The Real Core Loop - What Every Game Has In Common - Extra Credits

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We've talked about specific core loops of games before, but there's a core loop that every game shares: The Real Core Loop. Very creative name, I know. But understanding this loop can help reveal what kind of game you're creating & how to minimize frustration on the player's end.

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♪ Intro Music: "Penguin Cap" by CarboHydroM

♪ Outro Music:
“The Torment of a Twili”
By: Sentient Pulse

[extrahistory]

Loops within loops within loops... What game have you played with a really satisfying core loop? How did that fit into the real core loop? Is it a one-to-one match or is it focusing on a specific part of the real core loop?

[YourFunkiness]

If your loop has an unskippable cutscene between failing and trying again, you are evil.

[AEther]

I never knew Zoey was a real cat, and I'm so happy.

[FioreFire]

seeing that voice coming out of an actual human face discomforts me in a way I can neither understand nor explain

[carloscaro]

In military science, this is the OODA loop, or observe, orient, decide, act. One goal is breaking the enemy's ability to complete the loop, resulting in inappropriate action. By acting faster, the opponent becomes confused because the situation has changed before they have even finished processing the last set of circumstances. The obvious extension to game design is that forcing the player to react to faster, changing, or even multiple streams of data and actors using their own OODA loop increases the challenge without just buffing an enemy's stats.

Importantly, the OODA loop is a learning loop. Your game has to teach the player as it increases in challenge.

[skeleman]

Guys this loop has a name, it's the scientific method...

[matthewsteigauf]

Basically the core loop is just a target for the scientific method and good games teach us to apply the method without telling us we have to apply it.

[telltellyn]

The timing of Zoey turning her head and meowing at 00:18 could not have been more perfect.

[mroctavio]

Where do I actually send treats to Zoey?

[ChizzAir]

Now we know why Matt's facial animation in the intro was so exaggerated, he was telegraphing an attack on Zoey... Good to see she picked up on the visual cue and her counter attack was effective based on that audio cue.

[brockmckelvey]

Encounter an enemy
Scan that enemy
Look for elemental weaknesses
Cast strong spells
Run out of spell slots
Run from the battle

[MrLuisfrossi]

DOOM has the best core loop in gaming history: Rip and Tear

[hoodiegal]

I'm so glad you made this video because i've seen TONS of new games struggle with some part of this loop. And it is always extremely frustrating. Either there isn't enough info, or the feedback is lacking, or formulating your goal is hard... I think this is a very important design fundamental that many games lack.

[mroctavio]

Things like... *Medusa*
_Terraria PTSD kicks in_

[MayPastel]

I'm so glad they made the thumbnail a pic of Sam & Max! It makes me happy that someone on the Extra Credits team knows them. <3

[timushpetru]

Gothic 1 and 2 has one of the best loops in a game i have ever seen.Even if you do the same thing 3-4 times, each time it feels different and it always is so much fun finding the information you really need to complete a quest by yourself.

[qwertyqwerty-ekdy]

Holy sh...!!

What were those flesh monsters in the beginning of the video?! Do they eat cartoons?

[shawnheatherly]

Excellent video, it's a good explanation for why failing over and over in some games feels fine where in others it can be infuriating or just discouraging.

[iisgray]

Oh my gosh, Zoey meowed perfectly, my heart melted, I love her!

[Frooss]

Hey! I just wanted to thank you guys for doing this videos. I know the are meant for helping people develop games, but lately I been showing them to my girlfriend. Unlike me she's not a long time gamer, but she wanted to get in to it because it's a big part of my life. Something she struggles with is understanding the language of games which means she often get stuck in places I think the next step is obvious.
Your videos have helped her understand how games communicate what you should do, making my interest in games, our interest in games.