Monster Creation Tutorial

Hi, this is tutorial for Zekons.

This is a guide meant to help people create better monsters and, most of it all, to show how much thought should be put into a concept. And these thoughts begin even before the actual design of the monster is made. So let's start with the preparation of the concept. I will give a generalized example to show what I mean.

Before reading this please read the Rules first.

Before the Concept
Before the concept is made, an idea has to be born. Ideas can come from different inspirational sources like animals, technic, science or just a random thought. For example, Barroth was created from the idea of making a monster with a head able to plow the path like a bulldozer, a technical inspiration in this case. So you can be as creative as you want - but be aware that you have to transcript the idea into biological features. Not everything is possible for a living, that can be achieved technically. The next question should be, was my idea or a similar variant of it already used? If the answer is yes, either make it more special while still plausible or consider to drop it.

Example: A monster with a part of the body that emits light like a glowworm.

Building the Concept
Now it's time to look at the idea more concretely. How is it possible to implement this idea into a concept? For this we need to look at different aspects:


 * 1) How does it work?
 * 2) Where is it located?
 * 3) What use/purpose does it have?
 * 4) What does it cause (inflict status, high damage, etc.)?

For the first point, you need to have a concrete image of what happens. Electricity cannot be made without energy and tension, fire cannot be made without a material burning (like a fluid that gets spat out) and something igniting it, etc. The rule is, nothing comes from nothing. So try to think about different adaptations that could make your idea applyable. If you are not very good at science ask others for ideas and thoughts.

The second point is important as it helps you with the design. Some designs don't make sense, like a wrecking-ball-like appandage on the head that blocks the view or a huge tail and a tiny body. Think about where your idea can be used most efficiently. This question also indirectly defines in which monster class your monster can be.

The third question is a more ecological one, what is also important for monsters in Monster Hunter. Deliberate why or for what your monster uses this feature. Does it hunt prey with it, confuse others, scare off predators, hide itself or something else? There's no adaptation without purpose, so try to formulate this.

The last part is important for the fight itself and other parameters like size, difficulty, physical abilities, etc. Remember to balance out the difficulty, so that your monster isn't too overpowered or underpowered. Some status effects can be rather overwhelming when used with other parameters like a high agility or a high damage output.

Example: Biolumiscence is caused by bacteria. The organ is in the abdomen which means the abdomen needs to be flexible, so a Neopteron is a good choice for it. The monster is middle-sized. It's used to lure mates as well as prey, and blind attackers. It inflicts stun.

Before the Design
With the general concept down, we can take a look at the design of the monster. But first we have to see what we have already established with the concept itself. A few classes that the monster is possibly part of, a little insight of its body structure because of the abilities, and a special body part that is implemented through the concept itself. With this we can start puting the pieces together.

Making the Design
With the grade of difficulty and monster class we have a general image of the size of the monster. The rule is usually, the bigger, the stronger, but there can be exceptions. Different monster classes have different sizes as well, like Snake Wyverns are a lot bigger than Fanged Beasts, while the a lot smaller Rajang is much stronger than Najarala. So the monster class is a parameter for size as well. Best is to look at the sizes of different monsters inside the class to get a feeling, how big the monster made is still in an appropriate section.

The monster class also defines the general body structure, not completely restricting though, as this body structure can still be quite flexible.

Again we have some questions we have to ask ourselves.


 * Where does it live?

A very significant question as the environment requires a lot of different adaptations. A monster living in the Tundra has different adaptations than a monster living in the Jungle. In the Tundra a protection against the cold like long fur and a stout body is necessary, while in the Jungle a lighter weight and a flexible body is much more useful. Meanwhile in the Deserted Island's coastline and the seas, a monster would vastly benefit from having webbed parts and fins to help them move quickly in water or damp ground. Nomadic monsters shouldn't be too specialized to one environment as they need to survive in many different ones (example: Tigrex, Deviljho).


 * What does it feed of, and how?

