Hack Week: Envisioning ROBLOX on the iPad

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ROBLOX on iPad - In-Game InterfaceDuring this year’s Hack Week, ROBLOX developers shifted gears, working tirelessly to devise and present ideas fueled more by creativity than priority. This week, we’re featuring some of the most innovative ideas to come out of Hack Week. Our third highlighted project is an exploration of how ROBLOX’s in-game, game-browsing and social networking interfaces might look on an iPad. These early-stage mock-ups were conceived and produced by Visual Artist Tara Byars and Visual Designer Miguel Ortiz.

ROBLOX is an expansive platform. So, when it came to mocking up a new ROBLOX interface for a new device, we quickly realized we had to narrow the scope to the stuff users want to do on the go – browse games, play games, network with friends and groups, and buy and sell content.

Remember, these are initial mock-ups, produced outside of Apple’s development API. What you see is not set in stone; rather, we wanted to give give our ideas some tangibility and spark a discussion as to how ROBLOX on the iPad could look and feel. Click each image to view it at full size.

Browse games

ROBLOX on iPad - Browse Games

The iPad equivalent of the Games page should look familiar to any ROBLOX player. It offers three search methods, and a grid display of games, separated into multiple pages.

View and launch a specific game

ROBLOX on iPad - Game Screen

The interface for a specific game takes advantage of a classic iOS design feature: the cover flow. This would allow users to swipe their way through image and videos for a given ROBLOX game. Users would also see the game’s description, statistics and badges, the ability to share a game, and a traditional green Play button.

In-game interface

ROBLOX on iPad - In-Game Interface

We’ve shown ROBLOX running on an iPad, but there was no interface. This project focused on presentation rather than engineering, leading to this potential in-game interface. As you can see, virtual directional pads would drive character movement, while screen touches would allow users to swap equipment, interact with the environment (e.g., shoot a gun), and bring up the Backpack.

While the iPad offers alternative control schemes, such as tilt, virtual D-pads would feel similar to the traditional mouse-and-keyboard setup. They would also help level the playing field across platforms, as mobile and computer users could be in the same game.

User profile and social networking

ROBLOX on iPad - Profile Interface

Mobile social networking is growing fast. According to TechCrunch, monthly time spent on Facebook’s mobile site and apps (441 minutes) is higher than that of its classic website (391 minutes). About 61% of all tweets come from mobile apps. A key part of ROBLOX on the iPad is social networking.

As you can see in the above image, the ROBLOX profile page would include many important social features – a friends/best friends list that indicates who’s online, a listing of groups, and the ability to follow and message a user. It’s comprehensive, given the screen real estate, but also portable, so users would be able to communicate and organize even when they’re away from their computer.

Again, these are initial mock-ups, produced outside of Apple’s development API. We’re already thinking about these mock-ups at the ROBLOX headquarters, but we’re also interested in hearing what you think.

997 thoughts on “Hack Week: Envisioning ROBLOX on the iPad”

  2. is it going be a update or a game that is free it better be free i dont like to spend money sometimes

    -SINCENILY theoldrookie3451,notch44- ps i wonder what happen to john doe and jane doe and 1x1x1x1

  3. I’ve been thinking of this too! The game is almost exactly as I imagined! I think the site should be as similar to the PC version as possible though… As if opening it in Safari. PM me and I’ll respond! Same username.

  4. OK, This is awesome! But I don’t have an iPad, I have a “Kindle Fire”, And it’s awesome with apps and things. I really want you to put the ROBLOX program/app on the “Kindle”. If you do this Trillions, Or maybe Billions of ROBLOXians would buy it, If it is free then like 100,000,000,000 (Infinity) players would take it. Its a good idea, So just think about doing that and work on it. If you tell the players about that then tell them giantblock209 did it. I am giantblock209, I’m the real giantblock209. My only alt is “Giantblock209sAlt”. Bye, Do it.

  5. I have thought about this and have been wondering when they would do it, because eventually I knew they would, I just didnt know it would look that detailed! It’s a great idea and I hope they are able to make it happen. I just hope it wont cost that much on the app store…

  6. please make it compatible with the IPod too.
    Or will this update make it compatible anyways?

  7. I have been waiting so long for this. Plz say it wont be more than 3 months. I have been stuck on this iPad for a year, and Ive been waiting for the idea, and then for it to FINNALY come out. If you can, hurry plz

  11. I wish i can play on my ipad but my parents took it away from me but it will be kewl when i get it back!!!!!

  12. I used to like roblox back in 07 08 then in 09 it started to be terrible. Now its gone way to far. Farther then ever.

