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Dear fellow TLs,
I am creating this discussion thread because there was a question on the blizzard sc2 forum regarding the definitions of the terms Early Game, Mid Game and End Game (Meta game?). While I replied, I was unsure about my being correct, so I decided to search the forum and Liquipedia for the definitions of these terms in Starcraft 2. The pages for these terms actually do not exist, but I am not so arrogant to think I know the actual definitions.
This is why I am posting this to ask the opinions of the community and help setup the definitions for Liquipedia.
The questions I would like to see answered in this thread are:
1) What is your definition of 'Early Game' in Starcraft 2?
2) What is your definition of 'Mid Game' in Starcraft 2?
3) What is your definition of 'End Game' in Starcraft 2?
4) What is your definition of 'Meta Game' in Starcraft 2?
My personal ideas about the definitions are:
+ Show Spoiler +Although there is no scientific description of the terms early, mid and endgame, they are generally defined by a combination of what other replies have suggested (in my opinion). Earlygame - Earlygame is typically the period where choices and mistakes have the biggest impact on how the game continues. Because people have only few workers in early game, deciding to make a 'early gas' has a huge impact on the choices the player can make further down the game. 'Early gas' would cost protoss and terran 3 workers that are not collecting minerals and zerg even 4 workers, reducing the chance they are able to do early agression. Early game defines what strategies a player can efficiently develop and therefore scouting at this stage can tell a lot! Early game generally ends around 7 to 11 minutes, depending on the level of skill of the players (grand masters enter the midgame earlier than bronze players do). Midgame - Midgame is typically the period where the strategy of the early game can come together, allowing for the first combat engagement. While a dark templar rush is 'early' it takes place in the midgame because this is the moment at which the strategy comes together for the player that is rushing. It is possible that the player he is rushing is still in the early game, which may cause a lot of stress to be able to fight off the push. However, this accounts for any tactic. If you have all the units you want and feel ready to attack, you are effectively in your midgame. Midgame typically starts between 7 and 12 minutes, depending on the tactic used and the level of skill of the individual players. Midgame pushes can end the game. Endgame - The End game starts the moment the midgame pushes of both players clash and cause no crippling damage to either, allowing the game to move on and forcing players to work on more complex strategies. The end game involves expansion control, because the main and often the natural will start running low by the time end game develops. End games can be very boring to watch, but also very exciting. Most professional games of players on equal footing involve taking almost the entire map. End game starts when initial strategies designed to end the game have failed in the midgame, which can be anywhere between 15 and 20 minutes for high skilled players (diamond and above). Metagame - Metagame literally meaning "a game outside the game," is a prediction of how others will make decisions in a game based on their personality or their previous decisions. A metagame can exist in any game in which the opposition is human or portrays some sort of artificial intelligence and the competitors make choices. Metagaming is taking advantage of the metagame for purposes of winning more often. Metagaming can also be called the current trend, the flavor of the month or the game shift based on a popular progamer executing a 'new' strategy that works really well or based on a recent patch change in the game. Metagame is the evolution of viable strategies in the environment of the game. Just like in biological evolution, once a strategy/species exists it is part of the environment and other strategies/species must adapt to it. In this way the metagame keeps evolving and different strategies are born, adapted, branch off, die out and are sometimes reborn. -- I also added the word 'Rush' because the page about the word 'Rush' is incomplete and very short (2 sentences only). I am also using my definition of the word 'Rush' to help define the early, mid and end game. Rush - A rush is a strategy involving mostly a single unit type that is executed to such perfection that the unit is generally out on the game board (the map) a lot sooner than the opponent may expect or may be able to prepare for (depending on his skill). A rush is defined by another important factor: It is very demanding on the economy of the player performing the rush, investing everything into getting out the unit early and effectively. Although rushes can take place in the early game for the opposing player, a performed rush places the rusher into his midgame. The outcome of a rush often dictates the winning player because if a rush is succesful the opponent is beaten and if the rush failed the rusher's economy will not be able to catch up to his opponent and eventually lose several minutes later (if he does not already leave the game).
The source of the question on the Blizzard forum
Edit#1: Edited the term Endgame.
Edit#2: Edited the term Metagame.
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That's not the definition of metagame at all... it has nothing to do with what time you are in the game.
Metagame is the use of outside materials to gain an advantage. It's like if I watch 10 replays of a player's TvP and I see he walls off every single time and goes 1 rax expand so I do a void ray all in.
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Well for me early game is the build up to the mid game so for example the build you are doing.
mid game is from the end of the early game till where your goal for the mid game is unsuccesfull or succesfull.
depending of your midgame you get in the endgame.
and meta game is everything above the game, peoples think paterns etc.
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On November 11 2011 01:55 VeryAverage wrote:
That's not the definition of metagame at all... it has nothing to do with what time you are in the game.
Metagame is the use of outside materials to gain an advantage. It's like if I watch 10 replays of a player's TvP and I see he walls off every single time and goes 1 rax expand so I do a void ray all in.
Cool, thanks. So what is your definition of the word 'Metagame' then? It has to involve a multitude of matches of the same matchup? Please clarify.
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????
metagame is the common style of play ..different regions can have different metagames
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Meta = After, Outside or Beyond
MetaGame = The work and decisions you do outside of actually playing the game that will effect how you play the game.
