I'm sure countless people have thought of this one way or another, but I still feel it needs addressing.
If you watch the Monster Hunter Tri opening cutscene, you see an ecosystem at work. Jaggi attacking Aptonoth herds as they stampede along a narrow cliffside passage (that doesn't exist in-game, oddly enough...), with Ludroths waiting in the water to feed upon anything unfortunate to fall in, until they flee at the approach of the Lagiacrus and... well, you get the idea.
Now let's look at actual gameplay. Does any of that happen in-game? Short of a few kinds of large monsters killing and eating a particular kind of small monster, no. Monsters seem content to coexist with other species until you show up, at which point they either run away or drop everything and attack you. Short of Rathian and Rathalos, there doesn't seem to be any sort of cooperation or competition between monsters. Sure, you can make them *accidentally* injure each other, but they don't seem to actively attack each other (with the exception of Deviljho). Why can't rival clans of Jaggi, for example, fight each other? Alternately, why don't we see them pursuing or ambushing aptonoths, with some of the larger ones fighting back?
Yes, I am aware that this concept would be limited by the "max 2 large monsters at once" rule, but you could still have the 2 large monsters fight each other over food and territory (their competition being the reason why you're hired to kill them). I guess, despite this massive wall of text, all i'm really asking for is for monsters to have slightly less of an "oh-look-it's-a-Hunter-let's-drop-everything-and-attack-it" mentality.
On a side note, Rathian and Rathalos should be able pick up and fly off with prey, and the Gobul should be able to inhale epioths and swallow them whole, like they do in cutscenes.173.22.241.179 18:11, December 6, 2010 (UTC)Cobalt
So you haven't been reading any MH news lately huh? The "boss monster eating smaller monster when tired" system is already been added to MHP3rd. The news was released in November. There are many videos on Youtube, too. Maybe you already knew that, but just to let you know. By some random MHP3rd player
I've seen that, but I mean things more along the lines of hunting two Great Jaggi and having them fight each other until you draw their attention, then after you get driven back, one turns back on his rival and they resume fighting each other, or maybe have different small monsters competing for territory and prey or working together symbiotically. You know, just make the monsters look like they have a life beyond waiting around for you to show up so they can single-mindedly attack you.173.22.241.179 21:19, December 16, 2010 (UTC)Cobalt
I've actually witnessed Great Jaggi's attacking other boss monsters. PurpleIsGood 21:21, December 16, 2010 (UTC)
@Purpel: Now that you mention it, I think I recall witnessing a Great Jaggi leading his minions to attack an Aptonoth, but they all stopped as soon as he saw me. I guess all I'm really asking is that they keep doing that kind of stuff when you're around.173.22.241.179 21:25, December 16, 2010 (UTC)Cobalt
No, as in I was in the area, fighting a Rathalos, when a Great Jaggi appeared. The G. Jaggi ignored me and attacked the Rathalos. PurpleIsGood 21:29, December 16, 2010 (UTC)
Oh. I've seen that too, but the other monster never seemed to notice in such events.173.22.241.179 21:34, December 16, 2010 (UTC)Cobalt