Several questions have been swirling about the latest Monster Hunter games for 3DS and their potential requirement of *rolls eyes* the new slide pad attachment. Since Monster Hunter is literally the biggest thing in Japanese gaming right now, there is no shortage of media covering the various ins and outs of the upcoming Monster Hunter Tri G.
I have gathered a collection of hands-on gameplay videos, and three things are immediately noticeable:
Item management on the touch screen is a breeze.
Loading between zones has been significantly reduced since the Wii version.
Nubageddon is completely absent, yet the camera controls are fantastic.
That's right. All the demo stations for the game did not use the new slide pad, and somehow the game did not play like garbage. In fact, just from these brief videos, not only are the MonHun controls on 3DS functional, they are also incredibly fluid and demonstrably far superior to what PSP users were saddled with. It makes me wonder why anyone honestly believes a second stick is needed at all.
Hit the jump for more vids plus a brief explanation of the new controls.
Above is the official Capcom presentation for Tri G. Feel free jump to the 16:10 mark, where a lot of menu navigation is mapped to the touch screen. At 24:00 and 25:00, you can catch how to pull up quick-use items and customize your inventory respectively. It's all very quick and intuitive, and since these functions are dedicated to the bottom screen, your view of the field won't be obscured should you be in the presence of a very nasty critter.
More videos are available at Japanese sites Gigazine and Famitsu (you might need to copy and re-paste the latter link in order to load the page). None of the players seemed to have any trouble adjusting to the new setup, and I didn't see a single instance of the dreaded "Claw" either.
What's the "Claw," by the way? It's the very awkward control configuration on the PSP MonHun games that allows the player to manipulate the camera and move their character at the same time -- the thumb would rest on the control stick while a curled index finger would rest on the D-pad. It's a control style that I myself have employed in Mega Man X games, allowing me to shoot and jump with my right thumb and dash with my right index. Tri G solves that problem flawlessly.
Nintendo World Report noticed that Capcom had an English control manual on display, so they snapped pics of each page to post online. The most important page is the one above -- a hi-res version is in the gallery -- that marks the default commands mapped to each button and touch screen quadrant.
The biggest game changer, the Target Camera Lock-On, solves most of the viewing issues players have had in the past. When activated, you press the L button once to center the camera on the biggest monster in the vicinity and twice to center it behind the player. With this, players won't have to fiddle around with the camera in the heat of battle, as a simple tap or two will make the necessary adjustments.
Of course, more precise camera control is still necessary at times (such as during swimming), and the D-pad still serves that purpose should any foolish souls wish to return to the dark days of the "Claw." Although, why would you do that when a virtual D-pad is right there on the touch screen? Since the camera quadrant sits against the right edge of the screen, it can be easily accessed by stretching out your right thumb ever so slightly -- try it on your own 3DS if you don't believe me! It's almost like... like... almost like a second stick without the need for an add-on!
Monster Hunter Tri G looks like an incredible portable game, and I know fans of the series are going to eat it up. The fact that it controls so well without the need for the reviled Nubageddon proves what I have surmised all along: the usefulness of a second stick when you've got a touch screen right there is vastly overblown. The slide pad is an OPTIONAL accessory that ISN'T mandatory, and its absence WILL NOT make games inferior. Okay? Okay.
Tony Ponce (aka megaStryke) is a culturally confused, Canadian-born Puerto Rican who grew up in Japan and South Florida ... yet can only speak English. He specializes in writing features and maintaining an immaculate goatee. Likes: Any and all things related to Mega Man, Contra, Castlevania, 2D, PB&J sandwiches, applesauce, and candy corn.
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That's good to know. Because I'm not feeling that ugly ass attachment. Ugh...really bad. Now I can play Monster Hunter without carrying around that extra weight.
The thing is, without the claw, you cant be attacking, dodging, and choosing items all at the same time while keeping the monster centered in your view while its running around you.
