Player Input Episode 1: Metagaming
The first episode of Player Input covers metagaming. Metagaming is a set of rules that are created by the gaming community to increase your odds of winning.
This podcast covers 3 topics about the metagame, which were discussed with 4 interviewees:
- The definition of metagaming, and it’s application
- How the community shapes/evolves the metagame
- The possibility of predicting the future meta.
Half of the interviewees have a negative connotation when it came to metagaming; one of the interviewees mentions that, “…it was a set of rules for people who took video games way too seriously.” While some etiquette within metagaming is nice, interviewees states that being restricted with additional set of rules limits the enjoyment they get playing games.
Using fighting games as an example, all of the interviewees mentions that they would like to see unpredictability in the matches.
Most of the time, the game needs to have a competitive community for people to come up with a meta. When that happens, players usually tend to complain about certain aspects of the game, in which game developers could decide to create a patch to fix errors and bugs in a game. Patches may include buffing (strengthening) some aspect/character in a game, or to nerf (weaken) a character to end up with a more balanced experience for all players. The interviewees talk about how important the player/viewer’s voice is in molding the meta. Additionally, they mention about the main difference between the typical player vs. A sponsored player who plays for a living. The sponsored player’s opinions are widely accepted, and they must use that power responsibly.
In the last topic the interviewees gave different examples when talking about how they would predict the metagame:
The first interviewee mentions that not all games have the same amount of predictability in the meta; games such as the pokemon franchise might have to factor in uncertainty and numerical equations, while sports games go hand in hand with the real variant, making it easier to predict.
The second interviewee mentions about how one game (smash bros) focuses on theory crafting. While it may be a good idea to look at the “what ifs” in a fighting game, the interviewee hopes that practicality would prevail.
The third interviewee talks about how upcoming trailers and patch notes to predict the metagame. The interviewee mentions about how patch notes are the more concrete way to predict the meta, as the trailers designed to entice players to purchase said game.
The last interviewee talks about the people who predicts the metagame, and how they might negatively impact the meta in general. A public figure predicting the meta might alter the outcome.
Intro- Fire Emblem Awakening: Conquest – Jazz Cover ||Insaneintherainmusic
By insaneintherainmusic – Carlos Eiene
Outro- [Fire emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War] Disturbance in Agustria [Rearrange]
By Crescen♪o
