shen-gaoren

[shen-gaoren]

Wilds is great

I'm really sad the game's own pre-release content and trailers spoiled everything about it including the reveal of what High Rank's miniplot was about.

Same issue I had with rise where its like Capcom is afraid of people being surprised by anything but the final boss so they gotta put everything in the game in the trailers.

[shen-gaoren]

OKAY SO BECAUSE OF @nibwhipdragon (and their excellent taste because 4u is peak) I’M TALKING ABOUT THE COLOR DIVERSITY THING BC HOLY HELL IS IT BAD AND I THINK WHAT THEY DID TO NERSCYLLA REFLECTS THIS SO WELL.

they also did gore and shagaru dirty by dulling the gold hues so yeah not forgiving that either

my biggest hot take in all of monster hunter is that some of world and wild’s designs? they’re boring. not in a framing structure way, but color-wise, they’re boring. rise was better at it but they did dull some colors and i stg this is all because of the western realism angle.

let me show you both 4th gen nerscylla and 6th gen nerscylla

they removed aspects of the color palette, and because of the shade of purple they’re going with for the gypceros hide, the actual poison spikes don’t pop nearly as well.

this isn’t to say you can’t make a restricted palette work because in some ways you can. why? because the designers took liberties to compensate, be it through a more cartoonish/wild design or having enraged states that add a splash of color, plus they make the solid colors as bold as possible. some great examples of this are the fatalis trio, yian kut-ku, akura vashimu, gogmazios, the aforementioned magalas, seregios, even basarios. of course there’s exceptions to this (first two gens had pretty meh looking rock monsters save for basarios and diablos), but the vast majority of them do something unique.

this isn’t to say world didn’t have any stand outs—ignoring iceborne’s subspecies, standard pukei pukei and odogaron, kulu ya ku, dodogama, bazelgeuse, along with xeno’jiva are genuinely great. issue is that a lot of these colors do get washed out, save for dodo and xeno. this isn’t to mention how world’s lack of variety hurts it, as a majority of monsters take influence from some form of reptile. this makes the introduction of older monsters even more jarring. there’s an argument to be made about that being the point, but this isn’t in a good way. they look like they belong in two separate franchises, not monster hunter.

you can also say what you will about frontier’s monsters because yes some lean too heavily into spikes, but they’re at least memorable.

it’s hard to describe what makes world’s monsters not hit as hard. the fights themselves are memorable, but designs are consistently generic, and that makes me so upset.

but the color dulling is very obvious when pinning renders of returning monsters next to one another. look at old rathalos. now look at new rathalos. look at old color palettes. now look at new color palettes. i genuinely think the washing makes designs like magnamalo and primordial malzeno lack the extra oomph needed to be truly fantastic.

these don’t make or break the games but i have to stress there is a heavy “realism” push which means god forbid we have color.

it’s especially weird because surprisingly enough, plenty of real world animals do have a wide array of colors, body shapes, or boldness! bright colors are just as important as camouflage, as they can signal “stay away” or attract mates. if you want to argue it goes against camouflage completely, your average red/orange pelted tiger does well in a jungle. so do pandas.

what i’m trying to say is this is genuinely frustrating. i remember seeing a criticism towards rise being “too cartoony” as if the series has never had goofy or standout designs. good stylization will forever and always be more memorable and impactful than total realism. games have shown that a good way to make it work is through color.

new gen mh has really neglected its visual design and i really think that needs to be recognized.

as i’ve said in many posts, this won’t make or break the games, i’m sure wilds will be great, capcom can do whatever with the series, blah blah blah. this doesn’t mean the personality isn’t being sapped, or that there’s no problems whatsoever with frankly increasingly bad color design. the last thing i want is for a series as good as monster hunter to be overlooked because it looks like just another triple a title, but with the rate it’s going on a visual and style front, that might end up being the case if there isn’t any push for change.

(this also isn’t to say you can’t do bad stylization either, but i’d argue the realism without style angle has become a bigger issue.)

[shen-gaoren]

Migration

[shen-gaoren]

“Before going further though, you may have noticed that there are different types of them. Three types, I would say, but maybe I’m forgetting some.

The first type might sound irrelevant, but there’s actually a significant number of arena quests that are accidental. You see, the activities performed in arenas are dangerous – quite unsurprisingly – which is why these areas are often built outside of town. But that makes them easier to invade by wild monsters… Which then become the targets of these quests.