Example 1: Joe has seen 20 replays of Brad and Joe noticed that Brad DT rushed in 12 of those games. Joe is going to mod his build to have an early eng bay for turrets if/when he faces Brad.
Example 2: Joe has been rushed on the ladder every time he does a 1 rax FE. Joe is now going to blindly build 2 bunkers as his expansion goes up.
Example 3: Joe is in the Code S GSL finals and Nestea is his enemy. Nestea JUST 6 pooled in game 1 and won. Joe is certain (or is at least willing to bet) that Nestea won't 6 pool 2 games in a row. Joe opens with a 1 rax and starts the CC before his wall is even done. This allows him to get a bit more econ at the cost of being vulnerable to a 6 pool which he does not think will come. Nestea predicts that Joe will predict that Nestea won't 6 pool and, of course, 6 pools. Nestea has used metagame to beat the metagame move that Joe just made.
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Anyone that says the m word should be banned 
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I don't really know what to say about this, i am not sure anyone was looking for definitions of these words on tl, and even if they were, i do not agree with yours.
Especially your use of the word meta instead of end/late. Meta literally means over/above/outside of or parallel to, not end. A meta game scenario is when i, when playing with my friend, blind counter by opening 10 gate for his proxy gates, knowing that he likes to cheese. I used information from outside the game to affect in game decisions. Any time that a terran blindly builds vikings they are appealing to a meta game sense that they have.
This is just two examples. What you said has nothing to do with meta-game.
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On November 11 2011 01:57 Callynn wrote:
Cool, thanks. So what is your definition of the word 'Metagame' then? It has to involve a multitude of matches of the same matchup? Please clarify.
It's just using things outside of the game's resources/rule sets to gain an advantage. Looking at build orders/replays/going against trends.
If everybody in ZvT doesn't get an evo chamber or lair until the 10 minute mark, it would be metagaming to do a banshee rush.
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I didn't read your answers, as to not cloud my own opinions of the following:
1) What is your definition of 'Early Game' in Starcraft 2?
** Decision on when/whether or not to go early aggression. This can be as short as both players going eco-oriented expand builds, where the early game end after 4 minutes or so, or as long as the early attack lasts (be it to end of game or end of aggression)
2) What is your definition of 'Mid Game' in Starcraft 2?
** Transition in to the basic army comp/tech path that the opening build order aimed for. 2-base roach/ling all-in, 1-1-1, 4-gate, 6-gate, Muta harass, etc. What the player went in to the game "aiming" for. This lasts for a long time, including tier-3 tech, until both players have dropped an over-arching game plan and are simply reacting to each other to not die
3) What is your definition of 'End Game' in Starcraft 2?
** Point where, looking at the minimap, you cannot really tell what the opening build orders were. Mid-game compositions are irrelevant, and both players are simply reacting to each other to stay afloat.
4) What is your definition of 'Meta Game' in Starcraft 2?
** The use of limited scouting information to narrow down possible tech paths/strategies beyond simply what the scouting info suggests. I.E., 1 gas Terran before Rax could mean tons of things... early hellions, 1-1-1, cloaked banshee, 2-port banshee, etc, but currently, since hellions are in-vogue, I'll just ASSUME that's whats happening and plan on getting roaches.
Edit to add "Rush"
5) Rush?
** The sacrificing of economy (by cutting workers or delaying expansions) to apply pressure with attacking units. If no damage is done, you are automatically behind.
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Could people please attempt to define all four terms so we can help Liquipedia fill up?
Meta = After, Outside or Beyond
I always thought meta meant 'many' or 'multiple facets of the same'. Thanks for your reply though.
Also, thank you Slackador for helping define all four terms. I will make a poll when I have enough opinions to see which definition may be used to define each term.
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On November 11 2011 02:01 Callynn wrote:Could people please attempt to define all four terms so we can help Liquipedia fill up? I always thought meta meant 'many' or 'multiple facets of the same'. Thanks for your reply though. Also, thank you Slackador for helping define all four terms. I will make a poll when I have enough opinions to see which definition may be used to define each term.
I understand that you are trying to increase the overall information of the game to everyone.....but these terms are well known to everyone it seems but you. Not trying to be rude but these are basic terms, it's like creating a thread based on what people think macro or micro means.
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On November 11 2011 02:04 Jesushooves wrote:Show nested quote +On November 11 2011 02:01 Callynn wrote:Could people please attempt to define all four terms so we can help Liquipedia fill up? Meta = After, Outside or Beyond I always thought meta meant 'many' or 'multiple facets of the same'. Thanks for your reply though. Also, thank you Slackador for helping define all four terms. I will make a poll when I have enough opinions to see which definition may be used to define each term. I understand that you are trying to increase the overall information of the game to everyone.....but these terms are well known to everyone it seems but you. Not trying to be rude but these are basic terms, it's like creating a thread based on what people think macro or micro means.
Are you saying my definitions are incorrect? If so, then please help define them. It's not rude if you actually show that you know how the terms are defined - but it is a contradiction if you are suggesting its stupid not to know how they are defined and then not defining them yourself.
Also, I am pretty sure I'm not the only one who is unsure on how to define the terms, otherwise there wouldn't be variable replies on the SC2 forum. For new players who want to know what is meant by these 'basic terms' I don't think it's strange to add them to Liquipedia and then asking the feedback of the community on them.