This as well is an important question giving information on the head form and tooth type(s) the monster has. A carnivore has different teeth than a herbivore, a monster that devours bigger prey whole has a wider mouth than a monster tearing off flesh pieces, a herbivore feeding of nuts or wood has more plate-like teeth that crush the food while herbivores biting off grass have sharp teeth that cut off the blade of grass, and molars to chew on them. Different habits in nutrition and feeding require different adaptations of mouth and teeth. Again also the class influences this, as Neopterons have different mouths from Fanged Beasts or Wyverns.


 * How does it interact with its environment?

A very good way to add realism to a monster is giving it behaviours and activities in its local environment. Without it, a monster can feel like a robot, only wandering around the area and changing zones only existing seemingly to battle the hunter. There are many ways to do this. A basic way is to use the environmental features in the area. Can it use vines in the area to climb walls, attack from below in a net-like form, or use them vines themselves as an attack, or even as weapons? Other things that can be thought of but are not limited to: rocks, mushrooms, branches, trees, mud, water, lava, the ground itself, sand, snow, ice in various formations, eggs, etc. The possibilities are endless. If the monster is territorial like the Diablos and most Flying Wyverns, it would be wise to have it mark that territory in a way that matches that monsters abilities. A territorial Snake Wyvern with electrical spikes would mark the areas where it resides by impaling several pieces of worn down spikes in a circle that spark in intervals. It doesn't even have to be territorial, a Leviathan that would spit nets of goo onto its prey can dispel unusable globs of it around in a spiral. Does it do more than simple usage of the environment? Can it actually affect the area the hunter and the monster is in? A giant monster could cause parts of the area to sink in, like the Akantor can shift the height of sections of the area with a bodyslam when the attack is done next to those parts. Monsters that only live in a single locale are the ones that should utilise their environment to the best of their abilities. For variety and reasons, keep some behaviours exclusive to certain areas, Even casual behaviours are a huge boost to being like a real animal. And like a real animal, that monster should be able to eat outside of getting hungry when the hunter is battling it, as well as drinking water if the monster in question can actually do these actions. Does the monster sleep, after any conditions, in what place and does it sleep depending on the time of day?


 * How does it move?

Is it a fast predator; a slow, defensive monster; an ambush hunter; a huge monster...? All this influences the movement of the monster itself. Fast predators need strong but light limbs, while bigger monsters need a more stable standing, possessing wider feet that carry their weight. An ambush hunter on the other side needs a body form more adapted to the surroundings and the form of the feet is not that important as it doesn't move much. Also the body structure also defines the moving style. Flying Wyverns have a different movement range than Fanged Beasts have.


 * What monster type is it in?

There are three categories here for the different types of monsters. These are Small Monsters, Large Monsters, and Giant Monsters. Whatever type the monster is determines basic structures of its design.


 * Small Monster: Minor or in a lighter sense, "minion" monsters are far weaker than Large Monsters, but they are the only ones found in groups in a gameplay field. These are monsters used to fill in emptiness when there isn't Large Monsters around in a locale area. Small Monsters often are part of a pack to a Large Monster leader or serve as a important food source to predators. They are often divided by their passive or aggressive nature.
 * Large Monster: Large Monsters make up the majority of monsters and creations here. They are the most flexible in concept possibilities.
 * Giant Monster: These monsters are enormous beings that often boast scripted cinematic battles that range over several phases. Giant Monsters can be large enough for hunters to climb and walk along certain parts of their bodies. They are mainly limited to just a single locale, which is often built just for them.

Important remark:

Please keep in mind to make your monster not too similar to the animal that it is based on. Just making a bigger real animal eliminates the creativity of the concept itself.

Example: It lives in a moderate climate on meadows. As Neopteron it is rather small and has six legs, as well as three body sections. The monster feeds of smaller insects/Neopterons that it lures with its light. It often flies but, when on the ground, it moves like an ant.

