Features

Interview: Monster Hunter Tri

Capcomís Kaname Fujioka and Ryozo Fujimoto explain how Monster Hunterís bestiary is a product of both legend and nature.

If monsters didn’t exist, we would almost certainly have to invent them. Since its inception in 2004, the Monster Hunter series has given body to the fundamental human experiences of fear, wonder, and blood lust. In Monster Hunter Tri, which is out this week in Europe and north America, players will once again have the opportunity to cut their way, alone or in hunting parties online, through a bestial legion of nightmarish antagonists and craft trinkets and new weapons from their carcasses. At a recent launch event at the Nintendo World Store in New York, we sat down with Kaname Fujioka and Ryozo Tsujimoto, the game’s director and producer, to learn more about the mythological inspirations of the Monster Hunter world and the social habits of the players who inhabit it.

Where do you get inspiration for the creature design in Monster Hunter?
Kaname Fujioka In Monster Hunter Tri, all the monsters have unique characteristics; every monster has its own set of traits. Most of the time I refer to an actual animal in nature and how they behave. Sometimes I look at mythological creatures as well, in old Greek stories and things like that. This is also kind of interesting, the monster called Barroth, the idea for him came from watching the movement of bulldozers on a construction site. That was an exception, but most of the time animals in nature are the main inspiration.

Are there any particular veins of mythology that you’ve found most inspiring in the creation of these difference creatures?
KF It comes from so many different sources, it’s not just Japanese or Greek mythology, it comes from research all over. One particular monster, Lagiacrus, he kind of makes a spiralling motion underwater, so that comes a little more from Japanese mythology and the idea of ancient dragons. He’s also has a little bit of alligator, and the way that alligators move in nature.

In researching different mythologies and connecting them with real animals, did you find something common among all myths? Is there some contemporary human need that’s still addressed by the idea of mythology?
KF Basically all mythology is filled with human imagination and creativity. Just taking that idea, the monsters that we’ve created are filled with a lively imagination and creative ideas created by humans. The creation of monsters automatically projects the essence of imagination and that’s still accepted by people today. A lot of dragons and monsters also have different elements, like fire, water, and ice, which are unique to each monster.  That also projects an important basic, distinction for the audience.

Is there any connection between Monster Hunter and Godzilla or other kinds of kaiju stories in Japanese culture?
KF Actually one monster, Diablos, is directly inspired by a kaiju film, and I think you can see that pretty clearly. It’s like a dinosaur but also kaiju.

Ryozo Tsujimoto There’s a concept idea for each monster, depending on where they live, what they eat, or how they behave. We kind of reflect the elements of evolution also. Some of the monsters don’t have big hands, like maybe they don’t use them much so their hands become tiny. Or if you live underwater, your body would become long and slender, whatever is more appropriate for that environment. Just like the people who research dinosaurs and how they lived, our process was very similar. We started from a concept and then made an image for a creature based on what that environmental concept would look like.

Are there differences in manners and etiquette between how Japanese and Western people play online? Is griefing as frequent a phenomenon in Japan?
KF Monster Hunter is basically a co-op game so users are a little more cooperative with one another because if you can’t slay the monster together, then what’s the point? But there are, unfortunately, people who do grief other players in Monster Hunter. We try and block those people and do things to prevent them from ruining the experience or letting things get out of hand. But it’s not a majority of gamers, it’s really just a small number of people.

Did you do anything during development to limit the potential for players to grief or do impolite things to each other?
KF It’s a very interesting situation. We haven’t implemented any specific features to block anyone, but since each quest cycle is pretty quick, only fifteen minutes, then if you don’t like the players you’re with you can just drop out and find new players. In terms of griefing, the actual game structure automatically prevents users from getting too wild, so we didn’t really need a feature to block any specific behaviour. The game itself gives players incentive to avoid being bad users. Also, after people slay the monsters, there’s no way to take more assets than others so it’s very cooperative.

RT Basically, everybody can get their own assets, it’s not like you only get one and then everyone has to share. It’s not like there’s just one item drop and there’s four people playing and only one of them will get it while the other players wind up with nothing. The item drops are for everybody. That also helps people to behave, by limiting their actions and making sure everyone gets something.

Do either of you hunt in real life?
KF It’s difficult to find the opportunity to hunt! When I was little I used to go out with a net and try and catch insects and small animals. I went fishing, and I’d go exploring sometimes, trying to find something interesting in nature. But no, I’m not an actual hunter. In Japan there are people who actually make a living from hunting. They have licenses to use guns and licenses to catch specific animals, but it’s not a common hobby that people have to go out hunting on Sundays, I think it’s more common in America!