Metagaming

With computer games, there are several reasons a player would want to metagame. Sometimes it is the lack of in-game information blocking progress, which is often seen in older games. In multi-player games, metagaming can give players a large advantage, and thus becomes a dominant strategy.

There are definitely players who enjoy relying on external knowledge when making decisions in game, but for me it somehow hinders the suspension of disbelief, especially in immersive games (not simulation or puzzle games). Most of the time this could be improved by better discoverability of the user interface, which should also give the player a sense of firm control over the outcome of the game.

Except for games that rely on purely brute-force trial-and-error choices. With those I would rather save my time and follow the playthroughs.


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