[Aries Sun for CP] Metagaming – a deeper insight

Day 3,180, 03:21 • Published in Belgium Belgium • by Aries Sun

[Aries Sun for CP] Metagaming – a deeper insight


Metagaming is any strategy, action or method used in a game which transcends a prescribed ruleset, uses external factors to affect the game, or goes beyond the supposed limits or environment set by the game.
Another definition refers to the game universe outside of the game itself. In simple terms, it is the use of out-of-game information or resources to affect one's in-game decisions.

The term passed from military use into political parlance to describe events outside conventional bounds that, in fact, play an important role in a game's outcome. For example, the passage of a law might be a game, with the political environment into which that law fits being the metagame. Similarly, a game might be the passing of a law lacking majority support. The group opposing the law, benefiting in the metagame from the passage of said law, encourage their own members to vote in favor of the legislation.


First and foremost, I would like to make clear once and forever that I have as little as possible or not at all interest in the meta-game elements such as eBelgium Forum which has plagued this country since being introduced in-game by whoever introduced it.

The metagame part of the eBelgian society namely eBelgium Forum, or as it is also affectionately termed “circlejerks” in the specialized gaming circles; is essentially reams of 'laws' and 'procedures' that are based not on how the game works, but on how others want their successors to do things or to follow their rules. Such things never last, are regularly lost; and essentially install a never ending cycle of conflict and untrust between other players which don’t want to participate or despise such actions.


The Metagame has many flaws. The Metagame allows the rise of a handful – albeit a relatively large one - of dedicated players to rise to the top and control the flow of information in-game by coordinating voting tactics for certain aspects of the law voting. It also makes it difficult for new players to jump right into the political scene, because they have to get party permissions, try to ingratiate themselves into the close knit communities of the Political Parties / Military Units, and somehow try to make a name for themselves.

Though I won’t insinuate on whether it was a major factor, the Metagame element does also create separation between the various political organizations. Each one has a forum that the others can get, at most, limited access. Or they have IRC channels that require speaking privileges or where operators can easily kick those they don’t wish to talk to. If one political group has a different political opinion or takes traction, then the entire system turns against it.

I was personally falsely accused, prosecuted and banned together with several other respectable players from the eBelgium Forum for long period of time in a farce process organized by some individuals who were pretending to be acting as sort of fake Supreme self-imposed legal entity.


So when some people here are claiming and telling around that none was ever banned from the eBE Forum, don’t believe them simply. It’s not true.


Together with so many other lies and other untruth fabricated over there; those are just few examples of Metagaming fragile practices. This is why I think eBelgium Forum and its functioning can not be perceived as the integral part of this game; and therefore its decisions are null and void.


"In a democracy, the people get the government they deserve"
said Alexis de Tocqueville, was a French political thinker and historian.

Me, I am running again for CP this term, but I am not expecting anything to change or to evolve. Nothing will ever change in eBelgium, because certain people just don't want anything to change as they prefer continuing doing their own stuff by guarding endlessly their positions under the false pretenses; and only being interested in collecting their CP medals instead of doing something constructive.


One eRepublik player once sai😛 ”We do not need a meta-game. Unity controlled us for too long by means of the meta-game.”


P.S.

Certain parts and excerpts of this article were copied and adapted for use from other articles already published in the eRepublik.