Roblox Metaverse: How to Build a Metaverse using Roblox Studio?

We are now in a great transition as the world contemplates virtual reality or, popularly, the metaverse for everything from gaming to shopping. Currently, only a few examples of metaverse-based platforms are doing really well, as the concept as a whole is still in development. One of those platforms is Roblox, a metaverse-based gaming platform particularly famous among young gamers. Roblox metaverse hosts around 43 million active players daily on its platform to set the context. The selling point of Roblox lies in the fact that it is not just for playing games but also for creating attractive metaverse-based games. 

This article will explain Roblox and how you can build a metaverse game on the platform with simple steps.

• How does Roblox metaverse operate??
• How the metaverse operates in Roblox?
• How is Roblox incorporating the metaverse?
• Metaverse game development in Roblox 

How does the Roblox metaverse operate?

Metaverse is a 3D virtual environment on the internet where users can interact with each other using digital personas called avatars. The metaverse contains virtual realities that exist and function 24/7, with people wandering, playing, interacting, or even virtual shopping. Augmented realities in the metaverse manifest physical objects in the digital sphere. Examples of metaverse environments include Decentraland, Second, Life, and Roblox. 

The name Roblox is quite popular among the young gaming community. To be clear, Roblox is not a game. Many think that Minecraft and Roblox are similar. But they are fundamentally different, as Minecraft is a single game. Still, Roblox is a platform of multiple games with real-time interaction of players. It is a gaming platform where users play and developers build games. Some virtual worlds in Roblox act as digital twins, meaning they are a graphical recreation of a real place on earth.

The model of Roblox is closer to Youtube’s, which revolutionized video-sharing platforms by giving equal importance to viewers and creators. Except, Roblox advocates the concept of metaverse to the fullest. Let’s look at how the features of the metaverse operate inside Roblox. 

How the metaverse operates in Roblox?

The CEO of the Roblox Corporation, David Baszucki, told a virtually assembled crowd that some people call Roblox the metaverse. “We’re shepherds of the Metaverse,” he said. At the same time, Roblox launched for the public with a value of $45 billion, surpassing Ubisoft, Take Two, and Square-Enix. So how exactly do the components of the metaverse operate in the Roblox world? As a trendsetter in the metaverse sector, Roblox talks about 8 parts of the metaverse they are building.

• Avatar – The avatar is the player’s expression in the virtual environment. Each player can choose how they want to be represented. Users can design avatars using metaverse fashion elements in Roblox which can also be purchased using Robux, the virtual money in the Roblox realm. 

• Interaction – Inside the Roblox metaverse, users can bring real-world friends and meet new people in a game with their avatars. Also, people can interact with each other through texts or voice notes.  

• Immersive design – Roblox is focusing heavily on a 3D immersive gaming engine. Graphics in Roblox range in different levels of immersive nature spanning from cartoony to highly realistic. This appeals to a wide audience as Roblox caters to children and adults alike. In addition, the platform aims to scale up the audience’s age group. 

• Globally availability – Roblox is focused on content moderation. It is making the gaming experience dynamically available to older devices as well, as long as there is a stable internet connection. Most games downshift the graphics and functions for older devices. Roblox’s content moderation efforts are making the metaverse concepts reach the localized sections of various gadget users. 

• Hundreds of virtual worlds – On the whole, Roblox hosts hundreds of virtual worlds created by different users. This way, the platform carries a variety of metaverse designs, predominantly games. Inside Roblox, it is easier to switch between the games or the individual worlds in which the games are built. Statistics show that an average user switches between 20 worlds in a session. Not just games, but Roblox also has elements where the avatars can hang out with other avatars from different parts of the world, listen to music, etc. 

• Robux – Robux is the in-game money of Roblox. The concept of native currencies is seen in many metaverse platforms. Some metaverses also use cryptocurrencies. In Roblox, Robux is used to buy almost everything priced inside the Roblox metaverses. Robux also has an exclusive economy inside Roblox. Users can convert their respective currencies into Robux. Developers collect some of the Robux from users who spend on their games. Developers can use the accumulated Robux to promote their game and build it. They can also convert it back to a currency of their choice. 

• Civility and Safety – Safety and order of conduct are important for the platform’s growth, especially because of the nature of Roblox and the common age group of their users. Other metaverse platforms use different systems, such as metaverse DAO, to ensure civility. Roblox invests quite a bit in AI, human regulators, and moderators in ensuring that the game is safe and respectful to whoever is playing on or using the platform. This is also why Roblox is methodical and slower in launching new features that could impede civility on the platform, like voice communication.

How is Roblox incorporating the metaverse?

