Loops & Ludology

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

LOOPS & LUDOLOGYWhy great game design is all about the loop

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

LOOPS & LUDOLOGYWhy great game design is all about the loop

GAME:A competitive activity involving skill, chance,or endurance played according to a set of rules.

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

LOOPS & LUDOLOGYWhy great game design is all about the loop&What the evolution of game design can tell us

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

It started with a loop

Videogames started with a simple Feedback loop.

Press Button

Character moves

Game World

Updates

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

It started with a loop

I FEEL GREAT BECAUSE:IT’S INSTANTLY RESPONSIVE TO ME

Spacewar1962

Tennis for Two1958

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Press Button

Ship Responds

Bullets Drop

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

I FEEL GREAT BECAUSE:I’M BEING CHALLENGED, BUT I’M WINNING

Press Button

Ship Responds

Bullets Drop

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

I FEEL GREAT BECAUSE:I’M BEING CHALLENGED, BUT I’M WINNING

Press Button

Ship Responds

Bullets Drop

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Press Direction

Ship Moves

Bullets Drop

Kill Enemies

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

KillEnemies

KillEnemies

KillEnemies

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Kill Enemies

Enemies Get

Harder

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

I FEEL BAD BECAUSE:MY FAILURE IS AN INEVITABILITY

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

A loop within a loop

Ramping the player’s abilities as well as the enemies’ is psychologically powerful. Kill

Enemies

Collect Power-

Ups

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Rank Up!

Power-Ups increase the player’s strength

I FEEL GREAT BECAUSE:I CAN CRUSH PREVIOUSLY TOUGH OPPONENTS EASILY

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Loopin’ makes me feel good

The key to that payoff lies in the interplay between the player ranking up and the enemies becoming harder.

Kill Enemies

Collect Power-

Ups

Game Becomes Harder

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Loopin’ makes me feel good

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Difficulty

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Loopin’ makes me feel good

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© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Loopin’ makes me feel good

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© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Loopin’ makes me feel good

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© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Loopin’ makes me feel good

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© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Loopin’ makes me feel good

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© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Loopin’ makes me feel good

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0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 180 195 210 225 240 255 270 285 300 360 375 420 435 465Seconds

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© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Loopin’ makes me feel good

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0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 180 195 210 225 240 255 270 285 300 360 375 420 435 465Seconds

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© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Loopin’ makes me feel good

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© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Get there faster

Games then added a further layer – a meta-game on top of the core mechanics.

Combos = Accelerated Progress

Kill Enemies

Collect Power-

Ups

Game Becomes Harder

COMBO

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Get there faster

I FEEL GREAT BECAUSE:I’VE REVEALED THE HIDDENI’M SKILLED ENOUGH TO USE ITI FEEL LIKE I’M BEATING THE SYSTEM

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

It started with a loop

It turns out that feedback loops are the fundamental driver at many levels of game design.

Moment to Moment

Control Feedback Loop

Hitting Targets

Game Progression Loop

Reward & Reinforcement

Enticement Loop

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

It started with a loop

Press Button

Character moves

Game World

Updates

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

The User is Intelligent

The Player makes decisions about what to do.

Press Button

Charactermoves

Game World

Updates

Player Decision

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

The Loop is Intelligent

The Player makes decisions

So does the AI.

Press Button

Charactermoves

AI Decision

Game World

Updates

Player Decision

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

The Loop is Goal DrivenPress

Button

Charactermoves

AI Decision

Game World

Updates

Player DecisionThe decision is only about

how to reach the goal in a satisfying way.

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

The Loop is Goal DrivenPress

Button

Charactermoves

AI Decision

Game World

Updates

Player DecisionThe decision is only about

how to reach the goal in a satisfying way.

Quickest / Highest Scoring / Most Lives

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

The Loop is IntelligentPress

Button

Charactermoves

AI Decision

Game World

Updates

Player Decision REWARD

The rewards reinforcesuccessful behaviours.

• Earning points• Visual excitement• Ranking Up

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

The Loop is IntelligentPress

Button

Charactermoves

AI Decision

Game World

Updates

Player Decision REWARD

The rewards make it more pleasurable to perform the tasks required.

I FEEL GREAT BECAUSE:REWARDS ARE USEFULREWARDS = EASIER PROGRESSION

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

LOOPS & LUDOLOGYMaking a great reward

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Transparent

Progress towards gaining primary rewards should be clear.

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Meaningful

If the reward has a purpose it becomes powerful.

A pat on the back is nice, but if it makes my life easier then it’s truly appreciated.

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Layered

Additional reward tiers bring richness to the system.

It can be advantageous to have the progress towards these lower tiers more opaque.

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Layered

Skinner’s operant conditioning shows how simple it is to create compulsive behaviours.

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

BalancedExternally

The rewards have to be built into the overall system so that it is not unbalanced when they are won.

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

BalancedInternally

The rewards have to be equitable, giving no great advantage for one over another.

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

What is our Loop?

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

A Game Loop/Press

Button

Charactermoves

AI Decision

Game World

Updates

Player Decision

REWARD

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

What is our loop?Consumer Behaviour

Charactermoves

AI Decision

Game World

Updates

Player Decision

REWARD

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

What is our loop?Consumer Behaviour

Real world Results

AI Decision

Game World

Updates

Player Decision

REWARD

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Consumer Behaviour

Real world Results

Agency Business

Rules

Game World

Updates

Player Decision

REWARD

What is our loop?

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Consumer Behaviour

Real world Results

Agency Business

Rules

*Web *Mobile *Real life

Affected

Player Decision

REWARD

What is our loop?

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Consumer Behaviour

Real world Results

Agency Business

Rules

*Web *Mobile *Real life

Affected

Consumer Decision

REWARD

What is our loop?

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

How the pros did it...

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

There’s a clear consumer goal:Get from A to B.

The loop

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

There’s a simple thing to answer:How do I get there...

The loop

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

The loop

Press Button

Character moves

Game World

Updates

This was the space invaders loop.

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

The loop

Visit

Location

Check-In

Increases

Become

Mayor

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

The loop

Clear Progress to the Goal

2 more check-ins this week to be Mayor

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

The loop

2 more check-ins this week to be Mayor

Mayor gets free Coffee

Transparent, REAL WORLD reward

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

The loop

You are the Mayor of Mr. Coffee

YOU get free Coffee

Transparent, REAL WORLD reward

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Consumer Behaviour

Real world Results

Agency Business

Rules

*Web *Mobile *Real life

Affected

Consumer Decision

REWARD

The loop

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

Walk to work via

Mr. Coffee

Check In to Mr. Coffee

Check in=

Mayor=

Reward

Mayor of Mr. Coffee Updates

Find Coffee with

42 Free coffee

The loop

Goal:Get to workWith a Coffee

© Ben Gonshaw 2011

THANK YOU