What Does Meta, Metagame, and Metagaming Mean? - Video Game Terminology 101

[@totalhysteria]

Poker is such a great example to explain what metagaming is. Cause poker is all about knowing your opponent, their leaks and tendencies and try to exploit them. Good players will always do research and scout their opponents to see if they are legit players or not and they use to tag opponents and write down notes on them. All this is to use information outside the current game to help them with their decisions. Literally the definition of metagaming imo. Great video!

[@caioleonardo7313]

Man this video is SOOOOOO well explained. I'm doing a monography about esports and I needed to explain what meta is, even though i know it by heart, but I couldn't put it in words, and this is the first video I saw that really explains it

[@SenseiPong]

Sweet! Thank you for the compliment. Glad I could be of assistance and happy to hear you enjoyed the vid

[@christwoodyhussar6336]

caio lenardo: Bull Shit!!!

[@tllk4587]

YES! This is the definition of "Meta" when applied to gaming, you got it correct. any and all of the outside factors that influence the way the actual game is played. you are a G good sir

[@SenseiPong]

Thanks, haven't watched this video in a while... since it's slowly been growing in views, I've been worried that it's out of touch or out of date lol

[@MrMiagi-hx3ow]

Im from the future i can safetly say it hasnt

[@1313fina]

Thank you for the explanation! I was struggling to understand what meta-gaming meant ever since I began playing Genshin Impact.

[@GiI11]

Great vid. Metafiction is self-referential fiction by definition. Whenever a video game refers to itself as a piece of (interactive) fiction, it falls under this category. Because video games are also games, however, and strategy is involved, the other use of meta relevant to strategy is also valid. Whether it be the boundaries of storytelling or stated mechanics in developing new strategies, both usages comply to the original philosophical meaning of "meta," which means to go beyond.

[@Alianger]

1:55 explanation starts

[@kazaaf1443]

wow this is old

[@hescornbread]

This is crazy.. someone just said this to me on Madden 22 I thought he was telling me his gaming channel looooooooooool...

[@luls9000]

I got shit for defining metagame as: The most popular tactics used with the game. I then said that since good tactics are usually more popular than bad tactics, that usually makes it about doing the most optimal decisions. One example would be the itemization or lane you put a hero/champion on in a MOBA. When searching the internet for the meaning of metagame I got results ranging from completely inconsistent with my definition to almost exactly the things I've said. What do you think? Is my interpretation just bad/wrong?

[@SenseiPong]

Not really--like you said, when most people are talking about the metagame of whatever it may be, it's probably assumed that it's the more popular strategies that are used is being discussed. Since most people aren't going to use or even really discuss an inefficient, unorthodox, or bad strategy (unless it's some sort of random cheese/hail mary play). But technically, I'd probably stand to the definition that the Metagame is the all-encompassing advanced strategies used that aren't necessarily implied or tutorialized in the game/gameplay. They just develop over time as the game ages. It's just some are obviously better and more flexible than others, while some Meta-play could be very situational; like a cheese/hail mary. Weird example, but in Chess Openings; 20+ years ago, I probably would've said that a Reti or Sicilian opening was the best option for the first move for white, since they're the most flexible and allows for more open-ended choices in the mid and end-game. How it is now, I'm not sure... I've haven't competed in a while. But since so many strategies have played out and have been analyzed to such an absurd extent; it may just be better to attempt more unorthodox strategies that may confuse your opponent, since they wouldn't be expecting it. Almost like a Chess-e play... pun intended.

[@luls9000]

Thanks for your answer. I really liked your video too! Notice how I'm not saying strategy, I'm actually saying tactics. I have no doubt that the meta is about strategy, but I originally said tactics and that might be one of the reasons I got shit. It seems like my usage of "metagame" is not too bad, but maybe there's a better word I can use. The reason why I even got in a discussion about metagame was to get an understanding of why people generally make the decisions they make. Whenever there's a change to the game, or whenever I'm faced with an unorthodox decision in game, I want to be able to make split second decisions on what to do, since I don't play a turn-based game. I'd like to get this type of skill, but not only am I a bit too lazy to research and test hundreds of things, I also think it could be a waste of time when I can practice other skills more fundamental to the game. I guess there's no easy way when playing such complex games. :(

[@wowisurehopenoonelookshere]

cool now i can say "get metadored!"and to actually know what that meams

[@SenseiPong]

lol, that's pretty good--I've never heard that before. I may have start using that.

[@SenseiPong]

If I use it in a video, though--I'll give you a shout out in some way or the other, if you're curious.

[@christwoodyhussar6336]

LOL This is the worst explanation of anything I've ever seen. This guy should have been an insurance claims adjuster. There's no fucken way the customer would've know what the fuck this guy was talking about.

[@thevis5465]

chris twoodyhussar Well I did, and seemingly so did most of the audience.

[@keciascarbrough9706]

I'm glad I'm not that nerdy.I create my own strategies but,thanks for the polker hints.The 1 game that doesn't come with a book.I suck at card games.

[@winggambit8485]

Meta = Game changing

[@bigzclipz5104]

It amazing that you don't have that many follower on yt . Because your really good

[@SenseiPong]

Thank you--hopefully with my reformat I can start concentrating on these, reviews, and more scripted/researched content soon. Glad you like the vid.

[@Emilio_Valadez]

I thought that the word meta was because of Metaknight in brawl xd

[@settrender]

I swear😂😂

[@onyxfilmz4859]

oh thanks

[@birdieberry]

What is the game with the crocodile and weasel thingy?

