Basic Game Loop

The Basic Game Loop is the root cycle of play. Many game procedures (travel, encounters, combat) are essentially this same loop running at a different pace.

Used by: the start of play.
Uses: any specialized procedure as the game calls for it.
Goes back to: itself.
Records to update: none directly.

The three steps

The loop has three repeating steps:

• Describe. The DM explains the situation: what the players see, hear, notice.
• Declare. The players state what their characters do.
• Adjudicate. The DM resolves the action (rolls, decides what happens, etc.) and the situation changes.

Creation

The loop (especially Describe) requires material that has already been created in some measure.