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Wii

Monster Hunter 3 May Get Free Online, Wii Speak Support

by Andy Goergen - October 6, 2009, 7:06 am EDT
Total comments: 44 Source: G4TV, Gaming Union

Capcom discusses online play for the North American release.

At the Tokyo Games Show this year, representatives from Capcom spoke about the online play features in the North American release of Monster Hunter 3. Capcom producer Ryozo Tsjmoto said in an interview with G4 that, "We've gotten a lot of feedback from people online." He noted that a lot of users have asked for voice chat, and commented that, "We're looking into whether it's technically possible or not, and so if it is, maybe we'll make an announcement. If it realistically can't be done, we may have to leave it out."

He also noted that there may be some weapons exclusive to the North American release.

In another interview at TGS 2009, Chris Kramer, Senior Director of Communications and Community for Capcom USA indicated that although the Japanese version of the game requires a monthly fee to play online, Capcom isn't sure that such a system would work in the US. He explained, "It's something that we're looking into at the moment and there are a few factors to consider. Firstly, Monster Hunter isn't as popular in the West, so it might put people off. Secondly, Japan doesn't have Friend Codes, so Capcom runs all the servers and the monthly fee is essentially to pay for those costs."

Monster Hunter 3 supports up to 4 players online, and is set for a March 2010 release in North America.

Talkback

PaleMike Gamin, Contributing EditorOctober 06, 2009

If this game goes free, it will go from a "no way in heck" to a "gotta get it" for me.

I completely agree with Pale. Also, *obligatory comment about how this was on the forums days ago*.

BwrJim!October 06, 2009

Monster Hunter was more enjoyable than I thought it would of been for single player, I am very interested to see a couple of things..

1)Free Online
2)Friend Matching Service..
3)Nuff said.

Killer_Man_JaroTom Malina, Associate Editor (Europe)October 06, 2009

Yeah, the online service has to be free. A monthly subscription format doesn't lend itself well to console games in the West. Seeing as four player online co-op is one of the main selling points about Monster Hunter, having to pay would be a massive turn-off for me personally.

The Wii Speak integration is less important, though I would still greatly appreciate being able to talk to the people in my party. I'm sure it is well within Capcom's capabilities to implement voice chat.

Quote from: insanolord

I completely agree with Pale. Also, *obligatory comment about how this was on the forums days ago*.

And we knew about it days ago, but it took awhile to get written up and posted.  But thanks for rubbing it in our faces...I hope it makes you feel like a big man.

vuduOctober 06, 2009

Every time Lindy posts I feel like Jay Z is yelling at me.  :(

Quote from: NWR_Lindy

Quote from: insanolord

I completely agree with Pale. Also, *obligatory comment about how this was on the forums days ago*.

And we knew about it days ago, but it took awhile to get written up and posted.  But thanks for rubbing it in our faces...I hope it makes you feel like a big man.

So apparently it's supposed to be obvious to us when Lindy's being tongue in cheek but it doesn't work the other way around.

What happened to you, Lindy? You used to be cool.

StogiOctober 06, 2009

Quote from: NWR_Lindy

Quote from: insanolord

I completely agree with Pale. Also, *obligatory comment about how this was on the forums days ago*.

And we knew about it days ago, but it took awhile to get written up and posted.  But thanks for rubbing it in our faces...I hope it makes you feel like a big man.

Wow. It was so obvious it was a joke. No offense, but you've been acting like a child lately. If you really feel that unappreciated, then why don't you move on like Neal and Nick did?

NinGurl69 *hugglesOctober 06, 2009

And maybe some other popular forumer can don the Kanye avatar and butt-in with passionate commentary.

vuduOctober 06, 2009

The staff's just been getting a lot of un-due flack lately so Jigga's just a little sensitive.

It would be like it I made a joke about your mom at her funeral.

StogiOctober 06, 2009

I don't think it was un-due. There's a reason for everything. Maybe a little more than they should have, but there is still a reason for it.