The second type is for training and challenging Hunters. I have myself been to the arena many times as a young Hunter when I was learning how to use each weapon, and when I needed to sharpen my skills as I gained experience. After all, nothing makes you practice better than against a real Monster. Furthermore, the environment is safe enough for a newbie, and under enough control to allow comparisons between Hunters’ performances.

I will admit I’m not sure how they get their hands on these Monsters however. I believe most of them are from hunter or poacher captures, usually the ones that are considered unable to be reintroduced in the wild (or to be used for research), so the Guild simply finds another use for them. I guess it can be debatable, though.

The last type I can think of is the most controversial of them all: arena quests for show; which aren’t totally unlike the challenge quests from earlier. During hunting contests or simply for spectacle, arenas host an audience of people who want to see one or two experienced Hunters at work. The Monsters used for these quests are often more dangerous than average, so there’s no way for them to be put back into the wild.

I… happen to know some Hunters who even specialize into such arena shows. One in particular, my cousin Magatsu, performs in Dundorma whenever he gets the opportunity. The few times I’ve seen him at work, the public seemed to enjoy his flashy moves, so I suppose it can be a popular ‘sport’… To be enjoyed in moderation, if you want my opinion.”

(Magatsu is @shen-gaoren​ ’s character)

[shen-gaoren]

Probably my most detailed digital painting ever. 18.5 hours of work, featuring my dragoness Amayensis and a poem written by my friend @shen-gaoren.

Support me on patreon for the Hd picture and WIPs! 

But you can also get yourself a print (with or without the text) on my INPRNT shop ! :D

[shen-gaoren]

The Swan. 

Finished commission for my friend @shen-gaoren ! Featuring their character Evelyn Oloria, as a Warmonger from For Honor. 

I quote, “she is mean much like real swans”.

5 hours and 20 minutes on Procreate!

Join my Patreon for priority pickings on commissions and more!

[shen-gaoren]

[shen-gaoren]

The Golden Moon

Maelstrom swam throughout the ocean, happy to be finally free of any shackles. He was unbound and for once...didn't know what to do. The aquatic dragon hadn't really known true freedom for much of his life. Luckily, Maelstrom was in no rush to figure out his life, he was well beyond the age of reckless impulsive decisions so for the time being he just let the currents take him.

Eventually he drifted into waters that hunters came to call 'The New world' whilst he thought the title for the continent was...uninspired he supposed it was more fitting that whatever name it once had before the fall of the dragons. The waters were calm but not desolate, he felt the presence of other dragons but they seemed to avoid him. Maelstrom simply chalked it up to more primal survival oriented feelings, few would dare to challenge a dragon as aged and hardened as himself. He didn't resent the loneliness but he didn't embrace it either.

The calm silence of the waters was broken and quite violently so. A hunt was on, the quarry was a dragon that could definitely match up to Maelstrom's strength. Alatreon. An unstable but dangerous dragon, it didn't have mastery of the elements, far from it. In Maelstrom's blind eyes he saw the Alatreon as a puppet of the elements, no less dangerous than its reputation let on but a more tragic existence to be sure. A resounding boom echoed throughout the air and water as Maelstrom weaved his body between rocks that were dislodged and fell into the churning waters he resided in.

Something more than rocks fell to the sea however.

A huntress. One Maelstrom recognised. She was one that was present at Nalkark's first fall, he could feel a connection to the huntress that personally dealt with him during that whole debacle. A huntress, a murderer of Maelstrom's kin and one who personally intervened in his own life for better or for worse. Despite that, despite everything Maelstrom had learnt and everything he thought telling him not to. He took pity on this huntress. He brought her to the surface so that she would not drown and looked up to the plateau the Alatreon had claimed. The golden elder knew better than to tussle with such a powerful dragon, and so he left.

The journey was slow and careful, Maelstrom had to travel along the surface of the waves thanks to his new passenger but he was determined to bring her somewhere safe. He followed trade ships, he listened to the words of hunters carried on the waters and soon that lead him somewhere.

Kamura.

Not that Maelstrom knew the name of the village, he just knew it was safe. Under the cover of the moon the hunters associated with his species Maelstrom dropped off his passenger. Before submerging and vanishing once more he felt compelled to give her a message for when she woke.

"The Golden Moon will watch over you."

He whispered in his deep draconic voice before swimming away. He still didn't understand why  but he felt that this huntress might need his help again in the near future.

[shen-gaoren]

Look. I had to claim that one. It mentioned Trogdor. 

Anyway for non april fools shenanigans updates...Uhh Rise good. That’s all.

[shen-gaoren]

[shen-gaoren]

he

[shen-gaoren]

The Lunar Tide

The seas began to churn and crash as whatever was keeping them still had fallen away….

