diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 51f90ed..a39949b 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -13,4 +13,9 @@ include = ["/src", "LICENSE", "/examples"]
 [dependencies]
 
 [dev-dependencies]
-winit = "0.25.0"
\ No newline at end of file
+env_logger = "0.9"
+log = "0.4"
+pixels = "0.5.0"
+winit = "0.25"
+winit_input_helper = "0.10"
+rand = "0.8.4"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/basics.rs b/examples/basics.rs
index 2166293..b03a7ed 100644
--- a/examples/basics.rs
+++ b/examples/basics.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 use hypoloop::core::{State, Loop};
 
 fn main() {
-    // create sim with default configuration
+    // create a new sim loop
     let mut sim = Loop::new();
+    sim.set_update_interval(20);
 
     // test variable
     let mut x: f32 = 0.0;
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@ fn main() {
     // create a closure containing your update logic
     let mut update_logic = move |state: &mut State| {    
         // access loop metadata via the State object    
-        x += state.get_timescale();
+        x += state.get_timestep();
         print!("x: {} | ", x);
 
         // print information about the current tick's timings
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ fn main() {
     };
     
     // create a closure containing your display logic
-    let display_logic = move |state: &State| {
+    let mut display_logic = move |state: &mut State| {
         //
     };
 
@@ -27,6 +28,6 @@ fn main() {
     sim.init();
     loop {
         // "step" the sim forward
-        sim.step(&mut update_logic, &display_logic);
+        sim.step(&mut update_logic, &mut display_logic);
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/buffer.rs b/examples/buffer.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e8d7c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/buffer.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+#![deny(clippy::all)]
+#![forbid(unsafe_code)]
+
+use hypoloop::core::{State, Loop};
+use rand::Rng;
+use log::error;
+use pixels::{Error, Pixels, SurfaceTexture};
+use winit::dpi::LogicalSize;
+use winit::event::{Event, VirtualKeyCode};
+use winit::event_loop::{ControlFlow, EventLoop};
+use winit::window::WindowBuilder;
+use winit_input_helper::WinitInputHelper;
+
+const WIDTH: u32 = 500;
+const HEIGHT: u32 = 500;
+const BOX_SIZE: i16 = 64;
+
+/// Representation of the application state. In this example, a box will bounce around the screen.
+struct World {
+    target: [i16; 2]
+}
+
+fn main() -> Result<(), Error> {
+    env_logger::init();
+    let event_loop = EventLoop::new();
+    let mut input = WinitInputHelper::new();
+    let window = {
+        let size = LogicalSize::new(WIDTH as f64, HEIGHT as f64);
+        WindowBuilder::new()
+        .with_title("Hello Pixels")
+        .with_inner_size(size)
+            .with_min_inner_size(size)
+            .build(&event_loop)
+            .unwrap()
+        };
+        
+        let mut pixels = {
+        let window_size = window.inner_size();
+        let surface_texture = SurfaceTexture::new(window_size.width, window_size.height, &window);
+        Pixels::new(WIDTH, HEIGHT, surface_texture)?
+    };
+    let mut world = World::new();
+    
+    // create sim with default configuration
+    let mut sim = Loop::new();
+    //sim.set_update_interval(10);
+
+    let mut update_logic = move |state: &mut State| {    
+        // print information about the current tick's timings
+        state.debug_time();
+        world.update(state.get_timestep());
+        world.draw(pixels.get_frame());
+        if pixels
+                .render()
+                .map_err(|e| error!("pixels.render() failed: {}", e))
+                .is_err()
+            {
+                state.pause();
+                return;
+            }
+    };
+
+    // create a closure containing your display logic
+    let mut display_logic = move |state: &mut State| {
+        // Draw the current frame
+        window.request_redraw();
+    };
+
+    sim.init();
+    event_loop.run(move |event, _, control_flow| {
+        // Handle input events
+        if input.update(&event) {
+            // Close events
+            if input.key_pressed(VirtualKeyCode::Escape) || input.quit() {
+                *control_flow = ControlFlow::Exit;
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+
+        // step the sim forward
+        sim.step(&mut update_logic, &mut display_logic);
+    });
+}
+
+impl World {
+    /// Create a new `World` instance that can draw a moving box.
+    fn new() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            target: [0, 0]
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Update the `World` internal state; bounce the box around the screen.
+    fn update(&mut self, timestep: f32) {
+        let speed: f32 = 500.0;
+
+        let mut new_target = self.target;
+
+        // update the target
+        if new_target[0] < WIDTH as i16 {
+            new_target[0] += (speed * timestep) as i16;
+        } else {
+            new_target[0] = 0;
+        }
+
+        self.target = new_target;
+    }
+
+    /// Draw the `World` state to the frame buffer.
+    ///
+    /// Assumes the default texture format: `wgpu::TextureFormat::Rgba8UnormSrgb`
+    fn draw(&self, frame: &mut [u8]) {
+        for (i, pixel) in frame.chunks_exact_mut(4).enumerate() {
