the side bites attack, where he rushes at you, biting twice. That drains most, if not all stamina on a Guard+1 build.

Otherwise it should be alright. There's nothing you can't block I've found, though for the spin attack you might have to force yourself to remember to block sideways rather than towards Tigrex.

Dyvion · October 2009

Yes, remember to block in the direction he's traveling, rather than the direction that would make any kind of rational sense.

fRAWRst · November 2009

Gravios + down! First time using a bow set too, been melee so far. Used Daimyo's Warbow IV (192 raw and 140 water) and a kutku set with a centaur helm gemmed for attack up large and some fire res. It was literally the most boring fight ever, starting off with poison (which i found to be quite useless against normal gravios) and then sleep bombing thrice, and then running through 70 power coats and waiting on a limp. No deaths thankfully, his charge is the only dangerous thing when you have your bow out, but otherwise his beam is np to dodge.

Now onto dual black gravios. Should be easier with no other monsters and less hp on the two of em. Gonna have to bring extra bombs ^^.

mazereon · November 2009

Damn Mazereon, I had no idea you were on this site, it's lucky you've got the same avatar as Minegarde or I wouldn't have recognised you...

Also I suggest you post up that video of you doing the Monster Hunter quest naked, that thing is sheer genius.

Hi Halos

I do check here every now and then, as I've seen guys like you and Hahnsoo posting.

Here's that video you mentioned. I'm still gutted that I got killed by Naruga, and some day I'll post the normal speed version so you can see the attack that got me. It's definitely (IMO) a case of dubious hitboxes spoiling an otherwise great run, but hey.

So, this is the Monster Hunter quest done naked, no traps, capturing, bombs or flashes. I'm not posting this as an E-peen thing, it's to show how powerful and versatile BG is and that no armour skill is every truly required.

Part 1 - Rathalos and Tigrex: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBtUJXPhae0

Part 2 - Naruga and Rajang: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k87fIWovOQs

Dyvion · November 2009

Wow.

Halos Nach Tariff · November 2009

Thanks Maze!

That vid is always impressive as hell every time I see it, I can barely get passed the Tigrex without dying/having only 10 minutes left, and that's with full armour...

Penny Arcade

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