Sure, Unreal or IdTech or Unity get a lot of the hype around
third-party engines used to create the games we know and love, but did
you know "Call of Duty" used the RoBlox engine?

Okay, not really. But some talented developers have put together a
"Call of Duty" clone using RoBlox, and it's surprisingly good.* Sure,
it is only a handful of maps, it is multiplayer only, and isn't
/quite/ up to snuff in comparison to the official version, but it's
still an impressive effort. It certainly is a far cry from the
primitive Minecraft-esque visuals I normally associate with the
engine. It just goes to show you how far RoBlox has come over the
nearly twenty years since it launched.

Myself, I have barely given RoBlox a look in years. Largely because
it's primarily aimed at the younger set, but it's almost vicious
monetizations and blocky appearance are also turn-offs for me. RoBlox
itself really isn't much of a game; its real strengths come from the third-party games people make using the core engine. But given its
typical audience, the vast majority of available titles aren't worth
playing; those that are usually aren't to my taste, and most of THOSE
still utilize the default blocky aesthetic of the core game.

But "Call of Duty Roblox" makes me wonder if I should give the
platform another look. Sure, the game in question isn't that exciting
to me, but if it is representative of the newer titles being made with
that engine, then perhaps I shouldn't be so disdainful of the
platform.

In fact, the only thing really keeping me immediately from delving
deeper into the subject is that I am already overwhelmed with games,
and I /really/ don't want to open myself up to deluge of titles.

Am we missing out?




----------------------------
* Here's a video about it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1_bR_qbwAU

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sunday, November 5, 2023 at 10:42:10 AM UTC-8, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

Sure, Unreal or IdTech or Unity get a lot of the hype around
third-party engines used to create the games we know and love, but did
you know "Call of Duty" used the RoBlox engine?

Okay, not really. But some talented developers have put together a
"Call of Duty" clone using RoBlox, and it's surprisingly good.* Sure,
it is only a handful of maps, it is multiplayer only, and isn't
/quite/ up to snuff in comparison to the official version, but it's
still an impressive effort. It certainly is a far cry from the
primitive Minecraft-esque visuals I normally associate with the
engine. It just goes to show you how far RoBlox has come over the
nearly twenty years since it launched.

Myself, I have barely given RoBlox a look in years. Largely because
it's primarily aimed at the younger set, but it's almost vicious monetizations and blocky appearance are also turn-offs for me. RoBlox
itself really isn't much of a game; its real strengths come from the third-party games people make using the core engine. But given its
typical audience, the vast majority of available titles aren't worth playing; those that are usually aren't to my taste, and most of THOSE
still utilize the default blocky aesthetic of the core game.

But "Call of Duty Roblox" makes me wonder if I should give the
platform another look. Sure, the game in question isn't that exciting
to me, but if it is representative of the newer titles being made with
that engine, then perhaps I shouldn't be so disdainful of the
platform.

In fact, the only thing really keeping me immediately from delving
deeper into the subject is that I am already overwhelmed with games,
and I /really/ don't want to open myself up to deluge of titles.

Am we missing out?

There's some fun games... for a short while. One of my and my son's
favorites was Build A Boat. You build a boat and see how far you
can get with it through various obstacles on a river. You and others
can help each other and build a boat together. You can save one boat
to start with each time. You do slowly get better parts as you complete
the boat.

My son plays on arena combat game - Ragdoll Universe, I tried it, but it
just wasn't interesting to me, and he always has problems with lag & rubberbanding in it.

There's some odd games that are unusual and different. I remember
something about being a bird and walking around and leveling up.

There's some typical progress hack and slash type crpgs which are o.k.
There was one tower defense I liked, where you team up with 3 others.

Not to my taste but my daughter plays platforming jumping puzzle game
"obby" and one where you find eggs and hatch, grow, and trade pets.

It might be worth poking around in, as essentially the games are mostly
free other than when they get grindy/transaction based - but that's more
on the maker, as there's plenty of games that don't have the transactions.

I suppose it depends if you like being nearly exclusively multiplayer... with
a lot of kids. Obviously more incentive for me to get to do something with the kids, but for the most part I don't like the games they do, I used to
try more, but I'm well burned out on them now.

- Justisaur

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sun, 5 Nov 2023 17:58:33 -0800 (PST), Justisaur
<justisaur@gmail.com> wrote:

I suppose it depends if you like being nearly exclusively multiplayer... with >a lot of kids. Obviously more incentive for me to get to do something with >the kids, but for the most part I don't like the games they do, I used to
try more, but I'm well burned out on them now.

Yeah, that's another issue for me. Not the kids thing - although that
is something of a turn-off, I'd endure screeching ten-year olds if the
game is good enough - but that so many of the games are multiplayer
focused. Of course, given the platform this isn't so surprising, but
as somebody who much prefers a strong single-player experience, it
makes the games found on RoBlox far less appealing to me.

Add to that fact that kids aren't the best when it comes to crafting interesting, involved narratives and RoBlox hasn't really been on my
radar very much.

But, as "Call of Duty Roblox" shows... maybe it should be. A huge
percentage of gamers (admittedly, most of them young) frequent the
platform, and many of them have grown up with it. The games they make
on the platform are growing up too. Ignoring it seems like accepting a
huge blindspot in my understanding of the hobby.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Monday, November 6, 2023 at 8:30:28 AM UTC-8, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Sun, 5 Nov 2023 17:58:33 -0800 (PST), Justisaur
<just...@gmail.com> wrote:

I suppose it depends if you like being nearly exclusively multiplayer... with
a lot of kids. Obviously more incentive for me to get to do something with >the kids, but for the most part I don't like the games they do, I used to >try more, but I'm well burned out on them now.

Yeah, that's another issue for me. Not the kids thing - although that
is something of a turn-off, I'd endure screeching ten-year olds if the
game is good enough - but that so many of the games are multiplayer
focused.

They only even added text and voice chat the last year or so, when
I played with the kids it there was none of that. Most of the games
the kids still don't use the voice chat, and text chat seems to be
more what games they're playing at least.

Of course, given the platform this isn't so surprising, but
as somebody who much prefers a strong single-player experience, it
makes the games found on RoBlox far less appealing to me.

Some of the games might as well be single player with as much
interaction there is except for seeing everyone running around doing
goofy stuff. Some it's integral though, obviously anything like Cod.

Add to that fact that kids aren't the best when it comes to crafting interesting, involved narratives and RoBlox hasn't really been on my
radar very much.

I'm fairly sure adults are making nearly all the most popular games
in teams. Roblox does make some of the games (or perhaps
commissions?)

But, as "Call of Duty Roblox" shows... maybe it should be. A huge
percentage of gamers (admittedly, most of them young) frequent the
platform, and many of them have grown up with it. The games they make
on the platform are growing up too. Ignoring it seems like accepting a
huge blindspot in my understanding of the hobby.

Looking through a list of the more popular ones, there's Scuba Diving at
Quill Lake which strikes me as one you might like. I have played it and
while it does have stuff to do and collect, it's closer to a walking
sim in it's pace and almost meditative feel. I'd go with that one for
your first dip in the game, though it does have the blocky characters.

- Justisaur

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)