The claw is DAMN important if you are battling 2 Black Gravious in the arena.
really want this, though it better have online. Thank you for mentioning that the nub isn't necessary. Just about every site I read doesn't mention that and acts like you have to have it.
Still can't believe it took this long for Monster Hunter to have a "lock-on" targeting feature, but once it does, I probably won't want to look at any other version of the game again just for that.
But yeah, optional add-on is optional.
I think the problem really is people who can't think of gaming without the second stick, but that's just me. Some people were raised with two sticks, I was raised with an NES controller and that funky Atari stick with a button.
Has anyone actually played Monster Hunter on PSP? Personally I didn't enjoy the lack of a second nub.
For $20, I will gladly add another nub and reap the benefits of enhanced controls. If you can "claw" for more than an hour at a time - great! I'll take a cheap alternative.
Because there are some developers out there so lazy that they can't imagine themselves breaking out of the status quo, even when they could present something that is equally as effective. MonHun has that option for series purists, but at the same time, Capcom knew most players won't use the 2nd nub and intelligently designed towards the strengths of the hardware.
@Im The Singer in Symphony X
Someone extolling the virtues of the Claw? That's a first. If you absolutely must, the Claw option is still there, only the stick and D-pad are reversed from the PSP configuration.
Makes sense, but I'm left questioning the wisdom of that, then, given the public response to what now appears to be a totally optional accessory. Doesn't seem worth it.
So they did give in to the wishes of lock-on..Some MH elitists will surely be knocking it (until they try it.)
I'm definitely not complaining. The lock on worked fairly well in Gods Eater. That game had great combat, the rest was a fail in comparison to MH. Still liked it though.
It really doesn't. I'm with you. Shouldn't have been made at all.
@TurboKill
It's not a true lock-on. The camera won't automatically follow the monster. It'll just recenter the camera so the monster is in full view. An actual lock-on ability won't make attacking certain parts of a monster very difficult.
You also realize it adds extra functionality by way of extra shoulder buttons right? It's better, it's pennies to buy, and it will work on a number of games - no worries there.
Oh I see what you mean. That's even better. A constant lock-on could turn into a clusterf*** if there are 3+ velociprey coming at you while fighting a Rathalos.
Well that's good to hear. Honestly, while I don't mind the concept of the slide pad, I kind of wished they hadn't created it solely for the reason that it would force developers to innovate control schemes rather than rely on the same old methods.
@Turbokill - I would hope there would be no one knocking lock-on features, you know, given that shit's been around for 13 years. At least as old as Zelda: OOT is.
But yeah, some people are nuts. I guess there might be some people that find a hidden virtue in no lock-on. I don't know what it is and don't care to, though.
The Second Nub Add-on is just an optional add-on that will possibly curved the the second hardware revision of the Nintendo 3DS.
It's just another thing to watch out for and see what happens next.
For me and most adults the Add on gives our hands from cringing while holding the 3DS, For others it's a stick for people who doesn't like change or other ways of control and rather have that stick.
For what it's worth this is possibly the best thing Nintendo can do for the Early adopters *unless they put the add-on for the Nintendo Club Rewards program and gives to the Ambassadors for free*
Lock-on's fine, obviously Just talking from experience playing Gods Eater (the "MH Clone"). Once there were enough enemies it was chaos. You try to ignore the small enemies and go after the big guy then the small enemies knock you down and you get raped and vice versa.
As a MH vet, I lament the idea of "lock on" just because cut my teeth doing it the hard way. However, as a MH player, I'd most likely use it anyway out of sheer convenience.
Slide pad expansion is still hilariously, well... "Nintendo." This is the same company that released a handheld without a headphone jack. I haven't bought into the 3DS just yet anyway due to lack of games I'm personally interested in. That's going to change and I just hope by the time I'm ready they don't announce a new model two months later.
All I can say is I am so glad I held off buying a 3DS because if that new SKU has a second nub its going to be short order before we start seeing games that require that "optional" nub attachment. But its ok because its optional.
