Metagaming or going blind

[Invictus]

Also, playing games blind offset impact of the breakage and complex games like cRPGs are almost inevitably broken.
Games with hand-made content also tend to be broken by mataknowledge.

For example playing Morrowind with wiki and forum threads VS blind is the difference between rather mediocre game (with good world and lore) and having the time of your fucking life.

This all the way
Other than getting the Mentor Ring straight away and remembering a few of the starter quests (still had issues finding that damned puzzle box) I decided to simply go with the flow and try to stick to the Mage Guild quests and a few local quests in Vivec that I never took interest in doing and it became so rewarding finding interesting loot, magic items and simply... enjoying the game

By the time I had done a few errands and handed in a few quests the whole afternoon had gone by and I was having such a relaxing time not worrying about the crystal dagger here or whatever

The sense of exploration and wonder in Morrowind is preserved when you literally don’t know what is going to show up on that cave or that grotto

As some have mentioned in action RPGs like Dark Souls the metagaming is rewarding since the gameplay itself revolves around rather than leveling your character’s stats the one doing the leveling is you by learning enemy patterns and the best way to navigate the gameworld (which would also apply to Stalker) but on traditional games it really is a very different experience and so much more rewarding to go do something totally blind and without guides or playthroughs to spoil the experience

 

[Butter]

If it's possible to fuck yourself during character/party creation, you should be looking at a guide while you do it. Do you really want to replay the first 5 hours of ToEE or Grimoire over and over while you figure it out yourself?

 

[JarlFrank]

Internet spoils the fun. I remember powergaming in Fallout 1 and 2 in the times when I didn't have any internet at my house. I was forced to figured out shit all by myself! Good times

So true! Today that magic is gone. Sometimes I can't help myself, I get lost in a puzzle or something and I no longer have patience to try to figure it out myself.

The magic is gone even in the ways I acquire games. Steam pages come with all the info I need to know - but when I was a teenager, my main source of games was a Romanian pal who'd bring cracked games on CDs from Romania. All we had was a CD with the game's title written on it, and a rough knowledge of what genre it is. Neither of us knew what to expect when we put those "Arcanum" and "Morrowind" CDs into our drives. Zero information other than they're RPGs.

Those were the best gaming days.

 

[xuerebx]

Internet spoils the fun. I remember powergaming in Fallout 1 and 2 in the times when I didn't have any internet at my house. I was forced to figured out shit all by myself! Good times

So true! Today that magic is gone. Sometimes I can't help myself, I get lost in a puzzle or something and I no longer have patience to try to figure it out myself.

The magic is gone even in the ways I acquire games. Steam pages come with all the info I need to know - but when I was a teenager, my main source of games was a Romanian pal who'd bring cracked games on CDs from Romania. All we had was a CD with the game's title written on it, and a rough knowledge of what genre it is. Neither of us knew what to expect when we put those "Arcanum" and "Morrowind" CDs into our drives. Zero information other than they're RPGs.

Those were the best gaming days.

I can relate! My cousin told me about "Morrowind" he acquired, and I got Boiling Point (which was the buggiest game I have ever played), neither of us really knowing what we were getting into. Of course I got the short end of the stick...until we swapped games and I ended up playing Morrowind all summer long.

No guides, no mods, no internet connection - just immersing myself in the game. Those really were the days.

 

[Tim the Bore]

Internet spoils the fun. I remember powergaming in Fallout 1 and 2 in the times when I didn't have any internet at my house. I was forced to figured out shit all by myself! Good times

So true! Today that magic is gone. Sometimes I can't help myself, I get lost in a puzzle or something and I no longer have patience to try to figure it out myself.

The magic is gone even in the ways I acquire games. Steam pages come with all the info I need to know - but when I was a teenager, my main source of games was a Romanian pal who'd bring cracked games on CDs from Romania. All we had was a CD with the game's title written on it, and a rough knowledge of what genre it is. Neither of us knew what to expect when we put those "Arcanum" and "Morrowind" CDs into our drives. Zero information other than they're RPGs.

Those were the best gaming days.

I can relate! My cousin told me about "Morrowind" he acquired, and I got Boiling Point (which was the buggiest game I have ever played), neither of us really knowing what we were getting into. Of course I got the short end of the stick...until we swapped games and I ended up playing Morrowind all summer long.

No guides, no mods, no internet connection - just immersing myself in the game. Those really were the days.

Heh, my situation was somewhat similar. My friend in school gave me the copy of Morrowind. I asked him what kind of game it is and he said "just play and you'll find out." Best fuckin' advice - I was completly unprepared, no introduction, no internet, no nothing. And that was my first cRPG, what a way to start. After that Gothic, Planescape: Torment and Fallout - without any previous knowledge as well. Shit like that can't be recreated anymore, but man, it was awesome while it lasted. It felt as if every day could bring something new and original.

 

[Invictus]

First Dwemer expedition....

 

[Darth Canoli]

It really depends on the game.
If you want to complete Hommlet > Full Meta (for the Hommlet part) and then, you never complete it again, once if far enough.

If you know there is some interesting things you missed and absolutely want to try them, some limited meta-gaming can help.

In my opinion, the more you like a game and the more you should stay away from meta-gaming with some exceptions (like Hommlet)

 

[urmom]

Studying a wiki for several hours beforehand doesn't help me because I have a shit memory. So blind.

