Introduction to Scripting | Documentation - Roblox Creator Hub (2024)

In Introduction to Roblox Studio, you learned how to create and manipulate parts in Roblox Studio. In this tutorial, you'll learn how to apply a script to parts to make a platform appear and disappear. You can use this in a platforming experience to span a gap, challenging users to time their jumps carefully to get to the other side.

Setting the Scene

First off, you need a Part to act as the platform. Making and moving parts should be familiar to you from Introduction to Roblox Studio. You don't need a complicated world aside from the platform — you just need a gap that your users can't easily jump across.

  1. Insert a Part and rename it to DisappearingPlatform.

  2. Resize it to large enough for a user to jump on.

  3. Move it to a proper location so that you can reach it and jump on it when testing your experience.

    Introduction to Scripting | Documentation - Roblox Creator Hub (1)

  4. Set the Anchored property to true in the Properties window.

    Introduction to Scripting | Documentation - Roblox Creator Hub (2)

Remember that setting a part's Anchored property to true makes it stay in place no matter what. Your platform falls down if it's not anchored.

Inserting a Script

Code in Roblox is written in a language called Luau which you can put in scripts within various containers in the Explorer. If you put a script under a Part, Roblox will run the script's code when the part is loaded into the game.

  1. Hover over the DisappearingPlatform part in the Explorer window and click the + button to insert a new script into the platform. Rename your new script as Disappear.

    Introduction to Scripting | Documentation - Roblox Creator Hub (3)
  2. Delete the default code inside.

Remember to rename parts and scripts as soon as you create them so you don't lose track of things in the Explorer.

First Variable

It's a good idea to start off your script by making a variable for the platform. A variable is a name associated with a value. Once a variable is created, it can be used again and again. You can change the value as needed.

In Luau, a variable is created as follows: local variableName = variableValue.

The term local means that the variable is only going to be used in the block of the script where it's declared. The = sign is used to set the value of the variable. Names for variables are typically written in camel case. This is lowercase with every word following the first being capitalized, justLikeThis.

Copy the following code to create a variable for the platform called platform. where the value is script.Parent.

local platform = script.Parent

script.Parent is used to find the object the script is located in. As you might have guessed, script refers to the script you're writing in and the Parent of the script is where it's located.

Disappear Function

Time to make the platform disappear. It's always best to group code for achieving a specific action into a function. A function is a named block of code that helps you organize your code and use it in multiple places without writing it again. Create a function in the script and call it disappear.

The first new line declares the function — it indicates the start of the function and names it as disappear. The code for a function goes between the first line and end.

The parentheses are for including additional information as needed. You'll learn more about passing information to functions in a later course.

Part Properties

When the platform disappears, it needs to be invisible and users need to fall through it — but you can't just destroy the platform since it needs to reappear later.

Parts have various properties that can be used here. Remember that you can see a part's properties if you select it and look at the Properties window.

A part can be made invisible by changing the Transparency property. Transparency can be a value between 0 and 1, where 1 is fully transparent and therefore invisible.

The CanCollide property determines if other parts (and users) can pass right through the part. If you set it to false, users will fall through the platform.

Just like script.Parent, properties are accessed using a dot. Values are assigned using an equals sign.

  1. In the disappear function, set the CanCollide property of the platform to false.

  2. On the line following, set the Transparency property to 1.

    local platform = script.Parent

    local function disappear()

    platform.CanCollide = false

    platform.Transparency = 1

    end

You might notice that Studio automatically indents your code inside a function. Always make sure to indent your code like this — it helps indicate where the function begins and ends, which makes your code more readable.

Calling the Function

Once you've declared a function, you can run it by writing its name with parentheses next to it. For example, disappear() will run the disappear function. This is known as calling a function.

  1. Call the disappear function at the end of the script.

    local platform = script.Parent

    local function disappear()

    platform.CanCollide = false

    platform.Transparency = 1

    end

    disappear()

  2. Test the code by pressing the Play button. If your code works, the platform should have disappeared by the time the user spawns into the game.

Appear Function

You can easily make the platform reappear by writing a function that does the exact opposite of the disappear function.

  1. Delete the disappear() line from the script.

  2. Declare a new function called appear.

  3. In the function body, set the CanCollide property to true and the Transparency property to 0.

    local platform = script.Parent

    local function disappear()

    platform.CanCollide = false

    platform.Transparency = 1

    end

    local function appear()

    platform.CanCollide = true

    platform.Transparency = 0

    end

Looping Code

The platform should be constantly disappearing and reappearing, with a few seconds between each change. It's impossible to write an infinite number of function calls — fortunately, with a while loop, you don't have to.

A while loop runs the code inside it for as long as the statement after while remains true. This particular loop needs to run forever, so the statement should just be true. Create a while true loop at the end of your script.

local platform = script.Parent

local function disappear()

platform.CanCollide = false

platform.Transparency = 1

end

local function appear()

platform.CanCollide = true

platform.Transparency = 0

end

while true do

end

Toggling the Platform

In the while loop, you need to write code to wait a few seconds between the platform disappearing and reappearing.

