Gameplay loops are all about keeping players coming back for more, and some are undeniably much better than others. Game designers can look at the effective gameplay loops used in online slot games, roguelikes and multiplayer games and incorporate lessons into their own work.
Most modern games have one thing in common, regardless of how different they are in other ways; they want players to keep playing. The strongest thing that a game can do to encourage repeat play is to provide a gameplay loop that players find particularly rewarding.
Of course, not every gameplay loop manages to tickle players; some are even renowned for turning players off, and a bad or unfun gameplay loop is often cited as a reason people give up on games. But successful gameplay loops can teach game designers a lot about what they should focus on when building their own games.
Not every successful gameplay loop is built the same either. The gameplay loops of online slot games on platforms like NetBet are very different to those that popular roguelikes use, which in turn are very different from the ones that popular multiplayer games feature. Clean gameplay loops only have to have one thing in common: they want the player to keep playing to get more of the same feedback.
Let’s take a closer look at what makes a good gameplay loop good, and at some examples of particularly clean and effective gameplay loops in modern gaming.
The Qualities of an Effective Gameplay Loop
One of the key parts of an effective gameplay loop is hinted at right there in the name: it’s a loop. It should repeat on itself over and over as gameplay takes place. This can be on a micro or macro level, depending on the game, but it will likely go something like this:
The player takes an action – they receive feedback for that action – there are consequences or a reward – the player must make a decision – the player can take an action again, potentially the same one.
The more meaningful each of these different stages feels, the more effective the gameplay loop is likely to be. Players should understand what is happening, why it matters, and what the results are, as this will encourage them to continue.
While that might seem like a whole lot, it is very important to remember that an effective gameplay loop need not be overly complex. In fact, the less complexity the gameplay loop has, the cleaner it is, and the more likely it is to be impactful and effective. Always remember K.I.S.S.: Keep It Simple, Stupid. Complexity without necessity will only obfuscate things and confuse players.
So what does this all mean? When you are building your game, try to build everything in your game to support and enhance whatever the core action is that players will be undertaking.
Slot Games Minimize Friction
One modern example of incredibly clean and effective gameplay loops can be found in modern online slot games. This is because these games provide very little friction around the core mechanics of the game.
Let’s go through a slot game session. The player picks a game from those listed on an online platform, sets how much they will stake on the spin, then spins. The game provides a visual and audio response to the player’s action, then delivers an outcome. The player then has the decision of whether or not to spin again.
If we take the beginning of the loop from the placing of a stake, this loop might be as fast as 5 seconds or less. Most importantly, there is nothing getting in the way of the player starting the loop again; there is no friction.
Repetition With a Purpose
When one of the big goals for modern games is to get players coming back over and over again for more, providing a gameplay loop that has repetition built into it is important. Some of the best games today that do this are roguelikes, with Hades and Hades II being excellent examples.
The loop in these games is built on a bigger scale than slot gaming, with players beginning a run, fighting through different areas, collecting upgrades and upgrade materials, winning or failing the run, then returning to the hub with new permanent unlocks, advancement in the story, or simply knowledge they can use in the next run.
These games have made repetition an enjoyable part of their loop, because it is never meaningless. Even when a player fails, they have gained something, and there is some purpose to what they’ve just done. This feels rewarding and encourages the player to continue.
Other Players in The Loop Increase Variance
Another way that gameplay loops can be rewarding is when other players are part of the game.
If we look at a popular multiplayer game like Fortnite, the loop might look something like this:
Enter a match – compete with other players for resources – win or lose – earn macro progression – change your loadout or strategy – enter a new match.
Because other players are involved, there is a large degree of unpredictability to every cycle of the loop. For game designers, the value of having a structure that allows for a significant amount of variance is what should be learned here.
The gameplay loop might be the same every time, but the actions of the other players will make it so that every experience of that loop is unique.
