Spotlight: Larger Than Life Experiences With Diddleshot

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Ever since he was a kid, user Robert Wallbank (Diddleshot in ROBLOX) has been interested in how things work on a fundamental level. He developed a fascination with physics and design work, as well as graphics. Though math wasn’t his strongest subject, it was this passion that brought him stumbling to ROBLOX in 2008, after watching videos of ROBLOX on YouTube.

Robert decided that he wanted to make games, but wanted to shy away from simplicity. He wanted to make games that were total visual and audio spectacles–games that would put people in a state of awe. For Robert, immense scale was a must.

Train Demolition is (ahem) a blast. Seriously though, it's total madness. You blow up trains with bombs and bazookas.

He spent the next couple of years working on massive undertakings, including Mega Miner: The Haul Truck, Pinewood Space Shuttle Advantage (which is what grabbed our attention), Pinewood Computer Core, and Jet Engine Test. He also joined the Pinewood Builders Club, an elite group of builders who are, according to their Group page,  interested in “High-tech science to produce designs, structure, sophisticated machinery, scripts, engineering, knowledge and solutions to help improve the future and technological advances of ROBLOX; one brick at a time.”

Collecting pay dirt in Mega Miner: The Haul Truck

Their passion for science and technology becomes evident when you play games that feature some of the models that they’ve built. They collaborate mostly on engineering and designing complex vehicle models (like the massive rocket ship in Pinewood Space Station), then hand those models over to individual scripters to utilize them in games.

Robert had built the space shuttle with his group, but he still had to think of a game that could use it. He says he liked the idea of an, “ultra realistic launch sequence with sound effects and system checks.” In order to get the space shuttle to launch, Robert and colleague user ReddwarfIV faced a unique challenge.

“Engines are very precise pieces of engineering,” recalls Robert. “Originally, we had plans for actual combustion engines, where we’d use actual ROBLOX explosions to simulate ignition.”

The math for creating an ignition based on our explosions simply didn’t add up. Robert and  his partner had to think of another way. So they decided to look into Body Velocity settings on ROBLOX, and came up with a plan: they decided that in order to get the shuttle to launch, they would have to develop a script that alters velocity three separate times during the takeoff process.

“The body of the shuttle has a Body Velocity brick that is set by a control script,” says Robert. “The first script causes it to ascend vertically, then the script alters the value to a higher number for acceleration. At the later stage, the brick is set to reach and hit a specific height in order to simulate orbit”.

The engine powering the shuttle, which according to Robert is a “four stroke-type, cyclinder arrangement,” was an exercise in patience. Robert spent a lot of time lining up con-rods and getting friction settings to behave realistically. He even built a controllable seat in the cockpit, so users can fly the shuttle like an airplane on the way back to earth.

“Originally the jet had a very large fuel tank, and we had plans for the shuttle to explode once in every five launches,” recalls Robert.

He did eventually get the chance to put the one-in-five explosion plan in a game he made afterward, Jet Engine Test, where users can tinker with his engine and speed it up to see how fast they can get it to spin. Once in every five uses, the engine explodes. We checked it out, and the first thing we noticed is how loud it gets–it really does sound like a beastly engine. We also thought it was cool that you could get as close as you want–but get too close to the rotors, and the engine will suck you in and spit out pieces.

Robert has found his time with ROBLOX  becoming more and more limited, as he’s preparing to go to college to study engineering. Still, he has many ambitious plans for the future, in keeping with his desire to create larger-than-life ROBLOX experiences. He’s working on a team-mining game, where people gain money from mining items using massive drills, bucket machinery and bulldozers. He also wants to create a “research facility” where users will be able to run physics tests, chamber tests, and centrifugal space gyro tests in order to gauge how close ROBLOX’s physics system is to real-world physics.

“It’s all about determination, motivation, and finding an idea that works. I love building games that excite–big projects like jet engines or a massive mining truck with booming sound effects,” says Robert.  ”People love these things, right?”

Being a part of one of the largest and most elite groups on ROBLOX, and having built games and engines that have been played and seen literally millions of times, we think it’s safe to say, “Yes they do Robert. Yes they do.”

