| Description |
The past five decades have witnessed the dramatic birth and growth of the video game medium into an essential facet of popular culture. Since then, innumerable games have been created across every conceivable genre and technological platform, each relying on some unique blend of mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics. Yet at the heart of each and every game released lies a fundamental theme of looping that plays an integral role across the medium. The significance of the gameplay loop is multifaceted, as I will go on to explore, but its roots lie in what a game inherently is, in the early history of game development, and even in modern day standard practices of game design. At their core, games are environments of repetition, in which players must learn new skills and apply these skills in ever-increasing challenges. Classic arcade games relied on endless play using the same level or two with ever-increasing difficulty. Mobile and browser games like Candy Crush, Angry Birds, and Bejeweled all rely on the addictive loop of play, lose (or win), and replay (or move to the next puzzle). Even games without explicit loss states, such as Kerbal Space Program or Minecraft, rely on the implied loop of planning, execution, failure, and starting over. These loops show up in many forms, but one would be hardpressed to find any video game that does not incorporate an essential theme of looping gameplay in one form or another. These games are continually pushing this concept of a loop in new directions and innovating with traditional mechanics to unique effects. As an iconic example of this, the respawn loop is a staple of many video games, especially role-playing games and online multiplayer games. From titles like Skyrim to iv Overwatch to the franchise of Call of Duty games, the cycle of play, die, and respawn is familiar to many gamers. Still, each game is able to accomplish something more-or-less unique with the mechanic. Minecraft builds an experience of creativity and exploration by allowing the player to set their own respawn point. Meanwhile, the sixty second timer on Minit's respawn loop ultimately amplifies themes of simplicity and efficiency. While the loop seems particularly well-suited for the field of video games, it is also useful to examine ways in which other media have adopted and adapted various conceptions of the loop in their own unique ways. The concept of the time loop in particular has been explored through films like Groundhog Day and stories like "‘Run,' Bakri Says," revealing a different potential of the loop in each. These loops bear interesting similarities with the effects of looping in video games, and it is worthwhile to look at these comparisons. Video games are continually expanding and innovating. As video games continue to change and the industry continues to grow, necessarily the concept of looping will continue to expand and develop. In order to understand these games, it's crucial to understand what these loops accomplish and what they might hold in store for the future. As with any field of interest, game design can be difficult to discuss without a fundamental understanding of how games function. The relatively short history of game design has also birthed many commonly used theoretical terms that might be confusing for those unfamiliar with the subject. In an effort to make this text more approachable to all readers, there is a glossary at the end of this paper containing many basic definitions of terms related to game design and game theory. |
