Game development was once a daunting task that could only be undertaken by large studios. Imagine if you could create your own game according to your specifications.
What if you were looking to share your new game with other gamers and game developers who are like-minded?
The good news is that Roblox’s coding language allows you to quickly build your game and share it with other enthusiastic players.
Histories
Roblox is a unique phenomenon. Released in 2006, Roblox is the brainchild of two developers, David Baszucki and Erik Cassel.
Roblox is more than a great gaming platform. Roblox is used by many people to create their own games.
You can also share games with the wider community. It has a passionate and dedicated fan base.
Development
The original Roblox, called DynaBlocks, was in beta in 2004 and launched two years later under the now-famous Roblox name. Over the years, Roblox has turned from a cutesy online platform to a development powerhouse, with standalone launchers for Windows 10, as well as support from Oculus Rift VR.
Party Place is a social platform that they recently launched to bring people together in a more socialized virtual world.
How to learn Roblox
Configuration, Installation, and Output console
Before you start coding with the greats, you need to download the Roblox player from the website. The installation is simple, and the hardware requirements are so nearly any computer can run it smoothly.
Roblox Studio Editor Basics
First and foremost, you are going to want to familiarize yourself with the GUI, or Graphical User Interface. This is how you will be launching your games through Roblox.
After you have familiarized yourself with the design and feel of your site, you can learn a few basic coding principles to make sure you are comfortable with it.
Game Code
There are a few notable things you need to know before you start coding full time. You need to be familiar with:
Strings
These are the items that will hold your code’s text. These are bracketed by apostrophes and quotation marks.
Tables
These lists contain indexes of arrays and objects.
Numbers
There is nothing surprising, it’s just numbers that we all use. Good old 1, 2, 3.
Variables
Variables are the variables that hold the values of your code. These are the elements that makeup almost all of the programming.
Functions
Functions can be used to run your code in different ways. They can be run one time or multiple times.
Statements
Here is where logic comes into play. These statements look like a basic logical statement: “If X is true then Y must be false.” These coding basics mostly use the ‘then’, ‘else, if’, and ‘nil statements.
Roblox Scripting Basics
Creating a Script
Creating a script is actually very easy, as scripts can be accessed right in the user interface, at the top right toolbar, under ‘script.’
Next, you will need to access the “print” function within the coding. This is the heart of coding. Print allows you to communicate your messages into the coding field.
You can try this: Type in “print(“HelloWorld”)”
This will create your first Lua script. You can only go higher from here!
How Effective is Roblox Lua Learning?
First thing’s first: you need to examine where you are in your coding journey.
A few years later?
It is vital to take stock of your strengths and weaknesses. This will allow you to better plan your path to success with Roblox scripts.
What to do
First and foremost, you need to code. Code day and night like your life depends on it. By coding so much, you immerse yourself in the world of Roblox, Lua, programming, and scripting.
This does not only apply to Roblox. This is a great practice for almost any programming project you might undertake.
Learn Online
You don’t have to learn everything yourself, so you can look up online courses on udemy. These will help you get started with Roblox Lua or coding in general.
We recommend that you check out the many video tutorials on Roblox scripting which are available online. For more detailed instructions, you can visit the Roblox scripting Wiki.
Community
For valuable advice, make sure you check in with other coders. It is a good idea to get feedback on your programming projects and some knowledge.
Projects
You must work on projects that challenge you to think outside of your comfort zone. You need to push the limits so that you can learn something and accomplish something.
Cleanliness
Cleanliness is a virtue. Keep your code clean. This will make it easier for you to debug and find problems in the future.
You deserve a break
If you have to, take breaks from studying. This won’t happen overnight so don’t get discouraged or burn out. This can be hard, especially if your great idea is something you are trying to implement.
However, breaks can help you recharge your mind and body so that you can code more.
Code, code, and code!
What to Avoid
Don’t just jump right in with no prior knowledge. If you don’t know how to script in Roblox studio, but you jump right in, you will be incredibly lost.
Do not get too excited.
It can cause you to lose your way. Even if you visit their site and take bits of code and try to modify it, it can confuse you more than help you.
Plagiarise!
It can be very helpful to copy code from someone much more skilled than you. If you do plan to copy someone’s code, be sure to ask permission!
The Best Roblox Games Ever
MeepCity
MeepCity has the unique honor of being the first game made via Roblox that garnered over a billion hits. This game was released in 2016 and heavily emphasized socializing with other online players. It pulls a lot of influence from Club Penguin and Disney in its style and approach.
Developer alexnewtron continues to play his creation in order to gain a better understanding of the dynamics and gamer demographics. His team is always searching for ways to improve the gaming experience in MeepCity.
Jailbreak
The product of a group of college kids programming in their spare time with Roblox programming, Jailbreak, is a nuanced and downright fun title to play. Players will be able to choose between playing as the police or criminals. The criminals have a multitude of different criminal activities to partake in, like engaging bank heists or the titular jailbreak.
On the other hand, the cops are charged with stopping the criminals’ schemes. Alex Balfanz, who is the creator of Jailbreak, has made a lot of money, even selling physical toys. He doesn’t let the money go to his head though as he and his team continue to improve and update Jailbreak’s mechanics.