So could you help define the terms for new players or 'less intellectual plebs' who want to be able to follow day[9] broadcasts and tournaments?
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early game -> before I get a tank
mid game -> tanks and medivacs
late game / end game -> 200/200 capped, war is imminent
metagame -> gameflow, mindgames, state of the game; a very undefined term.
Rush -> an attack before the first 5 mins, involving entering my base (bunker rushes don't count if the bunkers are outside, then it's a contain).
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On November 11 2011 01:59 Rotodyne wrote:Anyone that says the m word should be banned
I object to this statement. The metagame is a very important part of any sort of game with strategy. Before people start using the word though, I hope they understand the meaning of the word, instead of randomly throwing it in a sentence hoping they used the word right.
As I am a former M:TG player, and this term was used all the time, I don't feel this word has the same place like the "B" word does in starcraft. I like this definition the most.
Metagame (Greek: μέτα = “about”, “beyond”), literally "a game outside the game," is a prediction of how others will make decisions in a game based on their personality or their previous decisions. A metagame can exist in any game in which the opposition is human or portrays some sort of artificial intelligence and the competitors make choices. Metagaming is taking advantage of the metagame for purposes of winning more often.
http://wiki.mtgsalvation.com/article/Metagame
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Metagaming is a broad term usually used to define 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, using out-of-game information, or resources, to affect one's in-game decisions.
from wikipedia
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As far as I know metagame comes from metalanguage, which is what linguists named the function of language which allows it to talk about itself. For example, you use your language to talk about your language every time you discuss grammar or the usage of words or whatever. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metalanguage) So, metagame is kind of the same thing: you are creating strategies based on the strategies you see other players using. If most zergs defend with lings and early expand in ZvP some protoss are going to blindly open with a zealot push because they asume the zerg won't expect it and the lings will just be unable to defend. That strat works based on two assumptions learned frome the way most people play: most toss don't do it and the zerg may not be prepared for it. That's the way I understand it but it stills confuses me: how is that different from simply saying it's a timing attack with zealots? And there's people who use metagame to refer to the state of the game, to the way people play it at a certain point in time. It's a vague term, but most people use it to mean one of those things.
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On November 11 2011 02:14 kenkou wrote:Metagame (Greek: μέτα = “about”, “beyond”), literally "a game outside the game," is a prediction of how others will make decisions in a game based on their personality or their previous decisions. A metagame can exist in any game in which the opposition is human or portrays some sort of artificial intelligence and the competitors make choices. Metagaming is taking advantage of the metagame for purposes of winning more often.http://wiki.mtgsalvation.com/article/Metagame
I think this is a fair definition to add to Liquipedia. I will be adding it to a poll if enough good alternatives arise, otherwise I will add it to Liquipedia as it defined here.
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On November 11 2011 02:14 kenkou wrote:Show nested quote +On November 11 2011 01:59 Rotodyne wrote:Anyone that says the m word should be banned I object to this statement. The metagame is a very important part of any sort of game with strategy. Before people start using the word though, I hope they understand the meaning of the word, instead of randomly throwing it in a sentence hoping they used the word right. As I am a former M:TG player, and this term was used all the time, I don't feel this word has the same place like the "B" word does in starcraft. I like this definition the most. Metagame (Greek: μέτα = “about”, “beyond”), literally "a game outside the game," is a prediction of how others will make decisions in a game based on their personality or their previous decisions. A metagame can exist in any game in which the opposition is human or portrays some sort of artificial intelligence and the competitors make choices. Metagaming is taking advantage of the metagame for purposes of winning more often.http://wiki.mtgsalvation.com/article/Metagame
I agree, but the way some people use the word is hideous 
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Meta game is the current trend, the flavor of the month, game shift,.....
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On November 11 2011 02:24 canikizu wrote:
Meta game is the current trend, the flavor of the month, game shift,.....
I like that as well as a clear example on the word, I will add it to the definition above.
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Is it just me, or people don't use "End" game, rather "Late" game? I personally have never heard "End" game.
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On November 11 2011 01:58 vaderseven wrote:
Example 3: Joe is in the Code S GSL finals and Nestea is his enemy. Nestea JUST 6 pooled in game 1 and won. Joe is certain (or is at least willing to bet) that Nestea won't 6 pool 2 games in a row. Joe opens with a 1 rax and starts the CC before his wall is even done. This allows him to get a bit more econ at the cost of being vulnerable to a 6 pool which he does not think will come. Nestea predicts that Joe will predict that Nestea won't 6 pool and, of course, 6 pools. Nestea has used metagame to beat the metagame move that Joe just made.
Whayt if Joe knows that Nestea knows Joe won't expect a 6 pool, so he defends it. Except Nestea has figured out that Joe knows that Nestea knows Joe won't expect a 6 pool, so he knows a second 6 pool is coming, in which case Joe is better off playing greedy, except that is also what nestea figures...
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Early game ends for me around 100 supply ish. But this might be because im zerg and for this part of the game I'm usually building up to whatever im going to do. Mid game will be anything between 80 and 200 supply ish pushes harrass etc. lategame once u reach 4 or more bases and get to your final tech stages.