80 thoughts on “Spotlight: Larger Than Life Experiences With Diddleshot”

  1. This is yet another case of it doesn’t matter what age you are this game is a great start for building games, etc. I love this game, played for 6 years, I would even recommend introducing children to it. Well, to have them make games, use imagination, logic and math, it’s a good game enough said.. Far better off then say “call of duty”.

  2. I actually work for pinewood builders, Its actually pretty nice working in pinewood builders. You build huge trucks and big jet engines.

  3. He is a true builder unlike most of the front page free model games. The story isn’t that amazing or anything, he is old enough to learn how to script. Scripting is basically learning a new language with or without a teacher, for me without. All you need is time to learn. It’s also nice that you have started working on the gameplay. Too bad my internet is too slow to play a game, by the time it loads it shuts down. ~Thekai64~

  4. Go Diddleshot! Your games are great. They are yet to amaze me more with your future projects.

  6. I’m seriously tempted to try every single one of his games, for I’ve been looking for some EPICLY realistic games to add to my favorites again.

  7. Go Diddleshot! Keep it coming ROBLOX!
    Get that iPad app ready! I guarantee it will be a 5 star app.

  9. I’ve always loved his creations, but recently, they’ve been at the peak of awesomeness.

  14. I’ve seen ten times better these games was nothing in comparsion to some of the things I’ve seen helped with or built my self if you want somthing good go to the game called nexus

  18. Very interesting. It’s nice to see how people can create games that are well designed and are very popular.

  21. Robert, I wish you best luck, because I been in your games, and they are awesome! I know it took very long to script, and that is what I appreciate, the work, that turned success. I wish to be just like you!

  25. Diddleshot inspired me too practice to become a great builder and now ive learned the basics!

  26. He is an amazing man, having built all his games and be the head of Pinewood Builders everything.He is my idol, I want to be like him when I grow up. I only wish I could actually meet him. Long live Diddleshot!!!

  28. Hey roblox! You are getting better :) Anyways, this is so random. But maybe you should had a “DONATE” tool on roblox. Everything is always for BC, it’s cheap.

  30. Diddleshot has always inspired me with his games, they are very well designed and he puts alot of effort into them.

  31. I once tried making a combustion engine with real explosions, but the springy hinges resulted glitch engine.

  35. And really? Maths allows you to do that? I thought it was just numbers put together ;) Seriously though, I find the tools that ROBLOX provides too limited…

  37. Diddleshot’s work is marvelous and quite amazing. I’ve visted the space shuttle advatange, Pinewood Computer Core, and the Pinewood HQ, all of them simply one thing: Marvelous buildingship and architecture.

  39. Diddleshot, all i can say is that you are an amazing, and smart person. anyone on roblox would always be amazed by the buildings that you make, especially the space shuttle advantage. Diddleshot, you are one smart person.
    ~awsomedopy12345

  48. this is why I love roblox, it keeps getting better and better

    Maybe next time they will give up 1000R$.

  57. Diddleshot is the Best!!! I Wanted To Learn Scripting From Him, But I Didnt get A Chance To DO ANY of That, DIddleshot Is A Great Builder! If Only ROBLOX Took Him In as A ACV Builder Lolz

  58. Diddleshot is Amazing :D I like PB, And all his games. They all have real-life Physics, and i like that :D

  59. Diddleshot, I had total belief in you. You are such a amazing builder. I know one day you will make it to the top. I have TOTAL faith in you. You are also a ro-model for beginner builders. You show that even though you start small, you can turn out big. You are the best. I have total faith in you! With you, ROBLOX is a better place!

    ~Pinewood Builder,
    RRCTrooper

  63. I always have been an admire of DS even though I’m not PWB. A suggestion would be going to EBR and working with some users there and scripters. ;]

  66. Ah, Diddleshot. You never told me your name, and now I know >:D. We will make a shout on Pinewood showing your accomplishment.

  67. Diddleshot is one of the most innovative and smartest players on this website, in terms of building and organization (and scripting, to an extent). It’s really a surprise it took this long for him to get a spotlight.

      • Best builder, yes. Best scripter, debatable. You can go through many circles on ROBLOX to find the type of scripting he releases. While he hasn’t made any innovative scripts, he sure has used scripting in one of the best way ever on this website.

  68. This is great! I love studying physics and science, too! Once I’m done with my Computer Science class and learn computer programming, I’m going to make models like these, too! :D