The built-in function task.wait() can be used for this. In the parentheses the number of seconds to wait is needed: for example task.wait(3).

Whatever you do, never make a while true loop without including a task.wait() — and don't test your code before you've put one in! If you don't wait, your game will freeze because Studio will never have a chance to leave the loop and do anything else.

Three seconds is a sensible starting point for the length of time between each platform state.

  1. In the while loop, call the task.wait() function with 3 in the parentheses.

  2. Call the disappear function.

  3. Call the task.wait() function again with 3 in the parentheses.

  4. Call the appear function.

while true do

task.wait(3)

disappear()

task.wait(3)

appear()

end

The code for the platform is now complete! Test your code now and you should find that the platform disappears after three seconds and reappears three seconds later in a loop.

You could duplicate this platform to cover a wider gap, but you need to change the wait times in each script. Otherwise, the platforms will all disappear at the same time and users will never be able to cross.

Final Code

local platform = script.Parent

local function disappear()

platform.CanCollide = false

platform.Transparency = 1

end

local function appear()

platform.CanCollide = true

platform.Transparency = 0

end

while true do

task.wait(3)

disappear()

task.wait(3)

appear()

end

Introduction to Scripting | Documentation - Roblox Creator Hub (2024)

FAQs

Is scripting on Roblox hard? ›

The first year will always be hard for anyone learning to program. To me, it was hard understanding why things worked and to remember patterns. If you need help, ask, look up - but even looking up is difficult because they can be imtimidating to first learners.

Does Roblox use C++? ›

Roblox games and the Roblox platform itself are primarily built and scripted using Lua and C++.

Is Roblox coding easy? ›

Discover the Roblox programming language: Lua

It is known for its simplicity and ease of use, making it a popular choice for beginners and experienced programmers alike.

How long does it take to learn Roblox scripting? ›

Roblox employs Lua, and learning the fundamentals of Lua can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on how much time you devote to it. The more you practice, the more quickly you will learn.

Is Roblox scripting illegal? ›

Creating scripts for Roblox can be risky, especially if they involve exploiting or modifying game mechanics in unauthorized ways. Using or distributing scripts that give players unfair advantages or manipulate the game in ways that violate Roblox's Terms of Service can result in account bans or other penalties.

Is Lua easy Roblox? ›

Is Lua hard to learn? Luckily, if you want to learn Lua, you'll be happy to hear that Lua is not hard to learn. The best way to learn Lua, or any other programming language, is to do some programming. You can do this by building small programs or even start making a game and learn the basics as you go.

Is Lua easier than Python? ›

Conclusion. Lua and Python are both interpreted, dynamically typed, garbage-collected programming languages. Lua is smaller than Python, making it easier to learn and embed. However, Python is better supported and more widely applicable.

Why did Roblox choose Lua? ›

No, Roblox does not use Java. Lua is easier to use compared to Java. Lua doesn't use syntax that some children can struggle with. For example, there is no need to add a semi-colon at the end of every line of code in Lua, whereas you do in Java.

How hard is Lua to learn? ›

While every language has its complexities, Lua is one of the easier-to-learn languages and is excellent for beginners interested in image processing or game development.

Is Roblox coding for kids? ›

The Roblox programming language is called Lua, a text-based scripting language that kids use to help their game perform certain tasks. Roblox Studio offers educators and families a free, student-friendly tool to learn coding, computer science principles, animation, 3D design, and development.

How much do Roblox coders make? ›

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $180,000 and as low as $32,500, the majority of Roblox Game Developer salaries currently range between $81,500 (25th percentile) to $124,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $179,500 annually across the United States.

Is Roblox script hard? ›

Roblox scripting is not as hard to learn as other programming languages might be. But you will need to commit time and effort. How long it takes to learn Roblox scripting is not an easy question to answer, because it all boils down to how much effort and time you put into it.

How many scripts is too many Roblox? ›

It depends on what type of game it is. If it's a big game with lots of interactions, then it may be enough but if it's a game without a lot of interactions then yes, it is a lot. Edit: It probably will make your game laggy if there are many events happening at the same time.

Is Roblox hard to develop? ›

Creating a game on Roblox is not as difficult. To make a Roblox game, you should know about Roblox programming. It is easy, and millions of children create games on this platform.

How hard is scripting? ›

Learning a scripting language is an excellent introduction to coding and programming. They are relatively easy to learn and can be an effective jumping-off point to pursue your hobbies or career interests further.

Is scripting harder than coding? ›

In general, scripting is often easier to learn than programming, as scripting languages typically have fewer syntax rules and conventions, and they may also provide a higher-level abstraction of programming, making it easier to accomplish common tasks with less code.

Is coding a Roblox game hard? ›

It's relatively easy to make a Roblox game and share it. Kids can start making simple Roblox games in only a few minutes. Depending on the complexity of the game, it can take anywhere from just 15 minutes to months to make a Roblox game. To build more advanced games, it will require some level of coding in Roblox Lua.

How hard is Lua scripting? ›

Lua is a lightweight programming language that is relatively simple to learn. Its simplicity, flexibility, and versatility has resulted in it being used for scripting in video games and platforms such as Roblox, and other applications that require fast execution times.

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