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On November 11 2011 02:41 cLunAsTyY wrote:
Early game ends for me around 100 supply ish. But this might be because im zerg and for this part of the game I'm usually building up to whatever im going to do. Mid game will be anything between 80 and 200 supply ish pushes harrass etc. lategame once u reach 4 or more bases and get to your final tech stages.
You are now basicly using my definitions of the terms to say where the boundaries lie for you as an individual. This is however not the question at all. As I am unsure if I defined the terms correctly I'd like responses that correct or alternate definitions I provided.
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On November 11 2011 01:58 vaderseven wrote:
Meta = After, Outside or Beyond
MetaGame = The work and decisions you do outside of actually playing the game that will effect how you play the game.
Example 1: Joe has seen 20 replays of Brad and Joe noticed that Brad DT rushed in 12 of those games. Joe is going to mod his build to have an early eng bay for turrets if/when he faces Brad.
Example 2: Joe has been rushed on the ladder every time he does a 1 rax FE. Joe is now going to blindly build 2 bunkers as his expansion goes up.
Example 3: Joe is in the Code S GSL finals and Nestea is his enemy. Nestea JUST 6 pooled in game 1 and won. Joe is certain (or is at least willing to bet) that Nestea won't 6 pool 2 games in a row. Joe opens with a 1 rax and starts the CC before his wall is even done. This allows him to get a bit more econ at the cost of being vulnerable to a 6 pool which he does not think will come. Nestea predicts that Joe will predict that Nestea won't 6 pool and, of course, 6 pools. Nestea has used metagame to beat the metagame move that Joe just made.
Haha, thank you for this. Metagame is just a tool Nestea uses to beat his opponents.
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Four your reference, Liquipedia I is a good starting point for this topic.
1) I think the early game refers to the part of the game where each player executes an opener and commits their entire army to all engagements. This is also the period where cheeses are executed, and natural bases are taken. Games which end in this phase typical end due to cheese or all-in, but can also end to strong pressure such as bunker rushes.
2) This stage of the game is when each player tries to use a portion of their army to harass, a portion to defend and map control is the most important resource. Both players attempt to expand and tech as greedily as they can. Often, the game is decided when entire armies are committed to a push - usually a result of being caught out of position.
3) This is the point where all of the bases are taken and most of the map is in vision. This point of the game relies on small pushes to take map control and harassment to delay the enemy's tech/economy. The goal in the end game is to mine out your side of the map and pick the most efficient engagements while increasing production. This phase typically ends with one long, slow push on multiple fronts while both sides are being constantly reinforced.
4) Metagame literally means "beyond the game." According to Liquipedia:
"The metagame has three major branches, which contain some overlap:
1. Preparation done before a match to exploit current trends in StarCraft.
2. Preparation done specifically to exploit an opponent's or map's style of play.
3. Strategic decisions designed specifically to exploit a player's reaction or weakened mental state in the future. These are also known as 'mind games' or 'psychological warfare'. "
So the current trend of meching in TvT is called metagaming because it's a long-term decision which was made before the game started, based on the prevalence of current strategies and prior success with mech play. Going sky terran against zerg is not a metagame play, but it might be your style in TvZ. Your opponent can metagame you by getting spores in every base before your tech is revealed, then putting out corruptors in the first batch of larva after the spire pops.
BONUS
All-in: This is where you commit all your resources to one big push which is designed to either gain an advantage or win the game. You are all-in when you can't reinforce an engagement and can not defend yourself if you lose your entire army. Some people debate whether or not marine/scv all-ins are actually "all-ins" because you can continue to make marines and after a couple volleys of mules you can be back on your feet. The reason this type of push is all-in is because of Z crushes it, then you will not be able to hold a roach counter and a muta counter could completely destroy your economy because you weren't able to tech behind this push. It is all-in vs P because if Protoss holds well, then they will be able to pressure you with a two base timing and instantly win the game.
Cheese: This is any play which is unconventional relies on not being scouted in order to be successful. These typically include proxy openers, or early tier 1 tech before the opponent has enough tech to defend themselves. The success of a prozy 2 gate, for example, relies on the opponent not scouting your gateways early enough to wall off; pull workers; and/or put down more production facilities to repel the push. Most cheeses are also all-ins. I would not define a cloaked banshee opener as a cheese because standard play dictates that you have detection before the banshee gets cloak, and the banshee can still do a lot of damage even if the opponent knows they're coming.
Of course, all of this is either in my opinion or copied from Liquipedia.
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Early game: Start of game to two bases saturated for each player.
Mid game: Two bases saturated for each player to both players reaching endgame unit composition.
Late game: Endgame unit composition and onward.
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On November 11 2011 02:35 YaShock wrote:
Is it just me, or people don't use "End" game, rather "Late" game? I personally have never heard "End" game.
Well the concepts of early game, midgame, late game are taken from Chess but not copied. In chess they are Opening, Midgame and Endgame. I used to refer to sc2 in these terms until recently because few others use Opening and Endgame so i switched to late game ;p
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On November 11 2011 01:55 VeryAverage wrote:
That's not the definition of metagame at all... it has nothing to do with what time you are in the game.