+            let x = (i % WIDTH as usize) as i16;
+            let y = (i / WIDTH as usize) as i16;
+            
+            let mut old_pixel = [0u8; 4];
+            for j in 0..4 {
+                // get the old pixel and decay it
+                old_pixel[j] = pixel[j];
+                if old_pixel[j] > 0 {
+                    old_pixel[j] -= 1;
+                }
+            }
+
+            let condition = x <= self.target[0];
+
+            let rgba = if condition {
+                [0xff, 0x00, 0x00, 0xff]
+            } else {
+                old_pixel
+            };
+            
+            pixel.copy_from_slice(&rgba);
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/pixelstest.rs b/examples/pixelstest.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab58c33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/pixelstest.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+#![deny(clippy::all)]
+#![forbid(unsafe_code)]
+
+use hypoloop::core::{State, Loop};
+use log::error;
+use pixels::{Error, Pixels, SurfaceTexture};
+use winit::dpi::LogicalSize;
+use winit::event::{Event, VirtualKeyCode};
+use winit::event_loop::{ControlFlow, EventLoop};
+use winit::window::WindowBuilder;
+use winit_input_helper::WinitInputHelper;
+
+const WIDTH: u32 = 320;
+const HEIGHT: u32 = 240;
+const BOX_SIZE: i16 = 64;
+
+/// Representation of the application state. In this example, a box will bounce around the screen.
+struct World {
+    box_x: i16,
+    box_y: i16,
+    velocity_x: i16,
+    velocity_y: i16,
+}
+
+fn main() -> Result<(), Error> {
+    env_logger::init();
+    let event_loop = EventLoop::new();
+    let mut input = WinitInputHelper::new();
+    let window = {
+        let size = LogicalSize::new(WIDTH as f64, HEIGHT as f64);
+        WindowBuilder::new()
+        .with_title("Hello Pixels")
+        .with_inner_size(size)
+            .with_min_inner_size(size)
+            .build(&event_loop)
+            .unwrap()
+        };
+        
+        let mut pixels = {
+        let window_size = window.inner_size();
+        let surface_texture = SurfaceTexture::new(window_size.width, window_size.height, &window);
+        Pixels::new(WIDTH, HEIGHT, surface_texture)?
+    };
+    let mut world = World::new();
+    
+    // create sim with default configuration
+    let mut sim = Loop::new();
+    sim.set_update_interval(10);
+
+    let mut update_logic = move |state: &mut State| {    
+        // print information about the current tick's timings
+        state.debug_time();
+        world.update(state.get_delta_time(), state.get_timescale());
+        world.draw(pixels.get_frame());
+        if pixels
+                .render()
+                .map_err(|e| error!("pixels.render() failed: {}", e))
+                .is_err()
+            {
+                state.pause();
+                return;
+            }
+    };
+
+    // create a closure containing your display logic
+    let mut display_logic = move |state: &mut State| {
+        // Draw the current frame
+        window.request_redraw();
+    };
+
+    sim.init();
+    event_loop.run(move |event, _, control_flow| {
+        // Handle input events
+        if input.update(&event) {
+            // Close events
+            if input.key_pressed(VirtualKeyCode::Escape) || input.quit() {
+                *control_flow = ControlFlow::Exit;
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+
+        // step the sim forward
+        sim.step(&mut update_logic, &mut display_logic);
+    });
+}
+
+impl World {
+    /// Create a new `World` instance that can draw a moving box.
+    fn new() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            box_x: 24,
+            box_y: 16,
+            velocity_x: 100,
+            velocity_y: 100,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Update the `World` internal state; bounce the box around the screen.
+    fn update(&mut self, delta_time: u32, timescale: f32) {
+        let timestep: f32 = delta_time as f32 / 1000.0 * timescale;
+
+        if self.box_x <= 0 || self.box_x + BOX_SIZE > WIDTH as i16 {
+            self.velocity_x *= -1;
+        }
+        if self.box_y <= 0 || self.box_y + BOX_SIZE > HEIGHT as i16 {
+            self.velocity_y *= -1;
+        }
+
+        self.box_x += (self.velocity_x as f32 * timestep) as i16;
+        self.box_y += (self.velocity_y as f32 * timestep) as i16;
+    }
+
+    /// Draw the `World` state to the frame buffer.
+    ///
+    /// Assumes the default texture format: `wgpu::TextureFormat::Rgba8UnormSrgb`
+    fn draw(&self, frame: &mut [u8]) {
+        for (i, pixel) in frame.chunks_exact_mut(4).enumerate() {
+            let x = (i % WIDTH as usize) as i16;
+            let y = (i / WIDTH as usize) as i16;
+
+            let inside_the_box = x >= self.box_x
+                && x < self.box_x + BOX_SIZE
+                && y >= self.box_y
+                && y < self.box_y + BOX_SIZE;
+
+            let rgba = if inside_the_box {
+                [0x5e, 0x48, 0xe8, 0xff]
+            } else {
+                [0x48, 0xb2, 0xe8, 0xff]
+            };
+
+            pixel.copy_from_slice(&rgba);
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/windowing.rs b/examples/windowing.rs
index 36b98b9..edf7a4c 100644
--- a/examples/windowing.rs
+++ b/examples/windowing.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ fn main() {
     };
     
