This is a great question that designers come across -- what is the difference between the Core Player Experience and the Core Game Loop?
Both the core experience and the core loop are critical design components to ensure a successful game. The core experience is more like a guiding light - or a "north star" for the game. By contrast, the core loop is more of a set of routines that the player does within the game. We can define the difference using the following statement:
The Core Experience defines the purpose of the game, while the Core Loop defines the main functionality the players perform.
Both the core experience and the core loop need to be compelling and have a strong connection to your players. If your players are not sold on the core experience, or the main purpose of the game, they will not be enticed to play it.
Some users may turn away from games simply because they don't like puzzlers, they don't like battlers, etc. The core experience is what offers the first connection between the game and the player. A marketing pitch as it were.
The core loop represents the main set of routines that a player performs within the game. In order to keep your players around and engage with the game, your players need to have a connection with the core loop. If they don't enjoy or like doing the routines in the core loop, your players won't come back for a second session.
Let's look at an example of the core experience versus the core loop. If you were designing a racing game, then the core experience and core loop could be defined as the following.
The Core Experience:
Build up your garage of custom 4x4 trucks that you then race against other players in a 12 person competition across a variety of tracks with different terrains, obstacles and skill levels.
The Core Loop:
A timed race taking place on a designated terrain using one of your custom vehicles
While there are similarities between the core experience and the core loop within your game, they are different components of your games design. The core loop represents the main functionality. If your racing experience is not enjoyable, then users will not want to participate in a single race. If they don't compete in the races, they have no reason to build up their garage, climb racing leaderboards or travel throughout the in-game world to try out different tracks. You cannot fulfill your games experience without the core loop being completely solid.
Another way to look at the differences is to think of the core loop as the primary routine that is performed over and over in the game. All the other bells and whistles around this primary functionality help to add depth and value, thereby fulfilling and magnifying the core experience.
The garage full of custom vehicles that players build up over time is a great way to add player depth and customizations within the game. However, players are not playing your game only to build up a garage of cars - they are playing your game to race vehicles. The garage full of custom vehicles allows them to get more value out of the core loop of racing the vehicles.
The different terrains help to add variety and elements of both chance and skill to each race. Again, players are not playing your game simply to see the different terrains. Rather, the different terrains add value to the core loop and thus helps to fulfill the defined core experience of the game.
One last way to think of the differences is that the core loop is very specific, and in many cases, rather basic. A timed race is a pretty simple core loop to understand. The core experience of the app encompasses greater elements that enhance the overall gameplay experience and add depth and value to the game.
