Introducing the Metagame. (Goonstyle).

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What's the metagame? Let's look at the definition according to that most reliable of sources wikipedia:

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. Another definition refers to the game universe outside of the game itself.

And the metagame has come to our forums. Indeed, it's probably been here for quite a while, but it's openly in play now.

The only group currently on Elite: Dangerous that actually has any idea how this works is obviously GoonFleet. Let's have a look at what they're doing.

Here's the opening salvo: Announcing their non-affiliated News Network. That has nothing to do with GoonFleet whatsoever.

This announces their presence, because even the most unaware don't believe that someone unaffiliated would run a 'news' channel on their events. Until this post, most players probably weren't aware of their presence. Or even aware they were here. Or even cared.

You'll also notice that most people who come into threads like this and this one and defend the Goons from criticism are new members, Harmless and Mostly Harmless ranked at the time of their post. They're GoonFleet. Or most of them are. This mass defense of GoonSwarm by a lot of posters makes them look alright. It's forum warfare 101. 'We're not the bad guys you think we are!' And with all these people saying so it must be true?

Don't believe us: Here have a shiny event where we give away free stuff to show we're nice.
Cue this event: It went down last night and has been a great success. So now people are thinking Goons are probably alright after all.

What is amusing to me is one of the very first acts of GNN was classic GoonFleet, again using out of game stuff to further their agenda.

<Removed post as naming and shaming> on imgur is classic Goon. Public humiliation of a guy who just doesn't have the experience of dealing with them. This post pretty much caused the dissolution of his group. He wasn't in the right at all, but basically because he didn't know to keep his mouth shut and not let the Goons Goad him into anger. Of course this was also all released publicly [video=youtube;CDr-z-5yVpI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDr-z-5yVpI#t=128[/video].

So that's the metagame. Using the forums, twitter, youtube (and others like their twitch I was watching last night) to further your goal. And the only people playing it competently right now are the Goons. But they have a lot of experience.

Addendum: Yes, I know I know, I'm a notorious goon-hater. I spit on Goons. Except the ones I like. Their Ambassador's surname is one of my favourite whiskeys though damnit. But this post is NOT meant as a criticism of them. I do that often enough anyway, but since they're the only real example of good metagaming going on right now it outlines how things work really well.
 
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The Goon have never been a problem for me in Eve and yesterday's farce is proof enough that they will be equally harmless in this game. Really, to fall for their pranks, you have to be :
1) Stupidly gullible
2) Stupidly stupid
 
Friendship drive charging.. GoonFleet is big but the galaxy is bigger. Might take a while until GoonFleet conquers most relevant systems. Let them keep their corners of the sand box for all I care.
 
lol that's a pretty slick news report they got going there.

Metagaming is a great thing, adding lots more depth and colour to the game.

The Goons appear to have a very PR savvy aspect to them, but this only works if 1) you are aware of all this metagame, and 2) if you have bought into the online lifestyle and give a damn about your online rep etc etc
 
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I'm not all that familiar with the goons. I heard about them when I briefly played EVE, but never encountered any. To be honest, it wouldn't surprise me if the guys in Elite have nothing to do with the originals - they could just have borrowed their name, like TEST. In other words, they could just be a bunch of wannabes. Doesn't bother me either way, though. With 400B systems it's highly unlikely that anything they do will affect me negatively, and if it were to, then I just scoot away. No biggie.

I DID watch the palladium event up close and personal, yesterday (though I didn't take any - prefer to play the game properly, so to speak). They all seemed pretty well behaved. Even DimGook above who kept trailing a Type 7 very closely - presumably just for giggles. Of course, CMDR Ryan would suggest that this is all part of the ploy to make us all regard them as good guys - but what I'm not clear about, is to what end? What good does it do them if they're momentarily generous, only to turn on players later? Wouldn't take long for their reputation to catch up them, and for most to avoid them.

Plus, I'm actually quite happy that they "caught" the EG guys bad-mouthing like they did. They deserved it.

I suppose this post may sound like I'm defending goons - I'm not: honest! But they haven't done anything cringe-worthy yet, that I've seen or heard about, and I'm not convinced it's the same group as EVE. So: innocent until proven guilty, I think.
 
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I'm not all that familiar with the goons. I heard about them when I briefly played EVE, but never encountered any. To be honest, it wouldn't surprise me if the guys in Elite have nothing to do with the originals - they could just have borrowed their name, like TEST. In other words, they could just be a bunch if wannabes. Doesn't bother me either way, though. With 400B systems it's highly unlikely that anything they do will affect me negatively, and if it were to, then I just scoot away. No biggie.