I don't see any fickleness, just people with different opinions. Or did you think the entire destructoid community shared the opinions of its loudest members? I thought Norm Abram was smarter than that.
The GBA SP lacked a headphone jack. You had to buy a peripheral that
plugged into the charger port or buy special, one device worth of usefulness headphones.
Monster Hunter requires a PRECISION HIT for SPECIFIC monster parts... a lock on would permit only "centered" strikes... so it would be useless for this kind of game.
Very happy that this "auto lock" is only a "recenter" and not a "follower".
Even happier that, as i always believed, the virtual d-pad works.
In the first few seconds of the first video, you can clearly see the player INSTINCTIVELY try to use his left index finger to claw and change the camera angle. Its something that works very well, and compared to monster hunter itself, has a very shallow learning curve. 350 hours in MHFU, and I couldnt play without the claw. The claw served me well in MGS:PEACEWALKER as well.
Huh. The swimming still looks pretty darn awkward without a second stick, though. I think the Classic Controller Pro is what actually enabled Capcom to have swimming in Tri in the first place, no? It's SO much easier to swim in all directions when you have analogue control.
Again, touch screen camera control solves that little issue. Plus, when you are actually engaging a monster underwater, the L-button lock would come in handy, avoiding the needs to adjust the camera much if at all.
Never played a Monster Hunter game, however this one looks pretty neat now that I have seen some real footage. I think this may be the first one I try. My 3DS is in dire need of some playing.
The Claw is impossible on the 3DS since the d-pad is below the analog stick. Although i'll take Monster Hunter any way I can get it, I still wish it was on the Vita.
I got extremely excited for this announcement until I realized it was only confirmed for Japan. I can't bring myself to get excited again unless I know I'm getting the game. =(
Sadly, I have a feeling that the US won't see MH on 3DS until 4 comes out. Though Capcom is free to prove me wrong, PLEASE prove me wrong! Nothing would give me as much of a reason to play my 3DS as an MH game would.
The touch D-pad looks like a perfectly adequate substitute in this case, but I'm with Magnalon; if I had the option to replace it with a physical nub (via add-on or waiting until the next 3DS comes out), I'd go with that.
Some of us with common sense already knew there was no issue with anything whatsoever. So sick of kids flipping out over everything NINTENDO does.
A second analog is not necessary for most games. It's just a nice layer of extra control. Somehow Metroid Prime trilogy controls better than most other FPS and there is not 2nd analog.
Nubaggedon is a perfect example of how gamers make themselves look like fucking idiots on a consistent basis.
@Tony Ponce
That's like telling someone to control CoD with your index finger on a 360 controller. No one controls analog sticks with his fingers. I mean, people could learn, but it's ridiculous to imply that it's a simple adjustment.
Hardcore fans of Monster Hunter hate lock-on, because they feel that camera control is one of the challenges to the game, and that lock-on will water down the series' difficulty.
Once I saw the D-Pad on the touch screen my fears were quelled. Was Miyamoto correct all along? Plus Monster Hunter really needed to fix up the camera system any ways.
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Contest:
3:30 PM on 09.17.2011 | 
The claw is DAMN important if you are battling 2 Black Gravious in the arena.
But yeah, optional add-on is optional.
I think the problem really is people who can't think of gaming without the second stick, but that's just me. Some people were raised with two sticks, I was raised with an NES controller and that funky Atari stick with a button.
For $20, I will gladly add another nub and reap the benefits of enhanced controls. If you can "claw" for more than an hour at a time - great! I'll take a cheap alternative.
Because there are some developers out there so lazy that they can't imagine themselves breaking out of the status quo, even when they could present something that is equally as effective. MonHun has that option for series purists, but at the same time, Capcom knew most players won't use the 2nd nub and intelligently designed towards the strengths of the hardware.
