Plenty of Roblox players want to create their own game but are intimidated by the thought of game development. Learning to code and navigate a game engine can put off many aspiring game developers. However, Roblox makes it easy for anyone to get their hands on the tools needed to create their own games, making development more accessible.
RobloxStudio is a game development engine that has all the necessary features to create a Roblox Experience and make it playable to users around the world. Aspiring Roblox creators will need to get familiar with RobloxStudio and other external software before they can create a successful game.
Installing RobloxStudio
The first step towards developing games with RobloxStudio is to download the software from the Roblox website. Before that, though, aspiring developers should have their computer software up to date and double-check the hardware requirements, as older computers may struggle to run the software.
Once RobloxStudio is installed, developers can start creating environments right away. The terrain editor can create custom, biome-specific terrains that can simulate anything from a mountainous snow scape to an open plateau. Developers have access an online library of public assets too, like models and textures. Without knowing a single line of code, developers can begin creating their server, block by block.
Accessing the Developer Hub
Roblox hosts a developer hub full of content to help creators get started. This offers invaluable resources for those who are brand new to RobloxStudio, like coding tutorials, community events and monetization guides. Developers should explore everything the hub has to offer when first starting out on the platform.
While the hub is an amazing place to gather knowledge, users can only post a question to the forum after browsing for 16 cumulative hours. While this encourages newcomers to fully browse the forum and hub before asking already answered questions, newcomers may be frustrated, as they can't ask pertinent questions at the very start of their development journey. Reddit hosts a dedicated Roblox developer community in the form of several active subreddits, so new users may benefit from posting questions there.
Learning the Language
While some Roblox developers will be completely content with using the established features, others will want to go the extra mile and learn how to create their own scripts. Scripting is essential to creating a game that players can win, like a tycoon or a parkour obby.
RobloxStudio uses a relatively simple programming language called Lua. Developers who plan to code their own Roblox games must familiarize themselves with Lua and computer logic. The developer hub has plenty of coding resources for developers to use, including a Lua language reference page. Those already familiar with coding languages will have no issues with Lua, and newcomers will find it straightforward and relatively easy to understand.
Installing Blender
One of RobloxStudio's biggest downfalls is that it doesn't have comprehensive modeling software. Instead, it's centered around putting together blocks of varying sizes to get a structure. This is great for some developers, but for those who want complete creative control and more complex shapes, it's imperative that they become familiar with external modeling software.
Blender is a free modeling and animation program, both of which will be useful in creating custom models and detailed animations. Models that are saved as a .obj file can be imported into RobloxStudio as a mesh part, and .fbx animation files can be scripted into character movement.
Seeking Further Help
For those who find themselves struggling through the development process, there are plenty of YouTube tutorials out there made by successful Roblox developers. AlvinBlox is an example of someone who has made numerous tutorials, including coding, modeling and animating custom rigs.
There are also published books about RobloxStudio. The official guide is Coding with Roblox Lua In 24 Hours by Genevieve Johnson, but another highly recommended read among the developer community is Coding Roblox Games Made Easy by Zander Brumbaugh. Both guides provide comprehensive coding examples and explain why each line of code functions the way it does, making them great resources for developers who want to get code-savvy fast.
Developing games using Roblox may seem like a daunting task, but with so many free resources available, even complete novices can learn RobloxStudio and publish a game on the platform. After getting the basics of Lua, modeling and game development down, a new Roblox developer should create Robux transactions and advertise their game to earn income from their hard work.