     // create a closure containing your display logic
-    let display_logic = move |state: &State| {
+    let display_logic = move |state: &mut State| {
         // redraw the winit window
         window.request_redraw();
     };
@@ -41,6 +41,6 @@ fn main() {
     // run the winit event loop with embedded hypoloop sim
     event_loop.run(move |event, _, control_flow| {
         // "step" the sim forward
-        sim.step(&mut update_logic, &display_logic);
+        sim.step(&mut update_logic, &mut display_logic);
     });
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 7e13e94..fefb179 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@ pub mod core {
     /// Contains mutable simulation state which can be changed via callback functions
     #[derive(Copy, Clone)]
     pub struct State {
-        update_interval: u32,
         timescale: f32,
         simulate: bool,
         clock_start: Instant,
         last_tick: Instant,
         delta_time: u32,
+        timestep: f32,
         irl_time: Duration,
         sim_time: Duration
     }
@@ -18,35 +18,32 @@ pub mod core {
         /// Creates a default State object
         pub fn new() -> State {
             // Create default state object
-            let mut new_state = State {
-                update_interval: 40,
+            let new_state = State {
                 timescale: 1.0,
                 simulate: true,
                 clock_start: Instant::now(),
                 last_tick: Instant::now(),
                 delta_time: 0,
+                timestep: 0.0,
                 irl_time: Duration::new(0,0),
                 sim_time: Duration::new(0,0)
             };
 
-            // Make sure that delta_time always starts the same as update_interval
-            new_state.delta_time = new_state.update_interval;
-
             // Return this default state
             new_state
         }
 
-        /// Returns the "update interval", the minimum time (in ms) which will elapse between update ticks
-        pub fn get_update_interval(self) -> u32 {
-            self.update_interval
-        }
-
-        /// Returns the current "delta time", the time (in ms) elapsed since the last update tick
+        /// Returns the current "delta time", the real time (in ms) elapsed since the last update tick
         pub fn get_delta_time(self) -> u32 {
             self.delta_time
         }
 
-        /// Returns the current IRL time elapsed since the start of the simulation
+        /// Returns the current "timestep", the virtual time (in s) elapsed since the last update tick (necessary for scaling physics simulations, etc.)
+        pub fn get_timestep(self) -> f32 {
+            self.timestep
+        }
+
+        /// Returns the current real time elapsed since the start of the simulation
         pub fn get_irl_time(self) -> Duration {
             self.irl_time
         }
@@ -76,42 +73,56 @@ pub mod core {
             self.simulate = true;
         }
 
-        /// Changes the simulation update interval
-        pub fn set_update_interval(&mut self, update_interval: u32) {
-            self.update_interval = update_interval;
-        }
-
         /// Changes the simulation timescale
         pub fn set_timescale(&mut self, timescale: f32) {
             self.timescale = timescale;
         }
 
