Ahh, 'metagame".
Metagame is everything outside of the basic properties of the game that you need in order to play. So the basic core of the game would be like:
- Inputs
- Knowing the normals
- Knowing the Specials
- Strings
- Combos
- Movement options
- Ranges
- Frame data
- Damage
- Blocking
Once you have that, you generally have all of the 'building blocks' you need to be able to play the game. But now the challenge shifts to being able to win -- which requires outplaying, out-thinking (or out-lucking) your opponent. So
metagame is the many ways you can put those blocks together and the timing of where, when and why.
Level 1 (Basic cause/effect and response)
-What is my best possible response to each situation (blocking a specific move, being knocked down, being zoned etc. And how do I punish XYZ).
-Why do I use this move in this particular situation? (Ex. It grants me a hard knockdown, it leaves me at advantage, it anti-airs, etc).
-What are the chances of this resulting in damage for me vs. giving my opponent an opening to attack?
-When is it best to use this particular special and why?
-Knowing the basic building blocks (strings, specials, combos, frame data etc. for all/most the other characters in the cast -- or at least their key/go-to moves and strings)
-What are good situations for using or saving meter? Trait? X-ray/Super/Ultra/X-Factor?
Level 2 (Overal tactics, strategy, and game engine knowledge)
-What is my opponent likely to do and why? How do I keep him from doing it or make him pay for it
-How can I get what I want before my opponent gets what he wants?
-Short-term DVR/learning/observing your opponent ("So every time I do this, he does that -- Ok; next time he does it, I'm going to do this instead")
-How can I trick an opponent who knows my character and blocks well into making a mistake and giving up damage?
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(Or put another way; How do I take advantage of my opponent's natural/logical human tendencies, timing, choices and reactions to cause them to make wrong decisions and give me opportunities?)
-Important: Learning (or at least being aware of the effects of) the game engine itself (Why/when does this cross up? What moves stuff this wake-up and why? What armor beats this other armor? Will this OTG? How do character hitboxes change my options or cause things to whiff? What happens on a trade? What becomes ambiguous or hard to react to? What is truly inescapable, and how can tricky situations be escaped? When do characters become invincible or otherwise alter their hurtboxes? What are the engine quirks or unexpected behaviors that I can use to my advantage)
-How should I play in each part of the match (Opening, Middle, Endgame)
-How should I play in certain game situations (Up by a large amount of life, in the hole by a large amount of life, even life and not much time left on the clock, being zoned and I need to get in, etc)
-What are general strategies that are good for my character in each matchup? (Stay away, chuck fireballs, use f23 when they wander into range, bait teleports and punish, etc.)
-What are all of my options, in case this particular option isn't working in a match? (Very few players consider and use all of their available options)
-How do I generally deal with different types of opponents (Highly offensive players, patient players and turtles, people that like to jump, repetitive players, random players etc.)
-When should I throw gimmicks in to mix things up? When should I stop using them?
Included in this stage are things like 'setups', which are basically pre-computed chunks of metagame designed to get a desired reaction out of or advantage over your opponent in certain situations. Likewise, you need to have a feel for how to defend against and get out of setups since your opponents will be using them on you.
Note: it's hard to reach this level until the 'building blocks' and
Level 1 are solidified to the point that they are second-nature. Meaning that if you are still worrying about basic inputs and executing combos, still trying to remember your best punisher at a certain range/frame advantage, or still trying to remember your opponent's frame data/options, it's hard for your mind to fully devote itself to the next level of tactics/strategy.
Level 3 (Advanced mind-games and strategies)
-How do I take an opponent who knows all of my Level 2 tactics, and abuse the fact that he's expecting me to use them (how do you destroy someone who 'knows how to fight' good/smart players of a character? It's almost like you have to build another level of metagame on top of the original meta to catch people who are making 'the smart choices')
-How do I mentally and emotionally manage myself during a match? Stay consistent? Keep from making execution/tactical errors due to being nervous, greedy, impatient/rushing etc. How do I stay centered and focused after an emotionally crushing or hard-fought loss? When my back is against the wall and I need to make a comeback?
-How do I block out the effects of the crowd, annoying spectators and coaches, people's expectations, stage fright/tourney nerves etc?
-How do I mentally get an advantage over this person in a match (MK9 Tom Brady, IGAU KDZ etc. are good at this. Being able to sense weakness, sense impatience, sense a lack of confidence and capitalize)
-How do I stay accurate and reactionary vs. settling into habits that can be picked up on?
-How do I adjust when things aren't going my way.. I just lost a match; how can I readjust my gameplan to come back and win the next match
-What is the history of the player I'm playing, and how can I take advantage of what I saw or know about him from his last tournaments/matches?
Level 4 (Zen)
Gdlk (Only a few/certain people reach this -- think Daigo as an extreme example) -- This is the level at which you are no longer thinking about any of the above; they just happen. Things flow and you routinely do things you may have never done before. Sometimes you're not even sure why you did things, but you just had a 'spider-sense' and they worked. You innovate without thinking because Levels 1-3 are like waking up and breathing to you.