Metagame is the use of outside materials to gain an advantage. It's like if I watch 10 replays of a player's TvP and I see he walls off every single time and goes 1 rax expand so I do a void ray all in.
yeah i think youre quite right with this
nice post nonetheless since i like the other definitions you gave
(dont exactly get the purpose of this thread though...)
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Wow, nobody knows what the word "meta game" means? Wth. It deals with factors outside of the actual game. If you 'metagame' someone, you're abusing something you know outside of the actual game you're playing. Maybe you know the guy you're playing goes mutalisks 90% of the time, so you assume he will do it in this game aswell, and thus you prepare for mutalisks without even scouting it. Tsk. people. Tsk.
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It is all dependant on the matchup.
TvP:
Early game ends when Terran decides to build a factory after his expand.
Late game starts when Protoss gets a 4 base economy and Terran has more cc than bases.
TvZ: Early game ends when Zerg has got his mutas/infestors / mass upgraded lings out.
Late game starts when Terran has ghosts to counter Zerg tier 3. Basically, early, mid and late game come be mapped to hatch, lair, hive.
PvZ: Early game ends when Protoss takes his expansion and has either twilight or robo tech.
Late game starts when Zerg reaches Hive.
PvP: Mid-Late game barely exists. Midgame starts when the players take their natural.
TvT: Early game ends when a-moving towards your opponent with even with a superior force is stupid (assuming even game).
ZvZ: Early game has lots of aggression. Mid game has no aggression, or mutas. Late game is Hive
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On November 11 2011 02:58 The_13abyKnight wrote:
Wow, nobody knows what the word "meta game" means? Wth. It deals with factors outside of the actual game. If you 'metagame' someone, you're abusing something you know outside of the actual game you're playing. Maybe you know the guy you're playing goes mutalisks 90% of the time, so you assume he will do it in this game aswell, and thus you prepare for mutalisks without even scouting it. Tsk. people. Tsk.
Or that in TvZ everyone is doing roach/ling all-ins (example, not actually the case atm) and so you prepare for that blindly or do a build that will beat that all-in but also be safe to other builds.
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An easy definition is:
Early game is when 1 player is at Tier 1 tech.
Mid game is when both players have reached Tier 2 tech.
Late game is when both players have reached Tier 3 tech.
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On November 11 2011 01:59 Rotodyne wrote:Anyone that says the m word should be banned
Um, why? Metagame is actually something that has a role in high level tournament games.
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Early game: The part of the game where getting up a startup economy, basic tech, staying alive and doing damage. The goal is coming into the midgame in an advantageous position. It is mostly the same situations in that arrise in different games because there are a small selection of things you and your opponent can do.
Midgame: This part is about comparatively getting ahead of your opponent, either by getting an economic or technological advantage or punishing your opponent from doing the same.
Endgame: Most of the tech is availible. Although both armies may be maxed, it is becoming clear that the remaining minerals and gas on the map and in your banks are finite. Efficiency in battle and fighting for the last few remaining resources are important parts of the endgame.
Metagame: Anything about Starcraft 2 that isn't really about the game, such as what you are writing in chat, playing to lose in a tournament to manipulate brackets, Decisions based on more games being played in a series, like which game of the series to cheese and saving secret strategies for important games or difficult opponents. The fact that this word is used to mean so many different things by different people makes it a better choice not to use this term altogether to avoid misunderstandings and frustration.
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Early: The first 10 minutes
Mid: 10-20 minutes
Late: 20+ minutes
Meta: The combined weighted average ranges of player's build order selections.
The "anything outside the game" definition is incorrect, that is gamesmanship.
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To reason why many find the actual in game uses for meta game appalling is because it's something you do outside of the game to influence your opponent in order to get an advantage inside the game.
To illustrate. We play ball and I try to pass by you. I can predict you will be faster to step right so I will go over my right. That is not a meta game. Me calling you names, or giving you an elbow are. "Look over there! -> Run past" I have to do something, that influences you, that will make you adjust your play, in order to give me an advantage. Unless those tricks aren't part of the games rule set. Like they would be in rugby. It's not meta. It's still the game itself.
Similarly with soccer, since the yellow and red cards and many types of fouls are defined. They are part of the game. Van Bommel during the most recent World Cup finals using many sneaky types of fouls in order to barely skim by cards, while constantly sucking up to the ref and making friendly talk or keeping others from harrasing the ref and making the ref notice this etc in order to influence him not to punish harshly which allows him to purposely make the fouls. A part of that is meta game. The fouls are not. Exploiting the rules of the game are not. Playing the referee is.
Language is dynamic. If everyone changes the meaning then it doesn't matter what was once right or wrong. The new meaning will get adapted. That is why for so many people trends in strategy get denoted as being the meta game. It's because some people use the word to help describe what they try to illustrate. Like saying cheese or standard, just so you know what I mean, even I don't acknowledge those being actual things. For those listening to that and when the word is new, that will be the meaning they give it.
That is already done by the majority of people. In my eyes the word has been changed to this since years ago. I don't even care if that is good or bad.
Also interesting to read up on is epistemology, "what is knowledge". It would allow me to not have to make the argument for how much value sources like wikipedia or an online dictionary have for this topic.
