I give up - what does "Meta" mean???

[magusat999]

Okay, I have to admit something... I've been seeing the term "meta" being bandied about lately, I'm sure we all have. Meta frames, meta-complaints, here a meta there a meta everywhere a meta, meta... Old McMeta had a term M-E-T-A... oh, that doesn't quite fit...

ANYSWEAT... I have been trying to figure out what it means, by looking at context, but that aint helping. What does it MEAN??? If i replaced "meta" with a common, layman word or term - what would that be? And what does it mean in all it's forms? What is a Meta frame (its more than just a newer generation of frames, tell me what makes them so different that they are being called "meta").

What is "being in the meta"?

What is a "meta-complaint"???

I'm sick of pretending I know what these mean, and I am not ashamed to admit it - please tell me so I can understand all this meta stuff - and tell me what brought on all this "meta" talk in the first place?

There... i feel all better now...

Edited April 6, 2016 by magusat999

[TARINunit9]

The literal definition is "self-referential"

In gaming, "meta-gaming" refers to the strategy of working around other people's strategies. That's all it is. "This person might do this, so I might want to plan ahead with this instead"

The thing about meta-gaming is that it's recursive. "This person might be planning ahead with this, so I should plan even further ahead with this!"

Meta-complaints are slightly different. Meta-complaints are when you create a thread solely to complain about complaints that other players have made. It's against the rules of the forum, so don't do that

Edited April 6, 2016 by TARINunit9

[PsiWarp]

I guess it means most popular/commonly used weapons, warframes, companions, builds, tactics, strategies, etc.

[(PSN)KenLaw83]

Meta, I guess, can be loosely defined as a certain type/group of weapons, warframes, mods, etc. that are most commonly used during a time period. For example, in CoD MW2, the ACR is unarguably the best gun in the game with its high fire rate and low recoil, so it is the meta weapon for that particular game. At one point in Destiny, the Thorn and any well-rolled shotgun were the best guns to use, so the meta for that game for the longest time was a thorn/shotgun combo.

Edited April 6, 2016 by (PS4)KenLaw83

[Venomzz0]

Meta, from what I've learned, actually stands for "Most Efficient Tactic Available". So its whatever tactic that takes the least amount of resources, time, and effort, but also does the most work to accomplish your goal. 

Theres also a different meaning in terms of complaining, but Im not so 100% on that one

[Sixty5]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=meta

In all serious meta generally refers to playing the game within the game. And by that I mean finding the stuff that works best and sticking to that. 

A meta-complaint is something along the lines of "there are too many topics about Excal being OP" 

It's a term that gets thrown about to the point where its true meaning gets confused. 

If you need help to remember the general feel of the word, just think Most Effective TActics 

That should suffice in general.  

 

Also

I'm so Meta even this acronym 

Edited April 6, 2016 by Sixty5

[GhostLacuna]

Well its META Most Effective Tactic Available. 

What is means in warframes case is that its the "best" warframe team composition and weapons to trivalize the "endgame" in warframe.

In a non gaming sense it is something that is self referential.

If you make a game about people making a game for example its meta.

Or a footnote that is needed to explain a footnote in writing for example(please dont do this)

Edited April 6, 2016 by GhostLacuna

[TARINunit9]

1 minute ago, Venomzz0 said:

Meta, from what I've learned, actually stands for "Most Efficient Tactic Available". So its whatever tactic that takes the least amount of resources, time, and effort, but also does the most work to accomplish your goal. 

Just now, GhostLacuna said:

Well its META Most Effective Tactic Available. 

Not that the joke is inaccurate, but this is called a "backronym". The word "meta" is older than the funny acronym "Most Effective Tactic Available"

Other than that little detail, carry on

[Venomzz0]

Just now, TARINunit9 said:

Not that the joke is inaccurate, but this is called a "backronym". The word "meta" is older than the funny acronym "Most Effective Tactic Available"

Other than that little detail, carry on

Ah, I haven't been around the internet long enough to know that, thanks for the fact check!

[AuroraSonicBoom]

You take what's most efficient and what requires the least amount of effort, then try to marry them both for the ultimate lazy mode efficiency.

Edited April 6, 2016 by AuroraSonicBoom

[felixsylvaris]

Meta-gaiming is sticking to most popular strategy:

• You need RJ+EV for Draco, always
• You need frost for every defense and excavetion
• we need a healer!

Metagaming could be related to what is most effective, but could also be related to hearing something about it being best. Also if game is pvp then meta refers to how to perform well against most popular strategy.

Meta-complains, are complaings about the way discussion is performed. Like fact that people complain without even trying to fide the new solution, or that nobody use feedback subforums.

It is quite interesting suggestion that it is Most Effective Tactic Avaiable, there is more common meaning that it is "above" in meaning more about.

 

Edited April 6, 2016 by felixsylvaris

[GhostLacuna]

6 minutes ago, TARINunit9 said:

Not that the joke is inaccurate, but this is called a "backronym". The word "meta" is older than the funny acronym "Most Effective Tactic Available"

Other than that little detail, carry on

:) of course that is why i used examples from art and writing as well.

But it was to fun to pass on. Besides it fits ;)

[motorfirebox]

It stands for Meta Even This Acronym.

[Toppien]

in other words, people dont even know what meta is, but they complain about it regardless, along with the term "next gen" and "hype"

[SilentMobius]

Meta: actually means "after" or  "beyond" from the greek

It generally refers to a super-set of the thing in question E.G.:

• Meta-physics: Beyond physics, aka physics not yet formalized.
• Meta-material: Beyond normal material science.

Hence meta-gaming: beyond the (normal level range) of a game or gaming outside of the normal structure of the game.

In common parlance it means "gaming the system" playing the game without respective the underlying intent. 

Edited April 7, 2016 by SilentMobius