About the Sager. Game theory part 1

During working on the Sager game I was faced with the fact that I don’t understand about games a lot. Such a big surprise. So I decided to sort out what is metagame, core game, game mechanics and etc.

Let’s start with what is metagame.

Wikipedia tells us that:

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. In simple terms, it is the use of out-of-game information or resources to affect one’s in-game decisions.

Well, it’s still not very clear for me.

After a lot of days of research: reading and playing games  I figured out that:

Metagaming is out-of-game information or resources to affect one’s in-game decisions and obtained in non-game ways, activity or strategy of the player not limited to special mechanics( energy, currency and etc.).

Or, the “metagame” is an optimisation of the gaming strategy in order to achieve a certain goal in the game (e.g. defeating the other team). The “metagame” is a game unto itself, where the player crunches the data available to min-max their setup.

And for a dessert, my tutor’s version!!!!!!!!!!:

Metageme is a visual reperesentation of the game itselves in terms of how you progress through the game.

Additionally, I’d like to add about prefix Meta:

META

1. a prefix (from Greek, with the meanings “after”,“along with”, “beyond”, “among”, “behind”) used in English to indicate a concept which is an abstraction behind another concept, used to complete or add to the latter.
2. a prefix added to the name of a subject and designating another subject that analyses the original one but at a more abstract, higher level:
   metaphilosophy; metalinguistics.

The metagame determines retention and monetization, as it sets the pacing of the game. The metagame is really about a progress – and is some form of “the more you grind (or pay) the further you will get.

According to this definition, for Sager, the base would be correctly answering questions in order to get and collect badges and move on to the next levels. And players also get achievements trough progress in the game. And as a real feedback players get stats of their successes in the game.

I’m using a variety of game mechanics in order to keep player interest alive.

1. Competitive component. This is primarily the leaderboard where a player could compare themselves with other players. Moreover, leaderboard could give an extra information about heights levels achievements, badges and etc. that player could get.
2.  Collection. For correct answers to questions, a player receives virtual rewards – badges. Players collect this badges in order to progress to the next level. And also badges designed as an additional social mechanics and motivation engine for the player.
3. Game progress. Level up it’s a very important part of a game which gives players can easily see their current progress and what they need to do to progress. The main strategy for the game is to collect badges in order to move to new levels of the game.
4. Narrative. A story is built into a game could be a greater sense of purpose. Initially, the game was meant to a game without any plot. But later I decided that using the plot would not only be relevant but also help me with the FTUE and help to motivate the player.
5. Goals help to direct the players, tell him what to do at the moment and give a reward which is not specific to the game mechanic. They are available from the beginning of the game and provide a meaningful challenge to the player as they progress in the game.
6. Achievements. Whereas badges are awarded to learners for completing specific goals, achievements are earned by interacting with the system.