love2d-core Checked

Structure and debug a LÖVE (Love2D) game in Lua: the love.load/update/draw loop, delta-time movement, input, and screen states. Use when building a LÖVE 11.x game (main.lua, conf.lua, .love).

LÖVE (Love2D) Core

Set up and debug the foundation of a LÖVE game in Lua: the callback loop, frame-rate-

independent movement, input, and screen states. Targets **LÖVE 11.5**.

Structure and debug a LÖVE (Love2D) game in Lua: the love.load/update/draw loop, delta-time movement, input, and screen states. Use when building a LÖVE 11.x game (main.lua, conf.lua, .love).

LÖVE (Love2D) Core

Set up and debug the foundation of a LÖVE game in Lua: the callback loop, frame-rate-

independent movement, input, and screen states. Targets **LÖVE 11.5**.

When to use

• Use when starting a LÖVE game, wiring up main.lua/conf.lua, or fixing the core loop,

movement that runs at the wrong speed, input handling, or screen switching.

• Use when the workspace has main.lua calling love.*, a conf.lua, or a .love file.

**When *not* to use:** Lua *language* questions unrelated to LÖVE; physics bodies/joints

(LÖVE uses Box2D via love.physics — a separate concern); shader code (love.graphics

GLSL is its own topic). For cross-engine save/load patterns, use save-systems.

Core workflow

1. **Confirm the entry points.** A LÖVE game runs main.lua; it should define

love.load() (one-time setup), love.update(dt) (state), and love.draw() (rendering).

Window/version setup goes in conf.lua (run *before* modules load).

2. **Pin the version.** Set t.version = "11.5" in conf.lua so LÖVE warns on mismatch.

3. **Drive all motion by dt** (delta time, in seconds) so speed is frame-rate independent.

4. **Handle input** two ways: polled (love.keyboard.isDown in update, for held keys) and

event (love.keypressed callback, for discrete presses).

5. **Manage screens** (menu, game, pause) with a small state stack rather than a pile of

if flags — see Patterns and references/state-stack.md.

6. **Run and observe.** Launch with love . from the project folder; verify the window,

motion speed, and input on screen before assuming it works.

Patterns

### 1. main.lua skeleton (the callback loop + input)

-- main.lua — LÖVE calls these callbacks for you. Colors are 0–1 in LÖVE 11.x.
function love.load()
    -- One-time setup. speed is in PIXELS PER SECOND, not per frame.
    player = { x = 100, y = 100, size = 40, speed = 220 }
    love.graphics.setBackgroundColor(0.1, 0.1, 0.12)
end

function love.update(dt)
    -- Polled input: good for continuous movement while a key is held.
    if love.keyboard.isDown("right") then player.x = player.x + player.speed * dt end
    if love.keyboard.isDown("left")  then player.x = player.x - player.speed * dt end
    if love.keyboard.isDown("down")  then player.y = player.y + player.speed * dt end
    if love.keyboard.isDown("up")    then player.y = player.y - player.speed * dt end
end

function love.draw()
    love.graphics.setColor(0.2, 0.8, 1.0)                 -- tint ON
    love.graphics.rectangle("fill", player.x, player.y, player.size, player.size)
    love.graphics.setColor(1, 1, 1)                       -- reset tint before text/images
    love.graphics.print("Arrow keys to move, Esc to quit", 10, 10)
end