You may remember us mentioning our new Capture the Flag template a few weeks ago. Since then, the Content Team has been hard at work creating new templates–particularly prime for competitive gameplay, with more styles of games to come in the future. ROBLOX Software Engineers Dan Healy and Kip Turner explain.
Each of the templates we’ve built is designed to serve a specific purpose, though there are numerous assets you could pull from them. There are standard death-match templates, and a few that may flip that basic mode on its head.
The new templates include: Team Deathmatch, Free for All (no teams, just frags), Control Points and Capture the Flag. We’ve also created blank baseplate and terrain templates that allow you to build from scratch.
We’re particularly interested in seeing what users build using the Control Points template–it’s a fun concept that’s been used in several FPS games. Essentially, your team must “hold” points throughout the map by staying put in a certain location (represented, in the template, by a beam of light on a circular disc). This makes for some intense cat-and-mouse scenarios, where you’ve got to infiltrate points with your team while defending captured points.
What’s great about these templates is that each of them can be taken apart, piece by piece. Every facet of a template–whether it’s an in-game radar or team spawn points–can be extracted and used individually in your place. We encourage you to pick pieces out of the existing templates to add to your place.
Steps to use an individual component (for beginner scripters and up):
- Go to the Build page and click Build New –> Game
- At the bottom of the New Place page, choose the Team Deathmatch template (this one uses the most components)
- Go to the Places page and make your new place Active
- Open up ROBLOX Studio, sign in, and go to your new place’s page
- Click Edit and check out the scripts in Workspace, StarterGui, and StarterPack
- Pick the components you want and copy them into your own place
- Check out how the components are used inside MainGameScript
We’re working on streamlining this process, with the ultimate goal of making it a “drag and drop” process.
These templates were built as starting points for builders. You can take these templates and simply place things around the map–spruce them up–or use them as inspiration for your own type of game. Utilizing the aforementioned how-to guide, you can actually grab individual facets of a template and apply them to your game. There are a lot of possibilities.
Scripters can benefit from templates as well. We consciously wrote the templates’ built-in scripts in an easy-to-read manner to encourage you to edit the configuration variables at the top and modify how the game plays. For example, you can easily modify your game’s round duration by going to the MainGameScript and editing the “RoundDuration” variable in the MyGame structure. The scripts in the templates also teach valuable lessons in scripting architecture and how to structure your code.
ROBLOX Base Wars is an example of a game that uses control points
We’re certainly not done with templates–we’ve got a lot of work to do. We want users to be able to use this in ROBLOX Studio. We want to make it easier to transfer files from a template to a game. We’re working on ironing these things out. For now, take advantage of our new templates and submit any bugs you experience or tweaks and enhancements you’d like to see. We check our accounts often at onlytwentycharacters (Dan) and SolarCrane (Kip). You can also discuss games with other ROBLOX users by checking out our Game Design Forum.
Well, I can say one thing: these templates were badly needed. I like the idea of templates; they will be a great help. However, I thing that we should be able to use our own templates, .rbxl files from our computer. This would definitely add tons to the template system. Keep up the good work!
I don’t understand how this will teach robloxians how to script. It gives them more of an easy way out of hard work. Instead of “I experimented with the game scripts and now i know basic scripting,” robloxians will say, “I just inserted stuff.”
You should keep the old ones though and add the new ones!!! ;D
Problem. Now I cant make a PBS starter place, so I cant make my mountain bases anymore. Same thing for the house baseplate.
i like the new stuff ilike it in roblox studio, because you use more stuff than ever!
i would much rather just a normal baseplate, imagene diddleshot trying to make an amazing place, and then it comes up with stamper tool baseplates, i think we should stop the stamper tool and go back to using normal bricks, like normal roblox is like. if you want to protest too say I.
I like this update, and since the capture point template looks the coolest, I’m gonna check that one out first. Also, make more updates for groups! Groups are like the only reason I play ROBLOX these days…
I think roblox should not put in terrain for default, just as an option. Terrain is very hard to use in building many things. Also Btools should be returned so that it is much easier to Cframe and script.
It’s a really good update, although what if someone wants to use the Happy Home In ROBLOXia place? Because it’s gone now. I like the update, just please put the Happy Home In ROBLOXia place back.
I like the new templates a lot. Thanks Roblox. XD
These templates are a step up to actually teaching robloxians how to build and script. I still belive it is not adequate enough.
I’m okay with the new places, but what I don’t understand is the 4×4 terrains. You can’t size them to your needs, causing lack in creations. That’s why hardly anyone uses them.
But it would be then harder to copy games…
Three words: Coolest. Templates. Ever.
Stop forcing terrain on us.
Why?
The Terrain was always a nuisance because you can’t delete it. If you look at my place… it’s still there. The only way to delete it is with explosives and that still takes forever.
Some people like me want to use bricks.
Because I dislike it. :)
exactly? Why do some people hate terrain?
