Last Updated on 01.04.2024
Roblox ─ is an online game platform and game creation system that allows anyone to create their own and play games created by others, covering a wide range of genres. In some sources, Roblox is called a meta universe.
Who created Roblox
One of the founders and CEO of Roblox Corporation is David Bazooki, known in the world of online games as Builderman. When you sign up for the Roblox platform, you are sure to receive a welcome message from him.
Engineering and computer science have been David’s main subject of study since Stanford University. He launched his first startup in 1989. It was an educational program called Knowledge Revolution: it was a simulation of a two-dimensional laboratory in which teachers and students simulated all kinds of physical problems using the appropriate tools.
Specific software made it possible to create virtual blocks, shells, and levers and conduct experiments with them. A number of physical tools even made it possible to simulate complex situations such as a car crash or a building collapse. It is not hard to guess that the use of such software often extended beyond the university laboratory.
Knowledge Revolution was sold by David in 1998 for $20 million. In 2004, David Bazooki, in partnership with Eric Cassel, founded Roblox. The name of the game platform comes from two words ─ robot and blocks. A couple of years later, Bazouki and Cassel gave the world Roblox Studio ─ the original toolkit for developing your own games.
Accessibility, simplicity, and tools
Roblox is available for everyone: it’s completely free, has no excessive hardware requirements, and works on all platforms, including smartphones. It’s very easy to start playing it.
It is important for newcomers to understand the following: Roblox Corporation itself does not develop games, it provides a wide range of opportunities to do so. Absolutely all unique content is created by the community. Thus, the development of their own games in this meta-universe was about eight million users. The platform is a kind of so-called “virtual Lego”, it inspires people to creativity.
You will find in Roblox a lot of games in different genres: simulation games like Sims, racing, RPG and others. What’s doubly valuable is that this platform’s toolkit supports VR: Back in the spring of 2016, the company introduced Roblox VR for Oculus Rift.
What exactly is the appeal of this metaworld? It allows anyone to try their hand as a developer. All the tools and infrastructure are free of charge.
It’s obvious that Roblox itself is an educational project: if you want to become a top game developer, you need to learn how to write code. The Luau language, based on the popular Lua, was specially created for Roblox. Luau sources are closed and only used within the platform.
This is not the end of the learning possibilities of the meta universe. The company offers a paid internship, which is of great value for young developers. In this educational program at the company’s headquarters in Silicon Valley, you can learn basic project management skills.
What you can play Roblox on
At the moment, Roblox supports almost all popular platforms. On a personal computer with the familiar Windows and on MacOS, you will be able to go to the official website of the company and register, after which the system will offer to automatically install the game player.
Applications for iOS, Android and Xbox are available in the official stores.
Unfortunately, the game is not yet available on the Sony PlayStation.
On the PC, the player will launch the game selection in the browser. There, the user will be able to find the variant he is interested in and explore all the information about it. If you decide to run this or that game, the system will bring you back to the player. On other platforms everything is done directly in the applications themselves.
Roblox itself is presented in English, but you will find games that support several languages, including Russian. If you enter the general chat, you will see that its members communicate in different languages.
What are playses
A “playses space” is a world of its own. In other words, it is a place where the player can “come” to spend time there at his own discretion. For example, in a popular playground called “Adopt Me,” users choose a pet and take care of it. In Tower of Hell, you can have fun with parkour and an exciting obstacle course.
Playses are traditionally divided into types and genres. Genre refers to the general atmosphere and a certain set of principles on which the game interaction is based.
Here are the most common genres:
- Building
- Fighting
- Adventure
- Sports
- RPG
- FPS
- Horror
- Sci-Fi
- Military
- Naval
- Town and City
- Comedy
- Medieval
- Western.
The genre is specified in the game description. But in most cases users are guided not by it, but by the type of playthrough.
What you can get for free in the game
One of the clear pluses of Roblox is that most playthroughs are free. At the same time, in any of them, you can meet your in-game currency.
You get a small amount of such “coins” at the start, then it can be replenished for daily participation in the game. Get more in-game currency you can, performing certain actions ─ passing complex routes, carefully caring for a pet and more.
For free you will be given a large selection of avatars for all tastes, different sets of clothes for the characters, options for dancing and expressions of emotion. In different games you will have the opportunity to get your own house (even if not distinguished by a special chic interior), a fairly simple track for parkour, standard cars and the like (depending on the genre, which is devoted to the playthrough).
Of course, it is possible to improve the characteristics of the items you have ─ however, this requires the same in-game currency.
One thing is for sure: even if you are not ready to pay extra money it will not make you feel uncomfortable and will not detract from the pleasure of gameplay. At least at first. You can also use Roblox codes for April 2024 to get different things in the game.
What do you have to pay for in the game
Roblox provides for donations, as do most gaming systems. Part of the proceeds from them goes directly to the developers of playsets and tools. It is for them in this metaclass universe that regular money is paid.
