AI agent skill · by @MRCalderon3D

Core Loop Design

Define the primary player activity loop and the support loops that sustain mastery, variety, and progression.

Archived 2026-10-23 · Source updated 2026-08-20 · License: MIT. Check the original repository for the latest version.

SKILL.md instructions

# Core Loop Design

## Purpose
Define the primary player activity loop and the support loops that sustain mastery, variety, and progression.

## Use When
- a concept needs gameplay structure
- the current loop feels unfocused
- new systems risk diluting the core fantasy

## Inputs
- product pillars
- target audience
- competitive references
- session and progression goals

## Process
1. state what the player repeatedly does and why it is satisfying
2. map supporting loops that reinforce the core loop
3. identify inputs, feedback, rewards, and failure points
4. test whether the loop fits the intended session length and mastery curve
5. cut systems that do not serve the loop

## Outputs
- core loop definition
- support loop map
- design constraints
- candidate tutorial beats

## Quality Bar
- the loop is expressible as a closed cycle of player actions, rewards, and re-entry motivation
- each loop step names the player verb, the feedback, and a duration target
- supporting loops (session, progression, economy) are explicitly connected to the core loop
- the loop is testable in a gray-box build without final art

## Common Failure Modes
- loops that depend on content volume instead of repeatable mechanics
- reward steps without a defined re-entry hook back into the loop
- a core loop tuned only on paper, never validated in a playable slice
- conflating the core loop with the meta progression that wraps it

## Related Agents
- systems-designer
- gdd-designer
- level-designer

## Related Commands
- gdd
- plan
- onboarding

## Notes
- Keep this skill aligned with the relevant rules layer and current project documentation.
- If engine-specific constraints materially change the workflow, hand off to the matching engine skill or engine-specific reviewer.