Making Versions of Monsters
Creating a subspecies, variant or deviant of a monster clears out most points of the above thoughts like design and such, but some important rules are present in this area as well:


 * Research if there are already subspecies, variants, etc. of the monster you want to make one of. If there is, please reconsider the creation of an additional version.
 * Try to make it more different than just giving it a new color - design-wise and also concept-wise. Also describe the differences on its page.
 * The concept should work with the monster. For examples, a fire breathing Zinogre would be quite weird as its elemental power isn't made by sacs like Rathalos but with its muscles and Thunderbugs that charge it.
 * It's better to change a bit or a lot of its elemental and ailmental powers so it can be more different.
 * It's okay to make it a little stronger than the original monster but stay close to the original power (unless it is a Rare Species or a powerful Deviant).

Last Question before Making a Page
Before you create a page please think through the concept and design again and ask yourself: Is this actually in any way special? With this I mean, if the concept is unique, different enough from other monsters to stand for itself, if it uses a different way of utilizing an element or ailment, if its design is unique enough, different enough from the animal it's based upon? Please consider to scrap or redesign it if the answer is no.

Example: The monster design is too close to the appearance of a real glowworm and gets scrapped.

Proper layout
Now that the concept and design is done, it's time to make a page. First give it a name - if you don't have one now, think of one before you post it or give it a provisional name that you change afterwards, if needed. Next put the Monster Infobox template in first and fill it out. If you don't have information for a section just delete the placeholder (the { – } part) - then it stays empty - or just put an "-" or "x" in. Estimate the difficulty of the monster:


 * ★☆☆☆☆☆ = Harmless Minion e.g. Kelbi, Aptonoth
 * ★★☆☆☆☆ = Aggressive Minion e.g. Velociprey, Konchu
 * ★★★☆☆☆ = Minor Boss e.g. Great Jaggi, Barroth, Seltas
 * ★★★★☆☆ = Normal e.g. Rathian, Barioth
 * ★★★★★☆ = Flagship e.g. Rathalos, Tigrex, Seregios
 * ★★★★★★ = Powerhouse / Small Elder Dragon e.g. Deviljho, Kushala Daora, Teostra
 * ★★★★★★ ★ = Gigantic Monster/ Elder Dragon / Powerful Variant / Deviant e.g. Shen Gaoren, Lao-Shan Lung, Alatreon, Hellblade Glavenus
 * ★★★★★★ ★★ = OP Monster e.g. Solstice Disufiroa, Duremudira

(For further information on the template, read Monster Creation Example)

Describing a Monster
There are no restrictions or guiding lines on doing this, but some tips can help you writing a description that is easier to read. Try to describe the monster detailed, so it is easier to imagine it (if you have an illustration of the monster, a little less detailed is okay, too). Avoid using the same words again and again (like: It's... It's... It's), use different synonyms to reduce repetitions of words (like: It's... The monster has... >name< fights... etc.). If you write a longer text make some paragraphs to make it easier to coordinate while reading.

Important content:

Make sure your monster has a description of its outer appearance, abilities and attacks. Other parts like ecology, notes, trivia,and other things are optional but are always welcome. Also don't forget to add the categories, as well as links to your profile page, other monsters in the wiki and credits to the creator of the works you use if it is not yours.

If you did all that, then congratulations! Your monster creation is done!

Tips
At the end, I want to give some tips to you, mostly concerning the concept and name of the monsters:


 * A good way to make a unique monster is to take an animal, which your creation's supposed to be based on, and put it in the opposite environment (like instead of a cold area, a hot area, or instead of a moderate climate, an extreme climate). This helps coming up with unique traits and monsters altogether.
 * Try mixing traits of different animals to make it look more distinguishable. This also prevents it to look too much like the inspiration.
 * Don't rush! Let the idea stay in your mind for some time, so you can get a good grip on the details. Best you write your ideas on a list and keep weaving the concept in your head before taking on the page creation.
 * If you have problems coming up with a name for a monster, translate different words associated with its traits (like "swim" or "water" for an aquatic monster) into a different language (with Google Translate for example) and combine parts of the words you find to a name. Unless the word is very short, don't put whole words in as it may be weird for native speakers of the language you chose. Also don't overuse certain languages and try other ones as well.
 * Read books, articles, blogs, etc. about animals and evolution to get new ideas - if you're interested. It may give you an idea to use an once scrapped concept you liked.