[@SenseiPong]

Gon E-Choo! It released last year on Steam as a "classic-retro" arcade title (and VR experience/game) in the style similar to Popeye (the arcade version from the 80's). It's really addictive, if you're a fan of Popeye. There's also a webcomic it stems from and some crazy things deep into the game that I'm still, as of yet, trying to figure out. BTW--it's an otter, not a weasel. The webcomic's pretty fun--haven't read a whole lot of it, though. It's got a serious Uncle Remus/Bugs Bunny vibe to it. P.S. Apparently it's really cool in VR, cause the sound design is done so well, it makes you feel like you're actually in the back room of an arcade, playing an old cabinet.

[@ambassador8524]

I'm that "flaw" guy. Metatime

[@Maroki06]

i prefer the "custom houde rule" metagame definition

[@cobi1kenobi]

VICE VERSA > VICEA VERSA

[@Sean0886]

Sensei Pong I know this video is nearly 2 years old, but when I heard the sound effect at 05:13-05:17, I had to at least try inquiring as to where you acquired that exact clip. Silly as it may seem, I've been trying to track down THAT exact clip for ~2 years now, having spent multiple, multiple minutes searching Google, various sound effect web sites, and sound effect apps. Any chance you remember from where you got it?

[@SenseiPong]

Lol, not sure if it's the exact same clip, but I did find: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXfVaGewfpZ_eK8 & kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6HcmqGdnqiqjJo I may have altered it slightly through audacity at the time, which wouldn't surprise me. But I don't remember... I also now just have a few airhorn sounds in my personal library of memes.

[@SenseiPong]

which, by the way--an easy way of ripping audio is using audacity, but switch the microphone input with speakers or headphones while recording. It's not straight forward, but probably how I got it in the first place... unless it was from a sfx website, then I don't remember

[@brettmeyer9055]

Then who is mettaton? .....

[@exploringeve8869]

how does this not have more views

[@SenseiPong]

Lol--I'm not really sure. The bulk of my stuff barely gets any clicks.

[@loganxavier]

If you play tos then you know why I am here... Jailor asked for my rolecard and attributes when I claimed med as mafia.

[@easytomove]

What I got is a Strategy that you use in game that normal people wouldn't do like you do. Big brain gaming ?

[@demondsofdogtown]

your a cool cat man. ill give ya a sub!

[@meowtrox1234]

Meta= Predictability?

[@SenseiPong]

To some degree, I'd totally agree with that. Predicting an opponent's actions within a game or predicting the events in a 1 player game can be considered a meta strategy. But sure--predictability is important to metagaming a game since the level of RNG and probabilities within any game is important if you want to raise the level of strategy you wish to apply to it.

[@aranox]

I have that in World of Tanks. When you are fighting Unicums you mostly know what to expect. But when fighting tomatos it most of the time is quite easy BUT you never know what to expect next cause they often do ridiculous stuff wich gets them killed early on but they manage to kill you. (Unicum really good basically Meta Gamer and Tomatos are the newbies. There is a rating system called XVM the tomato rating is coloured Red that why they have that name)

[@creaturefeet3036]

Are you going to be making more videos like this in the future?

[@SenseiPong]

I would like to hope so, despite being hit and miss; they tend to do pretty well in terms of views compared to everything else

[@Stunkicker]

So it is Most Effective Tactics Available?

[@SenseiPong]

No, it's just tactics and strategy at a higher level. But things that aren't necessarily explained as strategy in-game or assumed as strats. Like reading a person's personality in Poker; knowing/utilizing the tier list to LOL or Overwatch.; or, devising strategies in competitive Starcraft or Chess. But since most people would normally use the most effective strats, it would make sense to assume; but in the case of cheese/spam/Hail Mary tactics, they're not necessarily the best, but work under certain circumstances. But once a person really knows the ins and outs of a game, they would more or less know when it's best to utilize a sub-optimal option. Sorry, that was wordy--but I'm a little sleep deprived at the moment XP

[@oyasumi917]

Sensei Pong thanks for answering this only 5 seconds into the game and you already answered this

[@zorro727]

@@SenseiPong lie, are the easiest strong strategies that are re used for braidead sheep players, your video is shit you rice eater

[@GRANDxMEME]

mr.pong do u play overwatch? console or pc?

[@SenseiPong]

neither... my computer at the moment isn't really strong enough to keep up and I don't own a PS4 or XB1. But what I have played has been on the PS4 and I like it. I'm a softie for near any FPS, despite being terrible at them.

[@deathwish2059]

Meta=Strategy?

[@SenseiPong]

Basically lol

[@TroboTicTac]

Not really but kinda

[@okgfwij]

meta = sth on a higher lvl than the original object when it comes to dimensions (the higher lvl includes the lower lvl). Metatext = text that is about a text. Second metatext = text that is about the first metatext etc. Metagame = 1. the parts outside the actual game (e.g. an UI where u can build a deck 4 battle). 2. Thinking what your opponent is thinking. (the 1st metagame) Thinking what ur opponent is thinking u're thinking is the 2nd metagame, thinking what the opponent is thinking u're thinking that s/he's thinking is the 3rd metagame etc. 3. Having some information about the game u can't rly know. E.g. after playing enough CS u may know where the enemy is coming from even though ur character hasn't seen him/her.

[@HenkJanBakker]

No. It is the act of engaging in the game or getting info or influence from outside the game to give you 'more' of the game. This can lead to better strategy but it's not the same. Looking up a code to a secret level is a simple form of meta gaming.

[@okgfwij]

I can't see the difference