  31. roblox you have to let us play roblox on the ipad IT would be awsome plus i already have an ipad so that would be great

  33. SEEEEEEEEEMS LEGIT, MAKE IT FOR XBOX! (Splitscreen included!), PERSONALLY, i WOULD BUY!

  38. Guys, indymon’s right. We said this is how it might look. We never actually said that we would make it.

  39. Wow could you possibly make it playable on the Wii? or and portable device like an android phone?

  40. Good idea but tbh i think they need to dull down the graphics not even the pc’s we use could run that without serious lag. I think it should be avaliable and also this comment about crafting tables minecraft cant sue they do not own rights to the terrain or crafting infact ROBLOX came to our pc screens nearly 6 years before Minecrafts first BETA so look at the facts

  41. THAT WOULD BE AWESOME i just wish i had an iPad…

    (add me im bluehodoglover on ROBLOX)

  42. Guys, you do realize that some of the exact words are “Our third highlighted project is an exploration of how ROBLOX’s in-game, game-browsing and social networking interfaces might look on an iPad.” Yeah that’s right. >MIGHT LOOK ON THE IPAD<!!!

  43. You should talk to the people of minecraft to see if you could make the game controles and all that others stuff like there pocket edition

    • Add it for ipod like a plugin system you buy and i has 1 stick and a button then it could be played on it and oh yeah a wheel to zoom or without a viutrual stick and a click system and a vitural wheel for zooming

  49. can you download it now? if you can, how to download it? can you make games on the i-pad? is it available on i-pod?

  50. Whats the big deal its not a really biggy its just ROBLOX on a IPad when its updated.

  54. Can you do it for the nook tablet too please? I have one and id like to play ROBLOX (cause its the best) on my tablet when i cant get on computer cuz parents are on it.

  55. ……..80 percent of all robloxes new updates has bad coments, the other 10 percent is likes…i dont think that being a loyal robloxian….but still the crafting table IS from minecraft but they might change there minds. if they dont i wont use it ut otherwise roblox and there updates are cool.

    -Presto01 one of the few peeps who still are nice in the world.

    • The crafting update is NOTHING like minecraft. You act as if minecraft invented crafting, and the crafting system that ROBLOX is thinking about adding is NOTHING like what it is in minecraft.

      • Shut the winkerdoodle up!!! Minecraft Is as good as any other crafting virtual game

      • First of all, this is a entirely wrong post location, and second it IS like minecraft. Making something from something else, is like minecraft. As it is from every other game with crafting. (Terraria, TF2 (Is it?))
        but anyway, thanks for not being rude, like everybody else defending roblox.
        It really prevents me from thinking this game has no good players left.

  56. That would be so awesome for Roblox to be on the I-Pad!!!!!!!!!!! Hope it becomes true because I would totally get an I-Pad for that. I give the idea 5 stars out of 5 stars.

  57. This would be epic! I would definitely play on my iPad! It would also be cool if they released it on Android Tablets.

  62. MAke sure you don’t destory our Ipads like what you did to our computers/laptops xD

  65. NO!!! Roblox has been a computer game and should STAY A COMPUTER GAME! Roblox has taken to much stuff from minecraft, trying to evolve roblox into what its not. It shouldnt be for Xbox 360, WiiU, PS3, iPad it should be for the PC. They mentioned something about a crafting thing, Sound farmiliar? (Minecraft: Crafting Table) At this point, Minecraft should have a reason to sue,As much as I love Roblox, this is out of hand, So I dont really see a point in playing Roblox if they are stealing ideas from Minecraft and evolving it into something its not.

    • Minecraft doesn’t own crafting, nor Terrain. They don’t own multiple platform games. Go to law school and find out about copyrights, come back here and realize that Minecraft has no reason to sue, and companies have made more money by going on different Platforms.

      • Duh. If minecraft sues, ROBLOX has more money, better layers, and, of course, Minecraft hasn’t copyrighted any of ‘their’ supposed crafting and blocks. Roblox™, Copyright, 2006-2012, Patents pending. Minecraft®, 2008-2012. Which came first?

    • dude calm down you dont have to play it on the ipad and about roblox stealing minecraft its not roblox its kids or teens just like you so your freaking over nothing and just so you know if roblox went on xbox or ps3 it wont be the end of the world.

    • Logan, If you did the research like I did You would see that you are wrong in all ways. Okay let me break it down for you
      Roblox had been building the game itself starting in 2004.After lots of hard work it was released in 2006.(Did not find out days and months) Then on the other hand, Minecraft was released in 2009. Are you picking up what I’m putting down? So maybe roblox should sue minecraft? And by the way I think it’s a phenominal idea for roblox to transfer to an ipad as well, If main computers are busy whip out an ipad! I could even play it on the go! (If I had wifi of course I:) -
      #ILUVROBLOX It seems as if everyone is using the number sign for that so I decided to try it :33

    • YES! Minecraft should not sue and the crafting system is not like minecraft. It should be an iPad game too. Stop all of this arrogance and agree with me NOW! Also, it is just coincidental that Roblox is looking like minecraft.

  66. I think this should be a great update. There will probably be BIG problems, such as the screen being too small. Combat would also be a very hard thing to manuever with a wheel.

  68. Brilliant idea. Would be good for the idea to produce into something big. I have an IPAD and I would love to play ROBLOX on it!

  69. I like the idea but what really caught my eye is in the first picture, the pieces look like they have a mirror effect. I think a mirror effect would be awesome.

  70. this is a great idea,we can play roblox on the go and keep up with trainings and chat easier,and the site so far looks epic