-        /// Prints a string of information about the current time (IRL time, Sim time, Delta time (tick), Delta time (step))
-        /// IRL time: Real time (in ms) elapsed since the start of the loop
-        /// Sim time: Virtual time (in ms) elapsed since the start of the loop
-        /// Delta time (tick): Real time (in ms) elapsed between the last tick and the previous tick
-        /// Delta time (step): Real time (in ms with nanosecond accuracy) elapsed since the last update tick
+        /// Prints a string of information about the current step's timings
+        ///
+        /// # Example:
+        /// `IRL time: 4443ms | Sim time: 4443ms | Delta time (tick): 40ms | Delta time (step): 40.0638ms | Timestep: 0.04s`
+        /// # Terminology:
+        /// - *IRL time:* Real time (in ms) elapsed since the start of the simulation
+        /// - *Sim time:* Virtual time (in ms) elapsed since the start of the simulation
+        /// - *Delta time (tick):* Real time (in ms) elapsed between the last tick and the previous tick
+        /// - *Delta time (step):* Real time (in ms with ns accuracy) elapsed since the last tick
+        /// - *Timestep:* Virtual time (in s with ms accuracy) elapsed since the last tick
         pub fn debug_time(self) {
             let elapsed_time = Instant::now().duration_since(self.last_tick);
             let loop_delay_ms = elapsed_time.as_nanos() as f32 / 1_000_000.0;
-            println!("IRL time: {}ms | Sim time: {}ms | Delta time (tick): {}ms | Delta time (step): {}ms", self.irl_time.as_millis(), self.sim_time.as_millis(), self.delta_time, loop_delay_ms);
+            println!("IRL time: {}ms | Sim time: {}ms | Delta time (tick): {}ms | Delta time (step): {}ms | Timestep: {}s", self.irl_time.as_millis(), self.sim_time.as_millis(), self.delta_time, loop_delay_ms, self.timestep);
         }
     }
 
     /// The simulation loop itself
     pub struct Loop {
         state: State,
-        realtime: bool
+        realtime: bool,
+        update_interval: u32
     }
     
     impl Loop {
         /// Creates a new simulation with default values
         pub fn new() -> Loop {
-            // Return a Loop object with a default State
-            Loop {
-                state: State::new(),
-                realtime: true
-            }
+            // Create a new State object
+            let mut new_state = State::new();
+            
+            // Create a Loop object with a default State
+            let mut new_loop = Loop {
+                state: new_state,
+                realtime: true,
+                update_interval: 40
+            };
+            
+            // Initialize the delta time to be the same as the update interval (to prevent division by zero)
+            new_loop.state.delta_time = new_loop.update_interval;
+
+            // Initialize the timestep based on the new delta time
+            new_loop.state.timestep = timestep(new_loop.state.delta_time, new_loop.state.timescale);
+
+            // Return the now-initialized Loop
+            new_loop
         }
     
         /// Initializes or re-initializes the simulation
@@ -126,11 +137,11 @@ pub mod core {
         }
 
         /// Executes the per-loop logic (can be triggered manually so that hypoloop can be tied into external event loops)
-        pub fn step(&mut self, mut update_callback: impl FnMut(&mut State), display_callback: impl Fn(&State)) {
+        pub fn step(&mut self, mut update_callback: impl FnMut(&mut State), mut display_callback: impl FnMut(&mut State)) {
             // don't run if the simulation is paused
             if self.state.simulate {
                 // TODO - support frameskips
-                if !self.realtime || delta_time(self.state.last_tick) >= self.state.update_interval {
+                if !self.realtime || delta_time(self.state.last_tick) >= self.update_interval {
                     // mutable delta time and timescale for flexibility
                     let elapsed_time = Instant::now().duration_since(self.state.last_tick);
                     
@@ -140,10 +151,11 @@ pub mod core {
                         self.state.sim_time += elapsed_time.mul_f32(self.state.timescale);
                         self.state.irl_time += elapsed_time;
                     } else {
-                        self.state.delta_time = self.state.update_interval;
-                        self.state.sim_time += Duration::from_millis(self.state.update_interval as u64);
+                        self.state.delta_time = self.update_interval;
+                        self.state.sim_time += Duration::from_millis(self.update_interval as u64);
                         self.state.irl_time = Instant::now().duration_since(self.state.clock_start);
                     }
+                    self.state.timestep = timestep(self.state.delta_time, self.state.timescale);
         
                     // update
                     update_callback(&mut self.state);
@@ -154,7 +166,7 @@ pub mod core {
         
                 // display
                 if self.realtime {
-                    display_callback(&self.state);
+                    display_callback(&mut self.state);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -163,10 +175,25 @@ pub mod core {
         pub fn set_realtime(&mut self, realtime: bool) {
             self.realtime = realtime;
         }
+
+        /// Returns the "update interval", the minimum time (in ms) which will elapse between update ticks
+        pub fn get_update_interval(self) -> u32 {
+            self.update_interval
+        }
+
+        /// Changes the update interval
+        pub fn set_update_interval(&mut self, update_interval: u32) {
+            self.update_interval = update_interval;
+        }
     }
     
-    // gets the time in milliseconds that's elapsed since the earlier Instant
+    // gets the real time (in ms) that's elapsed since the earlier Instant
     fn delta_time(earlier: Instant) -> u32 {
         Instant::now().duration_since(earlier).as_millis() as u32
     }
+
+    // returns the fractional timestep (in s) based on delta time and timescale
+    fn timestep(delta_time: u32, timescale: f32) -> f32 {
+        delta_time as f32 / 1000.0 * timescale
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file