NinGurl69 *hugglesOctober 06, 2009

Better be a damn good joke.

BlackNMild2k1October 06, 2009

Quote from: vudu

The staff's just been getting a lot of un-due flack lately so Jigga's just a little sensitive.

It would be like it I made a joke about your mom at her funeral.

Are saying that the site is dying?

Site's been getting all kinds of interviews, and posting up impressions from TGS and whatnot, so it seems alive.... maybe they would be a little better if they could finally figure out how to remove that cancerous tumor they refer to as the forums.

vuduOctober 06, 2009

Sorry, no.  I didn't mean to imply the site was dying.  Just that Insanolord picked a bad time to make a joke.

disakeOctober 06, 2009

I have no idea how the comments got twisted there, but this game just went from maybe to sold if it's free online.

StogiOctober 06, 2009

I've never played a MMORPG before. Even with free online and gorgeous graphics, I'm still skeptical.

NinGurl69 *hugglesOctober 06, 2009

Quote from: disake

I have no idea how the comments got twisted there, but this game just went from maybe to sold if it's free online.

Contrary to logic, the Talkbalk Comment Section is actually part of the Forum, not the regular site.  The social unrest in the Forum naturally spread here.

"Social unrest" LOL I'm about to flip a car over here.

Monster Hunter: this game has to be free online in North America.  It won't sell any other way; it just wouldn't make sense.

Forum drama: We aren't an aggregate site that simply hijacks other people's hard work (even though that appears to be how you get hits these days).  When we post news it has been researched, often added to, edited, and sometimes rewritten.  That takes time because people have real schedules, and can't always drop everything to write a news story.

We'll be improving our news coverage in time, but there are other factors involved that need to be addressed before that happens.  I just don't think the "this was posted in the forums two days ago" stuff is really constructive, especially when it regards stories like this one that aren't necessarily "timely".  We get time-sensitive news up ASAP, as a rule.  Yes, stuff will get posted in the forums quickly, but that's because there is typically zero research and editing involved.  In other words, forum posts have no journalistic overhead.  I'd rather post a good story that's well-written than just toss something up there quickly like a forum post.

vuduOctober 06, 2009

Lindy's got 99 problems but bitchy forumers aren't 1

I prefer to call them "opportunities".  LOL

StogiOctober 06, 2009

So what your saying is: If there was more journalistic overhead, than you'd consider using the forums as a resource?

Nigga, is you crazy?

NinGurl69 *hugglesOctober 06, 2009

The forum is just a copy of what's on GordNintendo.  The forum is hardly a source of anything, other than protein and testosterone.

Quote from: Kashogi

So what your saying is: If there was more journalistic overhead, than you'd consider using the forums as a resource?

Nigga, is you crazy?

We've got to teach the puppies not to eat the ice cream!

Bad puppy!

No!  Bad puppy!

ShyGuyOctober 06, 2009

Wii Speak makes this game tempting. Are the Monster Hunter games even worth it if you don't pay the online fee?

I would pay money for an ignore feature in these forums. Just saying.

GoldenPhoenixOctober 06, 2009

Quote from: ShyGuy

Wii Speak makes this game tempting. Are the Monster Hunter games even worth it if you don't pay the online fee?

I would pay money for an ignore feature in these forums. Just saying.

Then who would respond to you?

Mop it upOctober 06, 2009

The only way they could charge for an online mode is if they found some way to get rid of the hackers.

Flames_of_chaosLukasz Balicki, Staff AlumnusOctober 06, 2009

Quote from: ShyGuy

Wii Speak makes this game tempting. Are the Monster Hunter games even worth it if you don't pay the online fee?

I would pay money for an ignore feature in these forums. Just saying.

There are literally people that have played a Monster Hunter game for more than 100 hours due to the multiplayer and the addictive nature of the game. Some people compare it to Diablo or a small scale MMO type of game.



The only way they could charge for an online mode is if they found some way to get rid of the hackers.

