Loop

Core gameplay loop

You might say: the repeatable play cycle

The core loop is a repeatable chain in which the player reads a state, chooses an action, sees the system's result and updates their mental model before acting again.

What it does

Defines the game's immediate rhythm and the decisions players spend most of their time making.

Ask

What does the player do again and again, and why does the next repetition matter?

What to look for

1. State read before an action
2. Result shown after the action
3. A changed state before the next repetition

Parts

• Goal state: A goal state is a desired condition that gives the next decision a direction.
• Choice point: A choice point is a state in which two or more actions have different consequences worth weighing.
• Action resolution step: The game resolves the chosen action against current rules, parts and resources.
• Feedback step: The game exposes the resolved result through changes in the scene, readouts, sounds or other signals.
• State change: The updated values and positions after the action become the starting point for the next repetition.

Loop: cycle

Goal state → Choice point → Action resolution step → Feedback step → State change ↺

Sources

1. Michael Sellers, Advanced Game Design: A Systems Approach, ch. 7, p. 226In a core loop, the player forms an intention and carries it out within the game, causing some change to occur in the game’s internal model. This change is presented as feedback to the player, often with an increase in ability or information.
2. Daniel Cook, Loops and Arcs, Loops section: model → action → system → feedback → updated modelThe player starts with a mental model that prompts them to… Apply an action to… The game system and in return… Receives feedback that… Updates their mental model and starts the loop all over again.
3. Steve Swink, Game Feel: The Secret Ingredient, opening; Response; RulesControl, intent, and instructions flow from me into the game as quickly as I can think.
4. Ian Schreiber, Game Design Concepts, Level 5: Mechanics and Dynamics, The Process of Play; Feedback Loops; HomeplayDesigners start with the Mechanics and follow them as they grow outward into the Aesthetics.
5. Tynan Sylvester, Decision-Based Gameplay Design, Decisions; Difficult Decisions; Tangible and Obvious ResultsThe ace that gaming has up its sleeve is that it gives the player opportunities to make decisions and then observe the results of those choices in a consequence-free zone.
6. Robert Nystrom, Game Programming PatternsA game loop runs continuously during gameplay.

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