One interesting thing about Roblox is the metaverse business technique they incorporate. They are making a completely User Generated Content (UGC) platform. Instead of focusing on coming up with the next big game and attracting an audience, they are trying to gain developers who can build on their platform and attract their set audience. Thus Roblox has two sets of customers to care about. Primarily, it serves the developers creating metaverses and games. Second, it hosts the players who engage with the content the developers create. 

Another key point to note is that the developers earn more than $100k through Roblox, and the community is growing faster than ever while getting more professional. They paid out nearly 583 Million USD to developers in 2021, an increase of 64% from the previous number. They also incentivized more developers to build realistic games and metaverse experiences on Roblox. Moreover, they emphasize the social aspects of gameplay, civility, and trust. Additionally, the monetization through Robux aims to include advertising and other forms of promotional activities in the future. 

Metaverse game development in Roblox 

Metaverse game development in Roblox can be done using Roblox Studio. It has a multifaceted toolset and is a great place to learn how to make video games. Keep in mind that Roblox refers to its games as “experiences.” 

Some tips to get started with it are mentioned below. 

Phase 1: Starting the construction of the game

1. You can launch the free Roblox Studio by visiting Roblox.com or downloading the Roblox Studio PC, an impressive app. Click the create option present in both. 

2. You will now see a lot of templates. Let’s assume you want to build a side-scrolling game such as Super Mario Brothers. Pick the Line Runner option. A Line Runner is a side-scrolling game, meaning the screen will move horizontally in the game as the characters move ahead. 

3. After picking the template, you have a full-functioning game. Just that it’s a little bit low on content. Press the play button or F5 on the keyboard to start the game. 

4. The avatar will appear on the screen, and you can press the space bar to play. 

5. Use the arrow keys to make your character move, and use the space bar to jump. So when you pick a template, Roblox lets you have a functioning game.

Our next job is to customize it so we can call it our own. 

Phase 2: Customizing the game 

Roblox games are built based on Lua programming. You can dive deep into programming and perform complex game-building. In this article, we will focus on basic game-building aspects that are doable by anyone. 

1. If your character is already running around (good that you followed the previous steps), click on Stop to return to Roblox Studio. 

2. Click on the Explorer window on the right-hand side. You will now see a hierarchy of options to add to the game. 

3. Click on Workspace, which will be the area where you can alter your game. Remember, if you don’t see it in the workspace, you won’t see it in the game. 

4. Click on the grass area. A blue box will appear, which indicates that the space is ready for modification. 

5. You can click on the drop-down menu to select the grass colors and more. To customize more than one area at a time, you can hold the CTRL key (CMD on Mac) to select areas. 

6. You can change the game from daytime to night in the Lighting option. 

7. Also, there is a Clock Time in the property window. You can set the time of your metaverse game using the clock. Let’s say you clicked 20 (8 PM), then the game will be in a shadowy dark theme. 

8. This step is where you add the Start section to your game. You can design it to match the rest of your game. Since it is not available in the workspace, go to Replicated Storage > Path Modules > Start Module. 

9. Next, click on Start and drag the Start from the Start Module. Put it into the workspace. 

10. Here, you can edit the two walkway files. The top one is grass, and the bottom one represents dirt. Accordingly, change it the way you want. Then return the Start back to its original location. 

You can then press F5 to start the game!

Phase 3: Publishing the game 

To share your game with the Roblox world, follow these steps. 

1. Click on File and then click Publish to Roblox. 

2. Set a title for your game and give it an interesting description. 

3. Your game will be available for PC, Phone, and Tablet by default. You can also click on the Console box to make it available on Xbox. 

4. Click on create to have your game up and running. 

5. Only you can access the game because it will be set in private. Go to File > Game Settings. Change the game permission to Public from Private. 

There you have it! Finally, you have your own game on the Roblox metaverse, built using Roblox Studio. 

Closing Thoughts 

One thing that is impressive about Roblox metaverse is the way it allows game players to interact with each other. It is also the predominant reason for Roblox’s success. Accordingly, you can see who else is playing in real-time and how good/bad they are playing. Until recently, Roblox only had a chat option using which players could communicate. Presently, a voice chat option is available to those over 13 years of age. But the voice chat option can only be enabled after submitting an ID proof. 

On the whole, Roblox offers a bustling, vibrant and lively metaverse gaming experience where most of the content is created by users. Given that, Roblox does have strict rules and regulations about game-making and the use of certain words. This is because most of Roblox’s audience is young kids. Given these points, Roblox is now pinning to become a leading metaverse platform, with more and more discussions taking place each day.