Isolation wasn’t a new feeling for Maelstrom. It had been one he’d grown accustomed to many times in life. Being isolated in darkness. Being trapped in the caverns beneath Wyvern’s end and Dragon’s genesis...and working for Nalkark. However Maelstrom’s experience with isolation had taught him one important lesson, it will always pass.

This time would be like all the others. The crackling net that seemed to choke the sea he was residing in would surely fade with time like every other trap the world seemed to snare him in. Be it days, months, years or millennia. Nothing could last forever. That was something the Keeper told him in confidence. It wasn’t some big secret, it was some kingdom shattering knowledge. It was a simple yet obvious line of thought. Nothing lasts forever. Maelstrom’s sight didn’t last forever, neither did his blindness. The kingdom he swore fealty to also faded into history. The winding caverns that kept him trapped were eventually unsealed. So it stood to reason, that his loyalty to the Keeper’s bloodline too...would not last forever.

Unable to crawl up onto the stone island that Nalkark had claimed, Maelstrom was alone with these thoughts. One of Nalkark’s strongest traits was his Charisma and intellect, whilst he would never have been able to completely quash dissent in Maelstrom’s mind he was able to steer the Ceadeus’ mind away from such thoughts. Without the squid’s constant prattle and megalomania Maelstrom felt...oddly calm. 

He meditated within the calming blue depths, his own bioluminescence flickering and twinkling within the abyss. Nothing could ever last forever and deep down there was one truth that Maelstrom tried and tried to deny. The age of dragons had ended long ago and his oath to the Keeper’s bloodline was but a foolish attempt at trying to challenge the innate nature of time. It was time to accept the truth. The age of Dragons was over. A new age had begun, and foolishly Maelstrom had assumed it was there to usurp the empty world once claimed by dragons. He didn’t know the truth of this new age but he knew the lies that he’d been told. 

The sound from the tower stirred Maelstrom from his deep meditation, he could feel it. The energy keeping him anchored here had faded, as every other snare and trap had in the past, this too had faded. The golden dragon surfaced and stared up at the shadowy tower in the mists. He had finally made his choice.

Maelstrom dove beneath the waves and swam away into the great blue ocean. He once was a scholar, a teacher...perhaps it was time to return to his roots.

[shen-gaoren]

Elderseal

It had rained the day prior which explained the thick mists that choked the island as she approached it. The woman had been on a trail for a while now a messy and horrific trail that for a while seemed to have gone cold. 

She steeled her nerves as she stepped onto the bridge over the unnervingly still waters that isolated the island from the mainland. The mists limited her vision but from the route she took and the winds blowing, the sea should have been a roaring roil of activity and yet...it was still. As she walked further along the stone bridge a figure began to form in the fogs. It was huge, unnatural and perfectly still. 

The closer she got, the clearer the figure became. It was a gaunt monstrosity of flesh and metal. At first glance it appeared to be a twisted statue but closer examination revealed it to be breathing, its chest subtly heaving as if every breath was a monumental uptaking. As if every last ember of will, every spark of life had been devoted to simply keeping it alive. The presence of the creature posed a question to the woman. Not a simple question with a simple answer, a more distressing one.

Had something gone wrong?

Undoubtedly yes, this creature was suffering and clearly not fulfilling its purpose but a long examination of the creature added a new question. Was that better for the world? Had these creatures been allowed to roam free, to hunt, to kill...the world would have been in turmoil. So whilst perhaps this place had failed itself...it had succeeded the world.

She wasn’t a philosopher though, she was a doctor...not a doctor of philosophy at least. She soldiered on, finally stepping from the bridge onto the island. The mist seemed to thin a little as she continued on her path. Similar figures could be seen silhouetted in the mist, like a gallery created by a madman. Though the paralysed monstrosities were not the most imposing shadow that seemed to lurk in the mist.

That title would have to be granted to the tower that stood tall over the entire island. A silent and dormant watcher. She approached the structure and saw the entrance, broken and battered. Someone had been here recently. She stepped through the threshold and let out a quiet curse as a jagged rock nicked her leg. Green blood splattered to the floor and the many ancient symbols carved into it began to glow. Stones began to stir and old technology churned...but as quickly as it began it stopped. 

She made a mental note to be more cautious as she began to ascent the structure. It was mostly empty, a hollow building clearly meant to carry some form of resonance or signal. Every pebble and stone she caused to fall with her movement echoed for what felt like an eternity against the perfectly carved walls. 

