The centerpiece of Monster Hunter World is the large, interactive world where everything reacts to each other. The developers had this vision in the early development of the franchise. Modern technology makes the developers’ dream possible.
Capcom brings Monster Hunter back to the console after 5 years. For years, the franchise had primarily established itself on the 3DS and formed a loyal fan community there. At the E3 2017, the big surprise came: “Monster Hunter World” will come to PS4, Xbox One, and later to PC in early 2018.
In the first official gameplay stream from Capcom, you can see how lively the game world is. It is possible to craft camouflage outfits and use your surroundings to hunt. It has already been shown that “Scout Flies” can indicate the way to monsters. Another example from the known gameplay: A player uses a barrel to destroy a dam, causing a monster to be swept away.
In an interview with GameSpot, producer Ryozo Tsujimoto and executive director Kaname Fujioka revealed that this lively world will be the centerpiece of Monster Hunter World. Modern technology makes it possible to create such freedom and a realistic ecosystem.
The power of the modern hardware generation makes the world breathe
According to Tsujimoto, it was time for the team to thoroughly review the franchise after 13 years of Monster Hunter. Where should the journey lead with the next major title?
The team decided that they wanted to fully develop the core of the games to focus on the lively world. For the developers, it was a logical step to utilize the powerful hardware that modern consoles offer. That was the reason why Capcom chose to move away from the 3DS and handheld.
Modern technology enables the creation of such a dynamic, vibrant world that seems almost to breathe.
In Monster Hunter World, there will be a seamless environment. This means that there are no loading screens when hunters change areas. It creates the feeling of an open world. It is possible to add more graphical details to the world. This applies to the smallest plant to the largest, terrifying creature.
Seamless transitions of maps change gameplay – create more realism
There will be different areas per map. However, these can be accessed without interruption by a loading screen. This allowed the developers to revise some key elements.
One example: In older “Monster Hunter” parts, when players used a potion or other items, they had to stand still. Those who were weakened and found themselves near a dangerous creature could switch to another area through the loading screen. The monster could not follow, allowing the player to safely use their item.
This will no longer be the case in Monster Hunter World. Hunters will be able to use potions and other items while running, which fits much better with the dynamic system.
The seamless transitions of the maps have created, according to the developers, a domino effect. Much of the gameplay in Monster Hunter World has been adapted to the new map system to meet the demands of the dynamic world.
The title “World” was not chosen by chance – Global team play possible
For the first time, it will be possible to hunt monsters globally as a team. Players can hunt together on European, American, and Japanese servers.
The developers wanted to create one thing above all else: An extensive, detailed, flourishing, living, breathing world that hunters can immerse themselves in together and globally. All gameplay decisions flowed from this desire.
What do you think of the developers’ approaches – and are they realistic?
