The order to build a Roblox game in
Eleven phases from studying a game to live ops, what each one produces, and why the numbers come before the map.
2 min read
Most wasted work comes from doing a phase before the one it depends on. This order holds up across idle games, simulators, combat games and remakes.
| # | Phase | What it produces |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Study | A one-line pitch and a breakdown of the reference game |
| 1 | Design and economy | The core loop, progression, monetisation, and a pacing simulation |
| 2 | World | The map, blocked out first and agreed before detail |
| 3 | Models | Meshes only for what parts can't do |
| 4 | Systems | Data, remotes, the loop, products |
| 5 | UI | Every screen in HTML first, then real ScreenGuis |
| 6 | VFX | Particle effects for every key moment |
| 7 | Audio | Music cues and sound effects with SoundGroups |
| 8 | QA | A fixed defect list, screenshots, measured loop timings |
| 9 | Launch | Thumbnails, icon, products, published place, analytics |
| 10 | Live ops | The funnel read daily, the next update planned |
Study a game from footage
Before remaking or competing with a game, pin down what it is measured, not remembered. Play it for 10 to 15 minutes and record it, then pull frames and write down:
- the core loop in one sentence, and its steps;
- the time to each milestone (first upgrade, first zone, first rebirth);
- prices and yields per tier, to fit a curve (say it's fitted, not recovered);
- the UI flow: which screens, in what order, what the HUD always shows;
- where monetisation appears: when the first offer shows and what it sells.
Then write what you'll keep, cut and improve. Never ship another studio's art; recreate it.
Simulate the numbers before building the world
A pacing script (a few dozen lines in Python or Luau) tells you the minute each milestone lands for a new player. Fixing the economy in a script takes minutes; fixing it after the map, UI and products are built takes days.
Decide one style for everything
Pick the style once per game and hold it for maps, props and every GUI. A stud-style world with a sleek UI reads as two different games.
Ask before anything public or irreversible
Publishing, uploads, products and prices are public, and some can't be undone. Treat them as a separate decision from the work itself, every time.