From the course: Game Design Foundations: 1 Ideas, Core Loops, and Goals

Unlock the full course today

Join today to access over 22,500 courses taught by industry experts or purchase this course individually.

Defining the core loop of a game

Defining the core loop of a game

From the course: Game Design Foundations: 1 Ideas, Core Loops, and Goals

Start my 1-month free trial

Defining the core loop of a game

“

- [Instructor] Let's talk about core loops in games. Just as every game has a core, so too does every game have a core loop. Now, before we dive into what a core loop is, let's take a look at what a core is. The core of the game is the one thing that game is about. It's the game's statement of purpose. If we use a car as an example, a car built for high performance has a different core than a car built for a large family. Well, they're both cars, but the car's core, its primary purpose is different the features of the care will likewise be different to support its core. Likewise, games have different cores and different features to support those cores. Now, if you can imagine a core as the hub of a wheel, a core loop is that wheel in motion. It's what happens to the player over time as he or she interacts with the core. And here's a dirty little secret. Although we always call it a core loop, in games it's actually a core spiral. Let me show you what I mean. Let's say that the core of…

Contents