So, you will have to pay:
- To buy Robux.
This is a special in-game currency, which has already been mentioned above. You can buy it as a one-time purchase by paying a certain amount, or you can subscribe. The second option, by the way, is much better ─ you get more coins. Keep in mind that you can’t convert virtual coins and points from individual games in Robux.
Also, you can get a hundred coins just by participating in the Microsoft Rewards program. Signing up is completely free, and points will be awarded to you for some type of activity: for example, for searching in Bing or purchasing from the app store. Alas, this program is not available in Russia and many other post-Soviet countries.
- For Premium Status.
A paid subscription to the platform will cost you from five dollars per month and will give you access to a premium account. With this account, you’re guaranteed to get 450 coins or more every month.
On top of everything else, premium status users can trade within the game ─ sell various items of clothing, gamepasses to access the functionality of a particular playa (for example, the VIP-room or a powerful weapon), various unique items, whose release is limited.
- In-Game Purchases
By paying with in-game currency you can buy different playthings, upgrade your character’s closet, add accessories of your choice, change your avatar and badges, change your nickname and so on. Players who have a lot of players will offer you the opportunity to play on separate servers for coins, so that the game loads faster and does not slow down.
Also, for Robux you can create a group, and within it ─ clans and ranks. You’ll have the ability to add video previews to playsets, upload your own music to the library, and advertise products. Of course, all this will also cost a pretty penny.
The Dark Side of Roblox
It is worth understanding that the Roblox meta universe is actually a large social network. Millions of people from different parts of the world are free to enter the platform, create their own unique content and start communicating with other players. That is why you should be prepared for various pitfalls and tell your children about them.
For example, the following dangers may be waiting for you:
Condo Games ─ adult games
In the Roblox metacomplex, there’s a separate area of focus ─ creating “adult content” called “Condo”. These are games with explicitly erotic overtones or nude player avatars you can see in the background.
You have to hand it to the administrators of Roblox ─ they do their best to monitor and block such pranks, but alas, they can’t stop it “at the root”: condo games are freely available until they are removed from the platform. Kids can find them.
In most cases, they are games rated 13+ (apparently, children’s ratings are more strictly moderated). However, the fact remains ─ to find such content in Roblox even on purpose is very difficult.
Unpleasant conversations in chat rooms
As mentioned above, in the Roblox meta universe, players are free to chat with each other. Of course, among the participants there are those who disregard the culture of communication. As in any other “public” place, you can easily encounter a group of aggressors who want to bully, troll other players, or make obscene suggestions to them.
If you come across something like this, contact the administrators immediately and let them know what is going on. And, of course, don’t forget to talk to your children, reminding them of the culture of communication and the rules of safety on the Internet.
Malware
It would be surprising if the various spyware and viruses bypassed such a major platform. You can throw the player a “gift” in the form of a virus, share a link to a phishing site disguised as a nice bonus – alas, it’s not a rare thing at Roblox. However, you should not accuse the creators of the meta universe in all mortal sins ─ the whole World Wide Web is “sick” with similar.
As the saying goes, he who is warned is armed: be careful and teach it to your child. Do not click on suspicious links, do not open third-party files, which cause you doubt. Install a good antivirus program on your PC.
How Roblox affects children
A lot of games in the Roblox metacomplex are real-life simulations. On this platform, a child can have a pet, have fun at the disco, create a stunning new image ─ in a word, try out many roles that are not available to him in normal life. This is a great opportunity, but only until the player begins to abuse it, plunging into the virtual world and forgetting about what is happening around.
Gaming addiction develops just like any other addiction. Imagine a painkiller: it is good as long as it is used situationally and as prescribed. As soon as you start abusing it ─ you will become addicted to it, which will lead to a series of serious problems.
That is why, before you allow your children to play Roblox, it is worth doing some preliminary work:
- Explain to your child the basic rules of Internet safety: do not share personal information, do not make rash purchases, do not talk to strangers, do not click on suspicious links.
- Make a daily routine for children and allocate a place in it for games. Teach them to properly manage their free time. 15 and 5 minutes before the end of the established period remind them that the game session is coming to an end.
- Try to make the real life of your children rich and interesting, so that the game does not turn into the only “outlet” for them.
If you do start to notice signs of game addiction, what is better: a complete ban or control attempts?
It is worth considering that banning any game (Roblox is no exception) will only fuel even more interest in the teenager. Even if you take away all his gadgets and turn off the Internet, peace is not guaranteed ─ you will listen to the daily offended tales that “here the classmate parents are kind and do not forbid the game.
Of course, if the matter has taken a serious turn ─ your child spends all his free time in Roblox and is ready to spend not only his personal, but also your money on the game ─ it is necessary to take measures. Gradually limit the access to the game and return your teenager to the real world.