I DID watch the palladium event up close and personal, yesterday (though I didn't take any - prefer to play the game properly, so to speak). They all seemed pretty well behaved. Even DimGook above who kept trailing a Type 7 very closely - presumably just for giggles. Of course, CMDR Ryan would suggest that this is all part of the ploy to make us all regard them as good guys - but what I'm not clear about, is to what end? What good does it do them if they're momentarily generous, only to turn on players later? Wouldn't take long for their reputation to catch up them, and for most to avoid them.

Plus, I'm actually quite happy that they "caught" the EG guys bad-mounting like they did. They deserved it.

I suppose this post may sound like I'm defending goons - I'm not: honest! But they haven't done anything cringe-worthy yet, that I've seen or heard about, and I'm not convinced it's the same group as EVE. So: innocent until proven guilty, I think,

For the record I am not actually a Goon or affiliated in any way with them.
 
I'm not all that familiar with the goons. I heard about them when I briefly played EVE, but never encountered any. To be honest, it wouldn't surprise me if the guys in Elite have nothing to do with the originals - they could just have borrowed their name, like TEST. In other words, they could just be a bunch if wannabes. Doesn't bother me either way, though. With 400B systems it's highly unlikely that anything they do will affect me negatively, and if it were to, then I just scoot away. No biggie.

Yeah, with 400B systems and instances limited to 32 players their ability to affect directly the game is zero to nil. In a situation like this metagaming becomes even more important to exert virtual control and power where there's no actual control or power. Oh and whilst they might not all be EVE goons, they are affiliated that much is clear from their setup and modus operandi. And your 'not-defense' post shows that the metagame is working ;)

I don't think their current actions are actually hurting the game at all. Indeed the game NEEDS player-driven content. The harm comes if they can hijack the forums and organise events like 'Burn Jita'. What impressed me was the way they used rage at the introduction of AURUM and the online store (which was the real cause of rage) to malign everything about the infamous Incarna release and basically forced CCP to move away from their 'walking in avatar' development to purely ship-based development which suited them. Genius. I don't like them at all, but you have to respect them.
 
Yeah, with 400B systems and instances limited to 32 players their ability to affect directly the game is zero to nil. In a situation like this metagaming becomes even more important to exert virtual control and power where there's no actual control or power. Oh and whilst they might not all be EVE goons, they are affiliated that much is clear from their setup and modus operandi. And your 'not-defense' post shows that the metagame is working ;)

I don't think their current actions are actually hurting the game at all. Indeed the game NEEDS player-driven content. The harm comes if they can hijack the forums and organise events like 'Burn Jita'. What impressed me was the way they used rage at the introduction of AURUM and the online store (which was the real cause of rage) to malign everything about the infamous Incarna release and basically forced CCP to move away from their 'walking in avatar' development to purely ship-based development which suited them. Genius. I don't like them at all, but you have to respect them.

I knew you'd suggest I was falling for it. But that aside, what would you hypothesize is their objective? What are they trying to achieve? Is this just a build up to another public event where palladium-seekers will be slaughtered like lambs? What did they do in EVE, other than apparently influence design/development direction?
 
Goons should be pre-emptively banned from any game, they need time off from online amusement to learn again how to behave properly with other human beings.

They derive their enjoyment from emotionally manipulating people.

What did they do in EVE, other than apparently influence design/development direction?

They run a tight RMT business. That's not possible in ED, so I guess they'll stick to cheesing the gameplay or playing mind games with people.
 
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Oh no the goons are here! Oh the humanity! I'd better panic! Wait... I actually could care less. They can do whatever it is they do and I'll keep doing my exploring.
 
I knew you'd suggest I was falling for it. But that aside, what would you hypothesize is their objective? What are they trying to achieve? Is this just a build up to another public event where palladium-seekers will be slaughtered like lambs? What did they do in EVE, other than apparently influence design/development direction?

Obviously. As to their objective, I have no idea. They do play the long game though. I think a simple trap for palladium seekers is far too obvious, but it might be something as simple as that.

As to what they did in EVE, there's a long long list, but can be summed up by the word: griefers. In the true sense of the word. Here's a post that sums up EVE goons mindset. It's pretty old, but still accurate. Let me be clear their 'gameplay' in EVE is fine, Empire building is fine and being smart about it is great. There are some very smart people in Eve Goons. What I object to is hurting people delibrately, humiliating people publicly outside the game, calling on players to harass someone who was upset enough to claim to be suicidal (I don't blame Alex at all for the state of the man's mental health, but asking people to harass him during FanFest was a low blow). There's a 'Me Me Me' aspect to Goon Culture that honestly, I find represents the worst aspects of the selfish side of our own modern culture. Those aspects should be criticised not lauded.
 
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