They are not, they are simply trying to improve. They re-added baseplates so quit your complaining.
This is awesome! :)
What exactly IS a template?
A template is for robloxians when they start their place.
And roblox, can you make a halloween template? That would be legit!
Gotta love the term ‘Harvest’
Hey, it’s drewsome. I remember your heli-wars, it was a good game back in the day.
this is the same thing as if someone just filled their entire place with freemodels. Last i checked the most popular games are original games. This is just a handicap for learning i doubt this will be good for actual games
90% of games on the front page can be found in free models. The only ones that aren’t are Base Wars, Paintball! (which there is an outdated version of), and CoR5
And Catalog Heaven.
It’s easier to harvest free models from their scripts, and learn my self. All good scripters do this.
tht is so true man all of the real good scripters have done tht
I’d like see see an easier way to add Roblox’s gun models.
Why are they all FPS templates? I think Roblox should at least improve moving parts, namely projectiles, before making templates for games that require those exact things. Templates make games less original too. Lets encourage building stuff from scratch, not using other peoples’ creations.
Hey what i’m wondering on these new templates is could you pick up items in your parts list and use them in another roblox place you have?
“Free for All (no teams, just frags),”
Flags or Frags?
Eh, I pick frag grenades over everything…
I wish they still had the personal server starting place.
ME TOO!
Feels great to have an Actual Working Gun Mesh.
Yeah I know.
Control Points? Reminds me of Team Fortress 2. XD
Glad I wasn’t the only one thinking that :P
Same.
It was an inspired thing. Control points might as well become something like CTF and such.
My only problem with this is most new and inexperienced users will take these and use them, but won’t learn how to actually MAKE things themselves. Strictly for learning purposes, these are great, but I fear the majority of users will come to depend on Roblox supplied materials, which is a real drag to creativity.
That was my thought exactly.
Agreed, it’s a lack of creativity being limited to 4×4 blocks.
Agreed. While I’m no builder you stand a valid point.
Guys, I made a CTF game before the templates came to ROBLOX, they were giving a bit different template on ROBLOX news, so PLEASE play it!!!
ROBLOX Wiki: A smart way to start scripting
My thoughts exactly.
It’s a good way for letting members learn, as long as they don’t over script it for them.
I love this update super much!
You need to make a simple version of scripting, kind of like wiring, but more complex.
Scripting, expecially Lua, is very similar to writing, your basically telling the computer what to do, in fact, Lua is generally considered one of the easiest languages to learn
Thank you very much. You guys are awesome, you always give us the hook up! :D
Make RPG templates!
Terrible. Now who’s going to use their imagination apart from ROBLOX..
One enhancement that I would like to see would be in the scripts that divide teams into red and blue: make them support other colors of teams or more teams.
You would only need to know the very basics of Lua scripting to do that, so most people should be able to do that on their own, however it wouldn’t hurt… (yes, I realize I must sound like I think I’m some sort of lord over everything and must sound like a snob, so don’t say that)
Sweet :D
AWESOME!
I’ve always liked what ROBLOX has done for us. Thank you.
Could you make the leaderboards show a decal of a team logo at all? That would be so nice!
make the control points map using terrain.
Thanks so much! This a great idea! Best update of the month!
You mean of the year?
I love how you explain what to do.
sweet things are getting easier. i would still love to learn to script. i’ve been on roblox for years i never figured it out. i only know how to edit some scripts
Awesome! You guys should talk about group bases some other time! ~TheEpicGrox.
To see what each of these maps are in-game, go to my games. The ones that are shown here are labeled at the end ‘Starter Map’.
I actually find these templates to be for new guys but there are some cool scripts in here like the GUIs and the Uniforms. I want to know how to make guns where you have 2-hand wield.
With “Control Points” I’d like to see someone make “Star Wars: Battlefront” :D
Yeah, but not a cheap one, I want quality
Good luck with that. There was a good one but it was copied and the owner deleted it.
I’m going to make a COD MW3: Free For All. Advertise with 10k tix (if I can get my 1k) then try to become famous. :D If i do i’ll donate every one who ask.
That game was awesome. Somebody should totally do that. But I don’t know who would actually do it…
good job, Roblox.
Wow thanks roblox for the new help :)
Now just to combine all four into one game.
This needs to be done.
Cool.
What a great way to get more users interested in building and in Studio.
I found this out yesterday night. I was so happy that Roblox released new Game Templates!
I love this new template stuff Roblox is making.
Hmm I might try that out on my alt
I don’t think this is a good idea…I mean, this is an easier system, but it’s not hard enough to be encouraging.
Cool :D
Awesomeness xD
I’ve been wanting those scripts you used for the 3 stooges place to implement to one of my places, now comes the point to fixing em’ up to fit my need…
Cool, thanks!
Base wars should be its own temp.
base should be its own template but idk why it isnt its own template but im glad im not the only one who thinks tht