User blog:BannedLagiacrus/Discussion of the Week: Frontier's End - Part 1

Hello, and welcome to the Discussion of the Week!

This week we look at the first ten updates to Monster Hunter Frontier in honor of its final days!



Season 1.0


Where it all began! Releasing in 2007, Monster Hunter Frontier came out a year after Monster Hunter 2 and would use its engine as a base for over twelve years. At the start, Monster Hunter Frontier wasn't too different from Dos, but it did introduce Hypnocatrice and Lavasioth before later adding Breeding Season Hypnocatrice and Lavasioth Subspecies. It also brought in the Great Forest, the only Frontier area that appears in the Main Series.

Season 2.0


Season 2.0 is when Monster Hunter Frontier started taking its own path. This update introduced the true Flapship Monster of Frontier, Espinas. This Flying Wyvern is as strong as an Elder Dragon and ended up becoming the gatekeeper for High Rank. Hunters would later encounter the Espinas Subspecies in the 2.5 update.

Season 3.0


3.0 brought in Akura Vashimu, an invader from the Akura Region that has taken up residence in the desert, as well as a Subspecies, Akura Jebia, in 3.5.

Season 4.0


Season 4.0 introduced the Gorge, a locale that was once a sea in ancient times, as well as Berukyurosu. Interestingly, some species of coral can only be found in this environment as well. Changes in the environment caused the coral to adapt to life on land. That sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Season 5.0


Before Deviljho appeared in Monster Hunter Tri, another gluttonous monster, known as Pariapuria, filled that void in Monster Hunter Frontier, even inspiring some additional concepts and mechanics for our favorite pickle. A few months later, the Espinas Rare Species is added as well.

Season 6.0


Season 6.0 introduced the first proper wolf-like monsters in the series, Kamu Orugaron and Nono Orugaron. These two fight side by side with one another throughout an entire hunt.

Season 7.0


In 2009, Jhen Mohran ended up dwarfing Lao-Shan Lung but something else bigger than both of them came that same year... In Season 7.0, Monster Hunter Frontier released a large-scale siege quest, the very first in Monster Hunter history, for a giant serpentine monster called Laviente. This monster could be hunted in 16 player groups, later changed to 8, and it was fought on Solitude Island.

Season 8.0


8.0 took us back to an unexplored part of the Tower, leading to the discovery of Dyuragaua, and this was when we were properly introduced to HC Monsters, unusual monster individuals with immense strength. This was also when high-ranking players began learning about secret styles found in books, letting them perform never before seen attacks with weapons. Later on, Doragyurosu is added to Frontier as well.

Season 9.0


Most likely my favorite update out of these ten, it introduced a new locale, the Highland, Gurenzeburu, and easily some of the best HC Monsters in the series!

Season 10


Although this update didn't have any new monsters, it did have plenty of HC Monsters and it gave hunters more options in the way they hunt. It also introduced the Competition Arena.

Last Time


If you missed the last Discussion of the Week, Lords of the New World, you all are still more then welcome to comment on it!

Questions

 * 1) What was your first introduction to Monster Hunter Frontier or how did you come to learn about it?
 * 2) Are you surprised that it has been using MH2's engine for so long? Why or why not?
 * 3) Have you ever wondered how Monster Hunter Frontier would be like if it used the 3rd or 4th Gen engine? What kind of changes could you see if that ended up happening? Do you think Monster Hunter: World could follow a similar path in the future? Why or why not?
 * 4) Do you think Monster Hunter Frontier was ahead of Main Series in some aspects? Why or why not?
 * 5) Which is your favorite monster of these first few updates? Why?
 * 6) Which is your least favorite monster of these updates? Why?
 * 7) How do you feel about the HC Monsters? Do you like their concept and the way they're portrayed overall?
 * 8) If you could choose three monsters from these updates to appear in Main Series, which would they be and why?
 * 9) Which is your favorite locale of these first few updates? Why?
 * 10) Which is your least favorite locale of these updates? Why?
 * 11) If you could choose one locale from these updates to appear in Main Series, which would it be and why?
 * 12) What do you think of those new moves for the weapons that were added in Season 10? Additional question for Frontier Hunters only: How did they feel overall, and did you like them? Why or why not?
 * 13) What are your thoughts on Heavenly Style (Japanese 天ノ型) and Storm Style (Japanese 嵐ノ型) for weapons in Monster Hunter Frontier? Additional question for Frontier Hunters only: How did they feel overall, and did you like them? Why or why not? How would you compare them to the introduced Hunting Styles from MHGU?
 * 14) Frontier Hunters only: Out of these ten updates, what will be the things you will miss the most?
 * 15) How do you all feel about Monster Hunter Frontier's first two benchmarks? Do you like the idea of them showing off the world of Monster Hunter?