@Im The Singer in Symphony X
Someone extolling the virtues of the Claw? That's a first. If you absolutely must, the Claw option is still there, only the stick and D-pad are reversed from the PSP configuration.
The advanced controls are right there without a second stick.
I'm definitely not complaining. The lock on worked fairly well in Gods Eater. That game had great combat, the rest was a fail in comparison to MH. Still liked it though.
It really doesn't. I'm with you. Shouldn't have been made at all.
@TurboKill
It's not a true lock-on. The camera won't automatically follow the monster. It'll just recenter the camera so the monster is in full view. An actual lock-on ability won't make attacking certain parts of a monster very difficult.
They seem fine - but I'll take that nub.
You also realize it adds extra functionality by way of extra shoulder buttons right? It's better, it's pennies to buy, and it will work on a number of games - no worries there.
But yeah, some people are nuts. I guess there might be some people that find a hidden virtue in no lock-on. I don't know what it is and don't care to, though.
It's just another thing to watch out for and see what happens next.
For me and most adults the Add on gives our hands from cringing while holding the 3DS, For others it's a stick for people who doesn't like change or other ways of control and rather have that stick.
For what it's worth this is possibly the best thing Nintendo can do for the Early adopters *unless they put the add-on for the Nintendo Club Rewards program and gives to the Ambassadors for free*
Lock-on's fine, obviously Just talking from experience playing Gods Eater (the "MH Clone"). Once there were enough enemies it was chaos. You try to ignore the small enemies and go after the big guy then the small enemies knock you down and you get raped and vice versa.
Slide pad expansion is still hilariously, well... "Nintendo." This is the same company that released a handheld without a headphone jack. I haven't bought into the 3DS just yet anyway due to lack of games I'm personally interested in. That's going to change and I just hope by the time I'm ready they don't announce a new model two months later.
Second thought: Ooh, look - a plesioth!
Third thought: Darn, I have no frogs.
This is quite literally worth every penny I spent on my system. That is all.
Anyway, it's nice to know, though not unexpected, that the attachment isn't needed.
I don't see any fickleness, just people with different opinions. Or did you think the entire destructoid community shared the opinions of its loudest members? I thought Norm Abram was smarter than that.
The GBA SP lacked a headphone jack. You had to buy a peripheral that
plugged into the charger port or buy special, one device worth of usefulness headphones.
Monster Hunter requires a PRECISION HIT for SPECIFIC monster parts... a lock on would permit only "centered" strikes... so it would be useless for this kind of game.
Very happy that this "auto lock" is only a "recenter" and not a "follower".
Even happier that, as i always believed, the virtual d-pad works.
The old one that was included with the DS phat made controlling Mario a lot more bearable in SM64:DS
What the fuck.
Again, touch screen camera control solves that little issue. Plus, when you are actually engaging a monster underwater, the L-button lock would come in handy, avoiding the needs to adjust the camera much if at all.
Pocket Monsters = Pokemon
The Japanese love their contractions.
OH yeah. Lock on will be amazing. I kinda liked it not being there, but I know i'm totally going to use it all the time.
You couldn't use your index finger to control the character?
Sadly, I have a feeling that the US won't see MH on 3DS until 4 comes out. Though Capcom is free to prove me wrong, PLEASE prove me wrong! Nothing would give me as much of a reason to play my 3DS as an MH game would.
A second analog is not necessary for most games. It's just a nice layer of extra control. Somehow Metroid Prime trilogy controls better than most other FPS and there is not 2nd analog.
Nubaggedon is a perfect example of how gamers make themselves look like fucking idiots on a consistent basis.
That's like telling someone to control CoD with your index finger on a 360 controller. No one controls analog sticks with his fingers. I mean, people could learn, but it's ridiculous to imply that it's a simple adjustment.
Hardcore fans of Monster Hunter hate lock-on, because they feel that camera control is one of the challenges to the game, and that lock-on will water down the series' difficulty.