Early game and whatever fall in the same category as cheese, standard and meta game. Only they have no previous meaning since them come from the game and because of such I see no interest for them. The fact you would have to define what it means implies that it's not usable for communicating since it's obvious people are gonna have many different views on it. At best it can be used to refer to broad strokes. As such trying to define them more in depth seems like a waste.
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I would say the Metagame is the evolution of viable strategies in the environment of the game. Just like in biological evolution, once a strategy/species exists it is part of the environment and other strategies/species must adapt to it. In this way the metagame keeps evolving and different strategies are born, adapt, branch off and die out.
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I've always seen it like this:
the game is what the rules (of the game) define. In the case of starcraft these rules would be something like the races/buildings/units and their characteristics (hp/energy/skills), the economics of mineral and gas and the condition "destroy all your enemy's buildings to win"
The metagame is how the game is actually played at the competitive level, in particular the strategies for each matchup that are dominant at a given period of time.
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My view is that the different stages of the game are defined by what players are trying to achieve rather than what they're doing.
Early game: The part of the game where scouting is easy to deny, in this part of the game, you try to abuse the lack of information to gain an early lead. If you're doing a cheesy build, you skip to the endgame.
Midgame: At this point, you should be ahead in some sort of way. If your opponent is ahead on economy, you should be ahead either in tech or in units, at this stage, you should be using the advantage you got early game to either secure or deny additional bases. Additionally, you should be developing techs that allow your army to be more cost effective against the opposing army. If you're doing some sort of all-in, skip to the endgame.
Lategame: Securing your own bases and denying your enemy's should be the main objective of this stage. At this stage of the game, you should have unlocked most if not all of your race's techs. Typically, one of the two races will have the stronger late-game army. The objective of that player is to create that army, while the other player strives to hamper the economy of that player while securing their own in order to overwhelm the superior army with large quantities of units.
Endgame: This is the part where you attempt to end the game. You reach this stage either because there is either an economic or strategic disparity(or both). For an economic disparity the player with the weaker economy should attempt to kill off the opposing army and camp/destroy his production, making economy irrelevant, while the player with the stronger economy should stall as long as possible in order for that economic advantage turn into a strategic advantage. If neither player can continue producing, then the players should maximize the cost-effectiveness of what they have.
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On November 11 2011 03:26 TheOrigin wrote:
I would say the Metagame is the evolution of viable strategies in the environment of the game. Just like in biological evolution, once a strategy/species exists it is part of the environment and other strategies/species must adapt to it. In this way the metagame keeps evolving and different strategies are born, adapt, branch off and die out.
I think your metaphore is spot on. I added it to the definition.
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On November 11 2011 03:49 guoguo wrote:
My view is that the different stages of the game are defined by what players are trying to achieve rather than what they're doing.
Early game: The part of the game where scouting is easy to deny, in this part of the game, you try to abuse the lack of information to gain an early lead. If you're doing a cheesy build, you skip to the endgame.
Midgame: At this point, you should be ahead in some sort of way. If your opponent is ahead on economy, you should be ahead either in tech or in units, at this stage, you should be using the advantage you got early game to either secure or deny additional bases. Additionally, you should be developing techs that allow your army to be more cost effective against the opposing army. If you're doing some sort of all-in, skip to the endgame.
Lategame: Securing your own bases and denying your enemy's should be the main objective of this stage. At this stage of the game, you should have unlocked most if not all of your race's techs. Typically, one of the two races will have the stronger late-game army. The objective of that player is to create that army, while the other player strives to hamper the economy of that player while securing their own in order to overwhelm the superior army with large quantities of units.
Endgame: This is the part where you attempt to end the game. You reach this stage either because there is either an economic or strategic disparity(or both). For an economic disparity the player with the weaker economy should attempt to kill off the opposing army and camp/destroy his production, making economy irrelevant, while the player with the stronger economy should stall as long as possible in order for that economic advantage turn into a strategic advantage. If neither player can continue producing, then the players should maximize the cost-effectiveness of what they have.
This is interesting, you define a difference between lategame and endgame. That did not yet occur to me, thanks.
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Metagame means the way people are expected to play. If you forget to scout you usually assume the enemy is doing something. This something defines the metagame.
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meta game is how you react to the current standard game play. Example; As a zerg on the Tal darim' altar you know that it is common for a fast nexus and so a you can make a 6pool based on that assumption.
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meta game is where you take information outside the game, that influences your decisions inside the game. That's really all it is. If I'm playing a random zerg, but i know that zergs like x, y, and z, I might prepare for those and say "I tried to meta-game you"
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Early game: 1 base for Terran/Protoss, 2 base for Zerg
Mid game: 2 base for Terran/Protoss, 3 base for Zerg
Late game: 3+ base for Terran/Protoss, 4+ base for Zerg
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As a zerg player, we can basically define game stages by our tech level.
Early game is when we are still only using hatch tech up until our lair finishes, being passive and trying to survive pressure.
Mid Game is when we are mainly using lair tech units, expanding out, being aggressive, harrassing, etc
Late game is the part where we have broods, ultras, +3 everything, 4+ mining bases, and basically following the zerg training manual for attacking.
+ Show Spoiler +1. Make army
2. Throw at enemy.
3. Inject
4. Micro
5. Lather, rinse, repeat
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Just because Chill is a TL mod doesn't mean that he's always right...he linked the correct definition of metagame on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metagaming
But then he decided to just use one example of the definition, and then ignore the rest. You can't do that.