ShyGuyOctober 06, 2009

I guess I'm having a hard time conceptualizing how this game works. Is it more like Phantasy Star than WoW? How about Guild Wars? I never played Guild Wars.

Mop it upOctober 06, 2009

Quote from: NWR_Flames_of_chaos

There is one big difference with Monster Hunter G and Monster Hunter Tri's online mode when compared to the typical online enabled Wii game. Both of those games do not use the Nintendo Wi-Fi service instead they use custom servers that Capcom created and  maintain. Also Monster Hunter Tri has new time sensitive quests  and online items that they add so it's a fairly persistent online world.  The game also has a huge online hub which I detailed in this article, if you haven't read it I recommend that you do

Does all of this mean that it would be more difficult for people to hack? Because we all know people are going to try.

Quote from: Kashogi

So what your saying is: If there was more journalistic overhead, than you'd consider using the forums as a resource?

I'm saying you can post whatever you want in the forums, so of course you can do it quickly.  Oh, it turns out to be a bullshit rumor?  Oh well, it's just a forum post, right?  Spelling and grammar...who cares?  You have no stake in anything, so it's easy for you to sit there and complain.  You're no different than 99.9% of the rest of the Internet, who would read a post about somebody curing cancer and respond, "Well, it took them long enough".





Killer_Man_JaroTom Malina, Associate Editor (Europe)October 07, 2009

Quote from: ShyGuy

I guess I'm having a hard time conceptualizing how this game works. Is it more like Phantasy Star than WoW? How about Guild Wars? I never played Guild Wars.

From what I can perceive, a general sequence of events in Monster Hunter goes: "Interact with NPCs in central city area -> Receive quests about killing monsters -> Gather a party of other hunters -> Explore the massive wilderness -> Kill the designated monster and any others who threaten the party -> Harvest dead monster for materials -> Forge stronger weapons and armour from said materials -> Repeat cycle".

Take that with a pinch of salt, 'cause I've only seen gameplay videos and impressions of Monster Hunter Tri. I haven't played any of those three titles you mentioned in your post, though if they are MMORPGs, I would say that this game doesn't really seem to fit into that genre, although it does have certain things in common with those types of games.

Quote from: Killer_Man_Jaro

From what I can perceive, a general sequence of events in Monster Hunter goes: "Interact with NPCs in central city area -> Receive quests about killing monsters -> Gather a party of other hunters -> Explore the massive wilderness -> Kill the designated monster and any others who threaten the party -> Harvest dead monster for materials -> Forge stronger weapons and armour from said materials -> Repeat cycle".

This is dead-on, KMJ.  The addictive part of the game is figuring out how to kill each monster, and then turning the rewards into some really sweet armor.  It's deeper than it sounds, though; there's a ton of strategy and technique involved in taking down the bigger beasts.

StogiOctober 07, 2009

Quote from: NWR_Lindy

Quote from: Kashogi

So what your saying is: If there was more journalistic overhead, than you'd consider using the forums as a resource?

I'm saying you can post whatever you want in the forums, so of course you can do it quickly.  Oh, it turns out to be a bullshit rumor?  Oh well, it's just a forum post, right?  Spelling and grammar...who cares?  You have no stake in anything, so it's easy for you to sit there and complain.  You're no different than 99.9% of the rest of the Internet, who would read a post about somebody curing cancer and respond, "Well, it took them long enough".

PERSONAL ATTACK PERSONAL ATTACK PERSONAL ATTACK

I actually find that last sentence pretty fucking offensive. No really. Apologize please. I don't think I deserved that at all.

Furthermore, if you can't take criticism, I think your in the wrong business.

KDR_11kOctober 07, 2009

Anyway, I've been looking at MH3 with the expectation of free online in the west the whole time. It'll probably have that and I'll probably get it.

I apologize Stogi.  However, realize that your off-the-cuff remarks also piss people off.

