PixelCraft

Roblox Studio · Lesson 2

Move, Scale and Rotate: Building the First Playable Obstacle Course

Starting from coordinate axes, adsorption and Properties, turn a Part into a three-dimensional level with a starting point, jumps, narrow bridges and slopes.

Start Lesson 02 Back to Roblox Course
60 minutes After Lesson 1 Move / Scale / Rotate X · Y · Z Anchored Playtest

Course overview

From "putting a block in" to "accurately building a playable scene".

In Lesson 1, students have been able to open Roblox Studio, insert Parts, and complete the first test. This lesson focuses on the most important methods of working in 3D space: first select the object, then operate along the correct coordinate axis, immediately check the values, and finally test it from the player's perspective.

After completing this lesson, the scene is no longer a bunch of random blocks, but a clear route from the starting point, through jump gaps, narrow bridges and ramps, and finally to the end point.

01 · AXIS

Read the direction.

Use red, green, and blue to identify X, Y, and Z; confirm the highlighted handle before dragging.

02 · TRANSFORM

Change only one attribute

Move changes to Position, Scale changes to Size, and Rotate changes to Orientation.

03 · BUILD

Copy construction route

Copy from a master platform, name, arrange, fix, and then test.

The Move tool displays three coordinate axes of red, green and blue, select Lesson02Block
Figure 2-1: Three-way arrow of the Move tool. Red is X, green is Y, and blue is Z.

Learning route

Prepare first, then do it; after seeing the result, remember to save it.

Every time a small step is completed, it is tested. Say what you expect to see first, and then use Play and Output to check it. Don't rush to write all the code at once.

1

Save Lesson02

Save as "Initials_Lesson02" from Lesson01, retaining the recoverable version.

2

Know the axis.

Identify the colours and directions of X, Y, Z and understand the fixed steps of adsorption.

3

Adjust master platform

Use Move, Scale, and Rotate to make the first standing platform.

4

Check Properties

Confirm Position, Size, Orientation; only change one component at a time.

5

Copy and pin

Use Ctrl+D to copy, rename, and set the structure to Anchored.

6

Playtest and correction

Complete the route from the player's perspective, fixing only one type of problem at a time.

Move & snap

Move changes the position; adsorption makes every move neat and controllable.

Move only changes the Part's Position, but does not change its size or orientation. After the object is selected, the red, green, and blue arrows restrict the movement of the object along the X, Y, and Z axes respectively. When making a platform, first use the green Y-axis to leave the ground; arrange the forward path along the blue Z-axis.

Adsorption determines how much it changes each time, while color only indicates the direction. When starting, set Move to 1 stud and Rotate to 15° so that platforms, stairs, and walls can be aligned more easily.

  • Select Part in the 3D viewport or Explorer.
  • Use Move in Home or Model; the shortcut is Ctrl+2.
  • Hover over the target arrow before dragging, and view the Position value after dragging.
  • When you find that the direction is wrong, immediately Ctrl+Z, and then reconfirm the axial direction.
Don't confuse camera with object manipulation:Right-clicking on the blank space is rotating the camera; dragging the colored arrows, dots or rings is changing the Part.

Scale & rotate

First determine the standing area, and then use rotation to make a stable slope.

Scale changes Size. When making a platform, you usually adjust the width and length first, and then check the thickness at the end; a platform thickness of about 1-2 studs is enough for beginners. Also review Position.Y after scaling, as the object may grow larger around the center and penetrate the ground.

Rotate changes Orientation. The horizontal platform usually does not need to be rotated; when making a slope, use an angle of 15° to absorb it, make the slope gentle first, and then use Move to fine-tune the connection. Turning around the Y-axis will turn in the horizontal plane, usually without creating a slope.

  • Scale: Ctrl+3; check that all three Size components are greater than 0.
  • Rotate: Ctrl+4; starting from 15°, above 30° must be carefully tested.
  • After each change, check from the sides and top for gaps, overlaps, or overhangs.
Three-way control points for the Scale tool
Figure 2-2: Scale uses colored control points to change the length, width, and height of Part.
The rotating ring of the Rotate tool
Figure 2-3: Rotate uses three colored rings to change the object's orientation and slope.
Recommended exercises:Make a Part into a wide and flat platform, then copy it, stretch it into a long strip, and make the first slope at about 15°.

Properties & anchored

The tool handle is responsible for rapid construction; the Properties are responsible for precise inspection.

When Part is selected, focus on position, Size, Organization. Each element consists of three fractions: X, Y, Z. At a time, only one fraction is changed and the results continue to be observed before knowing which value has caused the change.

All major platforms should have Anchored=true. Otherwise they will be affected by gravity and fall after the Playtest starts. If the character crosses the platform, then check CanCollide; this is a different issue than Anchored.

  • Name the master platform StartPlatform.
  • Size can be set to close to 8 × 1 × 6 first, and then adjusted according to the level needs.
  • After Ctrl+D copy, name JumpBlock, NarrowBridge, Ramp, GoalPlatform in sequence.
  • Multiple-select the main platforms in Explorer and check Anchored uniformly.
Search for Anchored in the Properties panel and check Fixed
Figure 2-4: Search for Anchored in Properties to confirm that the platform has been anchored.
Naming is the map:The starting point, jumping block, narrow bridge, slope and end point should be visible at a glance in the Explorer; avoid leaving a large number of Parts, Part1 and Part2.

Mini obby

String the three changes into a route, and then verify it from the player's perspective.

The comprehensive task starts from the StartPlatform, passes through the spaced JumpBlock, the slender NarrowBridge, the angled Ramp, and finally reaches the GoalPlatform. Color can help distinguish functions, but whether the route is continuous and legible and whether it passes the test is more important.

Playtest is not to prove that the work is perfect, but to find the first failure point as early as possible: the distance is too far, the bridge is too narrow, the slope is too steep, or the platform is not fixed. After Stop, change only one parameter and then test again.

  • The starting point is a wider platform, with jump intervals beginning at about 3-5 studs.
  • Narrow bridges are kept longer and narrower, but still give beginners enough room to stay.
  • The ramp approaches the end of the narrow bridge; all major structures Anchored=true.
  • Record a specific modification, for example, "Move JumpBlock to the starting point 2 studs".
Obstacle course consisting of jumping blocks, narrow bridges, ramps and end points
Figure 2-5: A five-segment obstacle course completed using movement, scaling, and rotation.
Roles test barrier routes from starting point
Figure 2-6: Starting from the starting point in Playtest, check whether the route is truly passable.
Test sequence:Play → First observe whether the platform falls → Complete the route once → Stop → Modify only one question → Play again.

Homework

It's your turn to change and make your own version.

1 Draw a route

Keep the birth point, end point and three obstacles, and draw the path from start to end.

2 Label transformation

Write a name and approximate size for each obstacle, and mark the axis that needs to be moved or scaled.

3 Mark security items

Write the angle for the slope (such as 15°) and circle the platform that must be Anchored.

Completion criteria:First verify the work in Playtest, then click Stop and save it as "Initials_Lesson02" or the corresponding Homework copy; do not overwrite the runnable version of the previous lesson.

Exit questions

Answer it yourself first, and then expand on it.

What do Move, Scale, and Rotate change respectively?

Move changes Position; Scale changes Size; Rotate changes Orientation.

Which three axes do red, green, and blue usually correspond to?

Red X, Green Y, Blue Z.

The platform fell at the beginning of Playtest. Check what?

First check if Anchored is true.

Why do I need to Playtest after every modification?

Distances and angles that appear reasonable in the edited perspective may not be appropriate for the real player character.