Well, I think the issue comes from inside each and everyone of us that care about the blood levels. That is, my view regarding it might different from everybody else's.
In that case, allow me to share my views.
I don't particularly "calculate" every single inch or centimeter of the game, but the blood serves the nice purpose of a damage indicator. Sure, your sword or hammer slows down a bit when you hit a weak spot. But how can you tell that your friend across the map hit the Rathian in the head with his Long Sword? In the Japanese versions, you'd see a big red X followed by a blood splash. In the Western versions, you have to ask your friend. And if you're playing online without voice-chat, that becomes highly inconvenient.
The other issue comes mostly from men (generalization... sorry...). I, being one, understand how I feel about it. And through conversations with other male MH players, more often than not I get the same reactions: The blood is just there to quench our thirst for a little over the top violence. And it does it's job pretty well, in the Japanese versions, that is. Now regarding female MH players, they usually don't care about the excessive amounts of blood.
You see, God of War has gory scenes of eye-stabbing moves, dismemberment, etc. It is one of the best-selling franchises in the West, and supposedly did pretty well on the PSP (in the West). Monster Hunter, doesn't have anything more gory than cutting off a tail, or a Velociprey in half. In my opinion, its blood would be part of its appeal... But that was thrown out the window. Thanks ESRB.
Ultimately, my opinion is that the game is pretty realistic in most aspects, but it's already on the side of "over the top" (just look at the monsters... Rajang in particular), so why not have a cool looking visual effect such as the blood?
PS: In the future, I see the extintion of "paintballs". The way I imagine we would track the Monsters would be by hitting key parts of their bodies. Then, they'd be bleeding as they travel through the map, for a short period of time. That would also give us a good reason to use the Binoculars, no? (looking from one area to the next with the binoculars)
well said :)
i like your tracking idea too. i wish this games was a little more geared towards the actual hunt.
Ether way game isnt out yet. So no one really knows if it made it.
During GDC, it had 2g blood.... next time it was shown...it had mhf2 blood...
So... Have to wait till 23rd. (game is rated Teen, so its most likly same as mhf2)
i honestly don't see the big deal of trying to make it TEEN rating but whatever they probably have a good marketing strategy. but personally i really don't think it'll make a difference.
believe it or not for me the blood actually helps me with the hit detection zone of where i am hitting. of course the strawberry jelly u see how still has blood but its much harder to see when cameria is wonky aka, when u are close to a huge wyverns leg. or when alot of people are hitting and perhaps u are the only only missing in that one zone etc.
i finally got a chance to play some 2G in time right before unite comes out and i wasn't very surprised at all or thought it was too violent etc.
Still, the fact of the matter is that for a not-as-well known game like Monster Hunter, an M rating is going to turn away a lot of kids who aren't old enough/ have parents who don't let them play M games. There's no use in even talking about it at this point. Just wait for MH to get popular here (if it ever does). Then we might see some PS3 Monster Hunter games without reduced blood.
The US demo came out last Thursday (05/22) and the PAL demo will be coming out next Thursday (05/28). I'll be downloading both... then I'll report the blood level comparisson.
Yuri Lindbergh De Araujo 'Hero of Kokoto' Translator / Tradutor Photoshopped beards have almost the same power as real ones...