The one thing I will say is that we could never, for example, post the massive scans from that issue of Game Informer like what's in the Epic Mickey thread.  As a publication, that's a big no-no that we can technically get sued for.  That's what I mean by saying that the forums have no "journalistic overhead"; you can post whatever you want whenever you want, since forum discussion isn't regulated and offended parties have little legal recourse.

StogiOctober 07, 2009

I understand what your saying. I've understood them since you first said them. I am not your enemy.

I don't even feel like talking about it anymore. I think Wiggles (easycure) and BnM laid it down quite flat anyway.

NinGurl69 *hugglesOctober 07, 2009

I'm afraid to add this as another "endless game" in my Wii library.

Woe is Pro.

BlackNMild2k1October 07, 2009

Quote from: NWR_Lindy

I apologize Stogi.  However, realize that your off-the-cuff remarks also piss people off.

The one thing I will say is that we could never, for example, post the massive scans from that issue of Game Informer like what's in the Epic Mickey thread.  As a publication, that's a big no-no that we can technically get sued for.  That's what I mean by saying that the forums have no "journalistic overhead"; you can post whatever you want whenever you want, since forum discussion isn't regulated and offended parties have little legal recourse.

Just as my last remarks on the subject matter... for now, I never meant post what in the forums as your news story, just use the whats in the forums to create your story quicker(since you might not have known about it yet) and then reciprocate the favor by pointing traffic back into the forums. That is all.

A simple link that says "Discuss it in our forums" right next to the "Discuss it in Talkback" is a good start to atleast pushing more viewership into the forums where some stories have already spawned dozens of responses before the front page story even existed.

Our aim is to somehow combine the two in a way that isn't a complete mess from a thread standpoint.

It's currently being looked at.

TJ SpykeOctober 07, 2009

Quote from: NWR_Lindy

That's what I mean by saying that the forums have no "journalistic overhead"; you can post whatever you want whenever you want, since forum discussion isn't regulated and offended parties have little legal recourse.

Well, they could threaten to sue you if you don't remove the images from the messageboards. At least that's the excuse NeoGAF uses for why they don't allow scans from English language magazines to be posted.

ShyGuyOctober 07, 2009

America has fair use laws, which allows for a certain amount of material to be reproduced. I imagine if CNN was doing a story on this Game Informer magazine for whatever reason, they would show the cover and think nothing of it.

Flames_of_chaosLukasz Balicki, Staff AlumnusOctober 07, 2009

Quote from: NWR_Lindy

I apologize Stogi.  However, realize that your off-the-cuff remarks also piss people off.

The one thing I will say is that we could never, for example, post the massive scans from that issue of Game Informer like what's in the Epic Mickey thread.  As a publication, that's a big no-no that we can technically get sued for.  That's what I mean by saying that the forums have no "journalistic overhead"; you can post whatever you want whenever you want, since forum discussion isn't regulated and offended parties have little legal recourse.

I know you are correct about that Lindy, however more and more websites started cracking down on forum members posting magazine scans on the forums. Take for instance posting magazine scans on NeoGaf is an automatic permanent ban due to the fact that NeoGaf received a lot of legal grievances for the same exact reason, copyright and spoiling information found in the magazine.

Quote from: TJ

Quote from: NWR_Lindy

That's what I mean by saying that the forums have no "journalistic overhead"; you can post whatever you want whenever you want, since forum discussion isn't regulated and offended parties have little legal recourse.

Well, they could threaten to sue you if you don't remove the images from the messageboards. At least that's the excuse NeoGAF uses for why they don't allow scans from English language magazines to be posted.

It's not just English magazines, it's all magazines period.

PlugabugzOctober 08, 2009

All text on this website inputted by myself either verbally or in written format and is copyrighted to me. Licensing fees (paid in optical disc media) shall be revealed shortly.

EasyCureOctober 08, 2009

Quote from: NinGurl69

I'm afraid to add this as another "endless game" in my Wii library.

Woe is Pro.

^this;

which is why im glad i wouldn't be able to make use of the online features, because as interesting as this game sounds i'll HAVE to pass on it. sorry MH3

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