So this is my first Monster Hunter game I've ever played.  It seems like I can grasp somethings about the game but I am very confused about most aspects.  I am a total newbie at this game so I might ask some very basic questions, but this game seems harder to understand than others for me.  I couldn't even find basic answers for what I am about to ask on gamefaqs.

Right now I am having difficulty understanding weapons.  I have a bone great sword that I just crafted but I bought a bowgun because I used to enjoy being a hunter in WoW and Phantasy Star Online.  First basic question how do even switch between weapons that you own?  Can you switch weapons on the fly or do you just pick one weapon and stick with it? Do you just pick one weapon and upgrade it a bunch of times?  I assume you find or get rewarded newer weapons with quest/progression.

I want to learn about the weapons first (what I should and shouldn't do) then maybe armor.  Thanks for any help possible. I like the game a lot but it is a little hard for me to understand completely because it seems very different than the games I have played in the past (usually other games you level then you equip better items that require certain levels to equip).

I will use this thread to ask even more basic questions until I finally grasp this game.   Hopefully this thread can be used to help me and others understand this game.

To switch weapons :

offline : go in your house go to the big box, choose manage equipment in the menu and choose ur weapon.

online : in the plaza where you can get the mission, go right down the stairs, go to the box next to smithy to gzet the manage equipment option

To switch easily, you can 'register equipment' aswell, meaning armor set, weapon and talisman

FYI It's my first MH aswell, and it's a total blast. Everything in it is great, but the online machmaking that i don't like cause it takes too much time to find a good party who wants / can do the mission you need. Oh, and I hate the diablos cause I can't beat it.

Thanks for the switching tips.  Everything just seems a little complicated cause most of it isn't really explained very well.  Like when I got my first quest I thought I could just go to forest like I usually did.  I don't even know if it told me to go to the right to the docks to start the quest.  I had to look that up online after running around town not knowing what to do.  It is a blast to play but not everything is too well explained so it makes it hard for new people of the series.

This is my first MH game as well. At first i had to get used to the way quests are done... But now it's all good. Just takes some time to get used to. Don't worry you'll get used to it soon enough ;)

I finally played my demo disc and didn't understand anything that was going on. Sure looked pretty though :)

This will help:

http://monsterhunter.wikia.com/wiki/Monster_Hunter_3

Much needed link thanks.  I think I came across a link to that site while googling but didn't check it out.  It seems to be the equivalent of thottbot/wowwiki for wow.  So this thread will probably be short lived now that I pointed me into the right direction.

I just had hard time grasping this game since it seems that they explain some things but then leave you in dark about a lot of things.  I think my main problem is that I want to do things before they explain them to me.

-Bookmarking site right now , thanks a lot!

it was my 1st one too, and at first i was SO lost now its no problem, practice makes perfect

You can only use one weapon at a time, but you can kick and use bombs,traps and other tools at anytime during the offline, online or Island quests.

What sort of game is it? In my opinion its a brawler, with strategic elements. You just need to keep working away at each little accomplishment. Start building a High Water Resistance Armor, because you will need it to kill the second large monster (Royal Ludroth). Remember his WEAKNESS is FIRE, so any weapon, or upgrade, that gives you extra fire bonus will take more damage.

The opposite is true for Qurepeco (quite obvious since he/she uses fire as a weapon).  So Water weapon, Fire Defense Armor.

Thats pretty much the basics. Everything else you slowly learn, apart from the bleedingly obvious things (mixing ingredients in order to go into a fight with 10 Mega Potions, please!!!).

Nothing is really explained, but its like any rpg, where you need to build up certain criteria in order to beat certain enemies. If you don't upgrade, buy new weapons and armor and generally plan your attack and defensive approach YOU WILL DIE EASILY.

Going online is a good tip in my view. I went online and went on quests i wouldn't have been able to accomplish offline, so i was easily able to carve the armor weapon pieces i needed to, without having to wait as long.