What makes a strong core gameplay loop?

A core gameplay loop is defined as; what the player is spent the majority of the time performing and or interacting with in order to complete an objective or objectives; and that the main things being done is the core system.

What makes a strong core gameplay loop?

What seems to make one is that the side loops or the off paths are feeding into the system to keep the player on said path to perform said task.

An example; I have a game where players are creating potions.

The player has the ability to create potions that can damage enemies, heal people, cure the sick, etc.

However my only way to get more ingredients is to buy them so make potions to sell in order to get more potions.

What if the player doesn't have ingredients to make potions in the first place and is broke? Then the player will have to find ingredients.

Then the player makes potions to sell, then does another part of the loop or sticks to the main loop.

That's a very simple example of a gameplay loop but what about a weak gameplay loop? One that doesn't focus on the core experience, lacks depth of play and keeps the player doing busy work.

An example of a weak gameplay loop;

Player makes potion

Player sells potion

Player buys ingredients

Then player makes potions

That's a very simple, dull gameplay loop, as thus why more elements or side loops are added.

What is a side loop?

A side loop or a support loop would be defined as; what holds up your core gameplay system, what is meant to be weak in order to keep your core system strong? 

Sometimes the support loop accidentally ends up being more fun than the main gameplay loop.

When the core gameplay loop is overshadowed by the support, you need to go back to the drawing board or focus on the side loop more than the core loop.

Examples of a failed system
Combat Masters; from what I've seen and heard from my friend with this game, the gunplay sucks but the movement of the game feels fun, as thus it fails as an arena shooter with having it where people are more focused on the movement aspect than they are the gunplay, making this less fun for players who enjoy gunplay and not focusing in the correct area.

Twin pillar gameplay loop?
Okay this term I coined but I define it as; two systems that cannot work without each other and that are supposed to feed into each other, a yin and yang kind of deal with the two both meaning to be the core.

Please note; this is the most risky kind of gameplay loop and the more pillars you add, the harder it is to balance the importance with having to add more complexity to said game system. A game can accidentally become a pillar system.

Example of a failed system
Artifact; Artifact was supposed to be balanced around RNG and having a high competitive strat; however people were more focused on playing the strats that were the most consistent with RNG that played into their favor with being able to control the flow of the match with ONE deck with the RNG gameplay loop being cut out where the two gameplay loops were supposed to support each other.

Examples of a successful system
Minecraft; you're supposed to mine and craft, as thus a game built with two systems supporting each other as the two are feeding into each other.

You have it where you break things, gather resources, get said things with better tools you crafted, said tools break and or need to be repaired and having it where things can be upgraded and having to improve as you make better items.

Zelda Tears of the Kingdom; you're supposed to fight, find new items, gather resources and fuse items together with the said items you have to become stronger and help you fight your way to victory.

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