A skill atom feedback loop is composed of four main elements: -Action: The player performs an action. For a skill atom encounter by a new player, the action might involve pressing a button. More advanced atoms might instead require the player execute a batched set of actions such as navigating a complex maze. -Simulation: Based off the action, an ongoing simulation is updated. A door might open.
- Feedback:The game provides some form of feedback to the player to let them know how the simulation has changed state. This feedback can be auditory, visual, or tactile. It can be visceral in the form of an exploding corpse or it can be symbolic in the form of a block of text.
- Modeling: As the final step, the player absorbs the feedback and updates their mental models on the success of their action. If they feel that they have made progress, they feel pleasure. If they master a new skill or other tool, they experience an even greater burst of joy. If they feel that their action has been in vain, they feel boredom or frustration.
At any point in time you can tell the following information • Mastered skills: Skills that have been recently mastered. • Partially mastered skills: Skills that the player is toying with, but has not yet mastered. • Unexercised skills: Skills the player has yet to attempt. • Active skills: Skills that the player is actively using. (aka the Grind) • Burned out skills: Skill atoms that the player has lost interest in exercising.