Finally she arrived at the top of the structure, above the mists and staring out over the world below. She was thankful she wasn’t afraid of heights. Though the height of the structure wasn’t what she noticed at first. She wasn’t alone up here. Two figures stood atop the tower, one small and cloaked and another huge and imposing. Both were restrained by some unknown force, crimson veins crackling along their bodies in brief pulses. A heartbeat. These weren’t like the statues below, these were untouched by the steel and rust. Then one spoke.

“Destroy it.” He muttered, a voice weary and tired.

Behind the two was a pedestal and upon it was a small silver device that was glowing a similar shade of crimson to the veins upon the two. A doctor is sworn to help those in need and that is what she did. She took the device from its pedestal and held it up, examining it. It was reinforced, a sharp impact wouldn’t dent it...but she had other plans. The woman pulled her face mask off and let her jaws separate, viscous translucent yellow fluid dripped from her mouth. As it made contact with the metal a quiet hiss filled the silent air. The liquid eventually bored its way into the core of the device.

A sound rang out from the device and by proxy the tower. A high pitched ring that began to lower in pitch, like the dying wails of some great beast. Though none could see it, below the mist the statue like monstrosities began to collapse, their breathing stopping once more and hopefully forever more. The seas began to churn and crash as whatever was keeping them still had fallen away! Finally, atop the tower the two bound figures fell to the floor.

“Please...your name...I need to thank you properly.” The smaller figure asked, his voice still pained.

“Anki...Doctor Anki.” The adventurous woman replied.

“Thank you Doctor Anki…”

“What about yours?...You did all this didn’t you? I think I should be given the grace of your name.” Despite her words, her tone wasn’t accusatory...if anything..it carried reverence?

“Of course...My name...Is Nalkark.”

[shen-gaoren]

Hey whats your reasoning for not liking world? Its also my least favorite, but I wanna know your reasoning

I think the gameplay is solid and nice (If a little...easy.) but the problem is the game as a whole just lacks the general charm of monster hunter. That sounds like a bit of a wishy washy nothing answer but let me explain.

The monsters look bland and boring, Anjanath, Great Jagras, Dodogama (Who is a good boy yes) Paolumu, Legiana. All of these are just boring monsters that aren’t fun to look at whilst fighting them. They’re either washed out boring designs (Anjanath, Legiana) or uninspired re-runs of previous series monsters with none of things that made them good. (Dodogama to Tetsu or Jagras to Gobul) Also the game has both a terrible flagship (Nerg) and the worst fight to ever grace MH (Zorah)

Moving on the environments are actually quite nice if a little lacking in colour. (Coral highlands is genuinely beautiful I just wish it really punched you in the face with bright vivid colours more) but then there’s places like the forest, which is a forest with not much else going for it. Primal Forest still holds its title as my favourite forest map in MH.

Weapon and armour design are just terrible. This point is not up for debate sorry. Compare the early game stuff you get in MH4 to early or even late game world and there’s no contest. Seltas had a goddamn rocket drill hammer, world wishes it could be that cool. 

Story is eh, its a MH game I don’t play for the gripping plotlines and deep characters.Delete handler and her mass effect Andromeda face. 

Iceborne though I will say alleviated some of these problems, it added some spice to the monster roster (ironically) and touched up on some lacking areas. It also fell flat in other areas, chicken drum stick brachydios weapons and who asked for a damn ICE LAVASIOTH!? (Also Its funny how with ICEborne they added Glavenus. Which is why I’m looking forward to a fire expansion with Gammoth as the big reveal) 

As a small side note that’s not the games fault. I hate the general attitude that world’s the best thing since sliced bread because “YOU DON’T HAVE TO STOP TO PICK UP A MUSHROOM” or whatever QoL change people want to cite.

This has probably been a jumbled and disjointed ramble but to sum it up. World is a technically fine game but aesthetically it puts me to sleep and as a Monster Hunter title its very low tier. 

[shen-gaoren]

When I first saw Shen Gaoren, I inmediately tought of the Tripods from War of the Worlds. This illustration it’s an experiment.

[shen-gaoren]

“They’re good dogs cuz.” 

“You’re really lucky they know you a bit, cousin. And that I’m nearby. Don’t forget that.”

@shen-gaoren​

[shen-gaoren]

To Magatsu, what do you know of your brother's... activities?

“Cousin Vernon? I mean I know he’s a hunter....That’s nothing special though. Heck I’m one too...even if I was originally planning on being a smith. I really ought to go hunting with him one of these days, show him how to have a bit of fun. He’s always so serious...”