From the wikipedia article, examples of metagaming:
1. There is a special set of moves in chess which allows a player to win in four moves. Competitor A has been watching Competitor B play chess, and the past five games in a row Competitor B has attempted to use this four-move win. When Competitor A sits down to play against Competitor B, Competitor A will be metagaming if he/she plays in a way that will easily thwart the four-move checkmate before Competitor B makes it obvious that this is what he/she is doing.
Some people choose to call this portion of "metagaming" as "mind gaming". You make decisions inside the game that you otherwise normally wouldn't, because you know the player's style or weaknesses. For example, choosing to cheese Idra is metagaming. Assuming that Ret will use an advantage to make drones instead of baneling busting is metagaming. BMing Incontrol is metagaming.
2. In the popular trading card game Magic: The Gathering players compete with decks they have created in advance and the "metagame" consists of the deck types that are currently popular and expected to show up in large numbers in a tournament. The knowledge of metagame trends can give the players an edge against other participants, while playing (quickly recognizing what kind of deck opponents have to guess their likely cards and moves) and more importantly in the deck building process, by selecting and adapting designs to do well against the popular deck types at the expense of performance against rarer ones. It's also possible to bluff opponents into expecting cards that aren't there, or to surprise the competition with novel decks that nobody is prepared for. The secondary market of cards is heavily influenced by metagame trends: cards become more valuable when they are popular, often to the point of scarcity.
Some people choose to call this portion of "metagaming" as "standard play". You make decisions inside the game that you otherwise normally wouldn't, because you know that a particular strategy is really popular right now. For example, choosing to go blind Ghosts in TvP because you know that Zealot/Archon is really popular right now is metagaming.
Metagaming encompasses both definitions. You can't say #1 is an appropiate use of metagaming while ignoring #2. It's as stupid as arguing that the phrase "I punched that guy" is incorrect compared to "I jabbed that guy". Just because "jab" is more specific doesn't mean that "punched" is incorrect.
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Early game : Weak economy that can support limited amount of buildings and units.
Mid game : Ok economy and army but still not enough to feel confident for a full attack (either weak on upgrades or some specific aspect of your army, like anti-air/splash dmg etc).
Late game: Usually at supply cap or even a little earlier. Strong economy and building count, able to reproduce armies rapidly. Good upgrades.
Obviously there are situations that the gap between two players is quite large. For example: Player 1 decides to do an early all-in but fails due to bad micro,army composition or positioning. Player 2 who did a "standard" build and defended the all-in is now way ahead in both economy and tech (possibly in army count as well). After the all-in we can say that Player 2 is advancing to the "mid game" while Player 1, who failed and has crappy eco and tech, is still stuck at an "early game situation" (the player who is ahead determines the stage of the game, and once he meets the above requirements I think it's correct to say that we're in mid game).
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On November 11 2011 01:53 Callynn wrote:Dear fellow TLs, I am creating this discussion thread because there was a question on the blizzard sc2 forum regarding the definitions of the terms Early Game, Mid Game and End Game (Meta game?). While I replied, I was unsure about my being correct, so I decided to search the forum and Liquipedia for the definitions of these terms in Starcraft 2. The pages for these terms actually do not exist, but I am not so arrogant to think I know the actual definitions. This is why I am posting this to ask the opinions of the community and help setup the definitions for Liquipedia. The questions I would like to see answered in this thread are: 1) What is your definition of 'Early Game' in Starcraft 2?
2) What is your definition of 'Mid Game' in Starcraft 2?
3) What is your definition of 'End Game' in Starcraft 2?
4) What is your definition of 'Meta Game' in Starcraft 2?My personal ideas about the definitions are: + Show Spoiler +Although there is no scientific description of the terms early, mid and endgame, they are generally defined by a combination of what other replies have suggested (in my opinion). Earlygame - Earlygame is typically the period where choices and mistakes have the biggest impact on how the game continues. Because people have only few workers in early game, deciding to make a 'early gas' has a huge impact on the choices the player can make further down the game. 'Early gas' would cost protoss and terran 3 workers that are not collecting minerals and zerg even 4 workers, reducing the chance they are able to do early agression. Early game defines what strategies a player can efficiently develop and therefore scouting at this stage can tell a lot! Early game generally ends around 7 to 11 minutes, depending on the level of skill of the players (grand masters enter the midgame earlier than bronze players do). Midgame - Midgame is typically the period where the strategy of the early game can come together, allowing for the first combat engagement. While a dark templar rush is 'early' it takes place in the midgame because this is the moment at which the strategy comes together for the player that is rushing. It is possible that the player he is rushing is still in the early game, which may cause a lot of stress to be able to fight off the push. However, this accounts for any tactic. If you have all the units you want and feel ready to attack, you are effectively in your midgame. Midgame typically starts between 7 and 12 minutes, depending on the tactic used and the level of skill of the individual players. Midgame pushes can end the game. Endgame - The End game starts the moment the midgame pushes of both players clash and cause no crippling damage to either, allowing the game to move on and forcing players to work on more complex strategies. The end game involves expansion control, because the main and often the natural will start running low by the time end game develops. End games can be very boring to watch, but also very exciting. Most professional games of players on equal footing involve taking almost the entire map. End game starts when initial strategies designed to end the game have failed in the midgame, which