 

[luj1]

Go in blind always. Spontaneity > metagaming. Especially if you're a vet.

 

[oldmanpaco]

I tend to metagame character creation because I don't like having a chump PC.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

I tend to play a game until I am bored with it. Sometimes that is once, others multiple, and a few I never even complete. Going back to a prior game is typically unnecessary. While I do get urges to replay some prior games, ultimately I remember that I put it down because I was over it. Not unlike prior women, I suppose.

 

[Trashos]

People who do not like metagaming enjoy not knowing what they are doing and why, apparently. There is a word for you.

Metagaming all the way for me. That is when I actually have to make meaningful decisions on builds, and come up with a plan. Coming up with a comprehensive plan and executing it to perfection is exceptionally satisfying (maybe even after a couple of failed efforts for extra satisfactory revenge).

Yes, some RPGs break down with metagaming, but that is their own fault, not metagaming's fault. Creators who do not expect their fans to replay their game are hacks.

That said, my 1st playthrough is always (more or less) blind. It has its own charm. After that, the real fun begins.

 

[gurugeorge]

I've been told that too much, ahem, metagaming makes you go blind

*runs and hides*

 

[octavius]

If you have to metagame the game is probably too hard for you.
It's like having to read a synopsis of a novel before reading it to make sure you understand the plot.

Most novels are not that complex and most games are not that hard.

There are some games that are more rewarding if you metagame them, though, like Wizardry IV, but that game is pretty meta in itself.
But most games are more rewarding if you play them blind, and leave metagaming for possible replays. For me at least, but then we play game for different reasons, so if you actually enjoy things like metagaming and grinding, that's fair enough.

 

[xuerebx]

I think one can only metagame effectively on 2nd+ playthroughs, unless you read-up online on how the mechanics work, best practice etc. And on that note, I guess *everyone* metagames on their 2nd+ playthrough because you already know how the game works unless a significant amount of time has passed between playthroughs. I rarely replay a game, and when I do years have passed, so the extent of metgaming for me is learning how the system works whilst playing the game (duh).

I'm not really fond of playing overpowered builds as that removes the challenge from the game, and once the challenge is lost I also lose interest. I can understand how some might find that fun however, but it's not for me.

 

[Sweeper]

Depends on what you mean when you say metagaming.
Following builds? No.
Reading up on the mechanics? Yes.

Playing a vidya without understanding the mechanics is like playing a board game without understanding the rules and making shit up as you go along.

 

[AArmanFV]

Not exactly, in the board game you really can make up rules and play by them at your benefit. In a computer game you are limited by how it's programmed, so if you don't know them (And don't read the manual like a lot of people) you will be wasting a lot of time being kicked in the balls.

Metagaming like some players say can be reading a guide (not the manual) on what's the best party to have and reading where are the best equipment and so on, or playing with full knowledge of the mechanics and what to expect from the game (something totally understandable and "earned" if you previously beated it if you ask me). I think the best approach to avoid the first is having a "beginners tips" in the manual like some older games like Wizardry, so you don't need to waste so much time in just making a competent party and then trying other builds once you learn a bit about the game's design.

 

[EldarEldrad]

I strictly limit degree of metagame knowledge for the game I play. Before I start I check how long is the game approximately, and sometimes game or manual is not transparent enough to understand how certain part of the game work (e.g. if I play as Warrior should I invest to Swords skill as much as I can or there is some soft/hard cap). Otherwise I avoid any meta information about the game

 

[ItsChon]

It all depends on the kind of metagaming. When it comes to a game like Underrail for example, if you don't "metagame" some builds, it's very possible that you'll have to restart the game several times once you hit the Depot A wall, and that can really kill some people's enthusiasm. I had to restart three times before I came crying to the Underrail thread for help, and was finally able to play the damn game on my fourth character build.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't metagame some when it comes to certain games. I played IWD the first time all the way through without metagaming (looked up some info on strong party compositions but that's about it), and while it was a great experience, there was a lot of frustration and pixel hunting as some dungeons were filled with enemies that you didn't necessarily have to fight, and some doorways/entrances are less than obvious. I also missed a ton of side content, which I got to experience on later playthroughs with the help of some walk throughs. After my IWD experience however, I did cheat a little bit and used some walk throughs for specific quests when it came to BG, and I'd be lying if I said it did anything other than enhance my experience.

I try to keep my metagaming to a minimum but there are times when simple frustration and boredom seeps through. That being said, both Underrail: Expedition and Disco Elysium were fucking amazing experiences as the games were far too new to even try to metagame my way out of a difficult situation if I was so inclined, and it really added to everything (especially Disco Elysium!). Hands down, the best way to play games isn't to go in blind, but to rely on Codexers and IRL people who've played the game to help you when it's needed.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

First time - will look at tips and builds for inspiration and to see if there's something notoriously broken/useless that makes the game way harder/easier than it should be. I might still pick those, but it's good to know in advance since it's essentially an unintentional difficulty slider. Guides will be pulled out if I get annoyed enough at your shitty lever puzzle with respawning enemies harassing me. Don't @ me.

Replay - will look up that damned last collectable if I already didn't do so, time sensitive quests and missable content.