Oh and this is overdue... Phalanx: Welcome to the Monster Hunter umm tribe. Take your time, when you are ready to pop online, let me know what your username is and I'll put it in....
@Paleo_Orca Your HR level is based on your online progression, it's separate from the single-player game. In fact, all that is shared between the two modes are your character, equipment and items. You'll have to start from the one-star quests when you hop online, though they are tougher and will require you to work in tandem with other hunters to maximize effectiveness. So right now, your HR is 1.
I've been playing with randoms the past few nights, and it's hit or miss. Some really nice people, some jerks and quitters. I'm up to HR 36, btw. Still searching for two ludroth crest+ to make my ultimate sword. Those things must be uber rare. I'm gonna take the night off, but I'll be on tomorrow.