can be anywhere between 15 and 20 minutes for high skilled players (diamond and above). Metagame - Metagame literally meaning "a game outside the game," is a prediction of how others will make decisions in a game based on their personality or their previous decisions. A metagame can exist in any game in which the opposition is human or portrays some sort of artificial intelligence and the competitors make choices. Metagaming is taking advantage of the metagame for purposes of winning more often. Metagaming can also be called the current trend, the flavor of the month or the game shift based on a popular progamer executing a 'new' strategy that works really well or based on a recent patch change in the game. Metagame is the evolution of viable strategies in the environment of the game. Just like in biological evolution, once a strategy/species exists it is part of the environment and other strategies/species must adapt to it. In this way the metagame keeps evolving and different strategies are born, adapted, branch off, die out and are sometimes reborn. -- I also added the word 'Rush' because the page about the word 'Rush' is incomplete and very short (2 sentences only). I am also using my definition of the word 'Rush' to help define the early, mid and end game. Rush - A rush is a strategy involving mostly a single unit type that is executed to such perfection that the unit is generally out on the game board (the map) a lot sooner than the opponent may expect or may be able to prepare for (depending on his skill). A rush is defined by another important factor: It is very demanding on the economy of the player performing the rush, investing everything into getting out the unit early and effectively. Although rushes can take place in the early game for the opposing player, a performed rush places the rusher into his midgame. The outcome of a rush often dictates the winning player because if a rush is succesful the opponent is beaten and if the rush failed the rusher's economy will not be able to catch up to his opponent and eventually lose several minutes later (if he does not already leave the game). Edit#1: Edited the term Endgame. Edit#2: Edited the term Metagame.
Early game Tier 1
Mid game Tier 2
Late game Tier 3
Of course, this only counts when there is a good Zerg player defining tiers. T &P can blast through tiers too quickly to be useful.
The metagame is how the game is played by its players. For example BW itself didn't change between 2004 and 2008, but the games themselves were played very differently. That's the metagame.
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Mid game shouldn't have a time on it, at least by my definition.
Late or "End" game is when a player is mining from more than 2 bases, and they are safe from any sort of 2 base "timing" push. Late game often involves a lot more "skill" (macro/micro/multitasking) because armies can be re created much easier. Generally all types of "timing" attacks have passed. If 2 players enter the end game on completely even footing, generally the game of rock paper scissors where X build isn't blindly countered by Y has ended and players must win by "outplaying" the opponent. Usually an end game army supply is above 150
That being said, lets say 2 protoss in the "mid game" both on 1 base or maybe even 2 trade armies constantly, and are only secured thirds and fourths when the mains and naturals they are mining from are out of minerals. Both players are not at an ideal worker count, neither are teching as much as they would like nor upgrading. They are still in a very vulnerable state of X player decides to make pheonix and Y player makes collosi/zelots. Y player loses. Both players are generally sitting on a low 60-120 army supply and more often than not, if one player gets greedy and invests in a third or fourth too soon this can cost them the game.
I've watched and played in many games where 30mins in I still have a mid-game army composition, tech, active mining bases ect. And my opponent is usually in the same state, I would not classify this as "late" game at all.
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1) What is your definition of 'Early Game' in Starcraft 2?
Anything that happens until both players have pretty much settled on teching/macroing up passed initial early game timings. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with how far along the tech tree each player is or how long the game has been playing for.
So regardless if anyone has rushed or attacked at all, the moment both players have shifted gears into not needing to scout for the time being because they see what the other player is doing and decide that they can tech further or expand further, that is the start of the midgame. And usually what sets this off is that both players realize they are not in a position to attack successfully any time soon because of their build order and the opponents.
2) What is your definition of 'Mid Game' in Starcraft 2?
Any point after the above, Before T3/full tech and like 3 or more bases. Usually after the early game is forgone, players now have the new tech/econ for new attack timings. Scouting and feeling out the opponent and positioning for map control. Harassment is pretty huge precursor for setting up the late game. Again, once both players sort of 'agree' that they can't attack successfully they move onto the late game.
3) What is your definition of 'End Game' in Starcraft 2?
Nearing full tech and 3+ bases. Pretty much anything goes at this point. Scouting is vastly more important because there really are no more timings to prepare for. Often times you will see map split in half and bases killed and regained multiple times and not causing an outright loss because of it.
4) What is your definition of 'Meta Game' in Starcraft 2?
Meta game is the same in anything. It means 'outside' the game. So if player Z knows player B always 6pools and Z prepares an inferior build that only stops 6pool but B doesn't 6pool. He just got metagamed. If a player griefs a player with chat etc and screws up his build with psychological tricks, that is metagame. If everyone in the ladder is doing a build because it's deemed to be the best most efficient or even imbalanced build, and the other races are doing weird builds to try and deal with it and you just forgo the best build and do some timing that destroys their counter build then that is metagame as well.
Metagame is many things.
People in sc2 confuse metagame for 'current common strategy' or some other incorrect definition.
PS- None of the 3 game timing steps have really much at all to do with time, bases, tech, or army size. It's more based on when there are lulls in the action between situations (sorry I don't know how else to word it).
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EPT
