With each new *Monster Hunter* release, players eagerly anticipate experiencing their favorite weapons in a fresh context. Each of the 14 weapon types retains its unique identity while adapting to the design of each new game. *Monster Hunter: World* famously removed segmented quest areas, while *Monster Hunter Rise* introduced the dynamic Wirebug mechanic. In *Monster Hunter Wilds*, aiming for a seamless hunting experience, how did the developers approach weapon tuning?
To delve into these crucial gameplay elements, we spoke with *Monster Hunter Wilds* Art Director and Executive Director, Kaname Fujioka (also director of the first *Monster Hunter* game), and *Wilds* Director, Yuya Tokuda (a series veteran since *Monster Hunter Freedom*).
IGN First Monster Hunter Wilds Oilwell Basin Artwork
Our interview uncovered the design process behind various weapons, offering insights into player favorites and adjustments made based on feedback from the November 2024 Open Beta Test.
Adjustments for a Seamless World
Tokuda highlighted significant weapon adjustments necessitated by *Wilds’* seamless map and dynamic weather. The Light and Heavy Bowguns, and the Bow, underwent major changes. Previous titles required base returns for resource replenishment; *Wilds* eliminates this, presenting a challenge for ranged weapons reliant on consumable ammo and coatings.
“That's why we designed it so that basic damage sources can be used without expending resources,” Tokuda explained. “We balanced it around the idea that things like normal, pierce, and spread ammo for Bowguns and coatings for Bows can fire unlimited times while managing your gauge. But we still wanted it to be possible to use what you’ve prepared ahead of time or what you find in the field on top of that, and so our balancing took into account the presence of design that allows you to create powerful ammo with attributes from gathered materials.”
Weapon changes extended beyond mechanics, influencing design. Fujioka noted, "We had the idea of wanting to properly show the movement of charging a Bowgun for a special shot… Shots that cancel out a monster's attack look properly convincing as they perform that canceling. Ever since the previous game in the series, we've put a lot of work into making it visually clear to the player what they're doing in the moment."
Technological advancements enabled improved animation, impacting weapon transitions and hunter actions. Tokuda emphasized a design goal: "One common concept shared by all weapons is that we made sure it's possible for hunters to use them in a natural way given the situation at the moment… Our goal was to do this particularly when you can't make any inputs."
For instance, healing no longer requires sheathing weapons. Fujioka further elaborated: "The Focus Mode that we added to *Wilds* is something we put a lot of work into when it comes to action. You can move while facing a specified direction, making continuous attacks possible while on the move but slightly off-center from your target. Players can properly go in the direction they want. We wanted to make a game that made possible the image players have in their minds about how they want to play."
Focus Strikes
Wilds introduces a wound system, allowing for massive damage via Focus Strikes in Focus Mode. While visually distinct for each weapon, Tokuda clarified: "For Focus Strikes, we wanted to have animations that show each weapon's uniqueness… But I admit that this also created a variation between weapons during the open beta test where some were far too strong, while feeling the strengths of others was difficult. Though we do allow differences between weapons in order to give them personality, we don't want the disparity between weapons to be too extreme, and so we're tuning them to be more standardized for the official release of the game."
Wounds, created through accumulated damage, offer strategic options. Tokuda explained that environmental factors can also inflict wounds, adding another layer to the hunting experience, including potential additional rewards for hunting already wounded monsters. Monster health and toughness were adjusted to balance the new mechanics, ensuring engaging gameplay.
The Tempo of the Great Sword
Tokuda described the weapon development process, revealing that a core team of six planners, alongside artists and animators, collaborate on weapon design and feel. The Great Sword serves as a development prototype, its tuning informing the design of other weapons.
Fujioka highlighted the Great Sword's influence on animation design, especially Focus Strikes: "Attacks like the Focus Strike didn't exist in the series before, so now that we had this new form of expression available to us, we began by coming up with ideas while focusing on making it feel good over anything performance related… We felt excited when we first made the Focus Strike for the Great Sword, thinking that if we were able to create something that feels this good, we'd be able to do even more with the other weapons."
Tokuda emphasized the Great Sword's unique tempo in action games, serving as a benchmark for other weapons: "I feel like weapons with a sense of heavy tempo like the Great Sword are rare in other action games. That's why it's a *Monster Hunter* standard to begin by making sure that the Great Sword is fun to use. The concepts for the other weapons come together in part by placing the Great Sword at the center and seeing how we can differentiate each of the other weapons from it."
Weapons with Personality
Acknowledging the inevitable disparity in weapon popularity, the developers prioritized unique design over uniform ease of use. Fujioka stated, "We always think that it's better to focus on how to design what makes a weapon unique rather than trying to make all weapons equally easy to use."
Tokuda illustrated this with the Hunting Horn: "At the outset, I told the team that I wanted the concept of this weapon to be that it can produce proper amounts of damage when used where it performs best, the area around you… Instead of thinking that it's all about damage, we care more about making the most out of each weapon's personality.”
While acknowledging performance variations between weapons and monsters, the developers aim to avoid overly efficient, universally effective builds. Fujioka emphasized, "While I think that weapons that stand at the top in terms of time efficiency–ease of use and ease of hunting–are going to see more popularity, we have made it so that if you really care about a weapon type, you'll be able to beat a monster through enough trial and error."
The ability to carry two weapons adds strategic depth. Tokuda suggested, "Even if you have somewhat specialized weapons, it'd make me happy if players brought two in order for them to complement one another as they play."
Build Your Own Skills
The decoration system, similar to *World*, allows for customized skill builds. Tokuda explained that single-skill decorations are craftable, addressing previous frustrations with skill acquisition. Fujioka shared a personal anecdote about his struggles obtaining a specific skill in *World*, highlighting the improvement.
Discussing weapon preferences, Tokuda favored long-range weapons and the adaptable Sword and Shield, while Fujioka, a dedicated Lance user, acknowledged the weapon's significant adjustments based on open beta feedback. Tokuda noted the significant player feedback regarding the Lance and the improvements being made for release.
The developers emphasized their commitment to player feedback, highlighting their dedication to creating a balanced and enjoyable hunting experience. The success of *Monster Hunter* is attributed to the passionate community and the developers' ongoing commitment to improvement.
A detailed community update video featuring Tokuda provides further insights into performance enhancements and weapon changes.
