This game is fun, so I completely agree that once you make some real progress, you’ll get hooked.
I’ve been playing since launch, only stepped away during the Wilds period and returned late last year, and it really is a great game.
The question here is whether the early game (specifically from the prologue to around Chapter 3) might cause people to quit before they even reach the fun parts, right?
I just don’t want new players to quit without ever experiencing what makes Now so fun. Because it’s a genuinely good game.
I think things are fine as they are for gradually learning how to fight, but now that this kind of suggestion has been made, the developers will probably take action if they check player drop-off during the Pre-Season Story and feel a sense of urgency.
That said, I hope they don’t make changes for the worse that encourage leeching. Even if more hunters unlock 8★ with weak gear, it’ll just lead to more carts.
That’s true—after hearing everyone’s thoughts, I’ve also reconsidered and feel that the way things are now might actually be just right for people new to Monster Hunter to learn the ropes.
That said, for hunters who’ve already played the mainline series, the blandness of the early game is definitely something worth considering.
If things really are turning out as feared, I’d hope to see some sort of gameplay adjustments.
Games are designed with systems to maintain a sense of accomplishment and motivation by having players clear short-term goals step by step.
(Apparently, that’s called level design.)
If everything is unlocked from the start, while you gain more freedom of choice, it diminishes the sense of achievement that comes from steadily growing, and having to set your own progression path (short-term goals) adds extra hassle. That’s why it doesn’t necessarily help sustain motivation, which makes it a tricky balance.
What people find fun or not depends on personal taste and individual fit, so pushing your own values too hard often gets you criticized for “forcing your playstyle on others,” which is pretty typical in gaming these days.
That said, I still think the material and cost requirements in MH Now are crazy lol
(And that’s after they’ve been eased up quite a bit!)
For those starting from Ignition (or rather, right now), I feel like the gear provided makes them pretty capable of putting up a decent fight.
① First, you’re given one Grade 10 weapon (out of 4 types) ← right now, maybe Legiana or something?
② You’re immediately given a full set of Grade 8 gear right off the bat ← this is seriously great (kind of like a “just wear this and go fight for now” kind of deal)
And from there, everyone can just hunt whatever they want in whatever direction they like and work toward their own style, you know?
It also seems to resolve the issue of regular hunts being too rough due to monster strength (you know, like “I got all carried away and raised the difficulty, and now hunting is a pain!”) ← though honestly, I was thinking, “couldn’t you just upgrade your armor…?”
Since this is how Ignition feels right from the start, I think things will probably keep improving bit by bit down the line.