---
title: "Get started"
url: /docs/en-us/tutorials/curriculums/artist/get-started
last_updated: 2026-07-10T16:32:01Z
description: "Explains how to get started with opening a project."
---

# Get started

Welcome to your first beginner VFX art lesson in Studio! To get started, let's walk through how to open the sample template, customize Studio's layout for your tasks, and playtest the core gameplay of the game where players join a carnival ride and defend their cart from enemies.

## Open template

Templates are pre-made 3D worlds that you can use as the base for your own games. To introduce you to animation in Studio, Roblox has created the **Mansion of Wonder** template with everything necessary for the game to work properly, such as the code to run the gameplay and an environment that you can customize at a later time.

> **Info:** For a full list of Roblox-provided templates, see [Templates](/docs/en-us/resources/templates.md).

Click the following button to open the **Mansion of Wonder** template:

## Customize workspace

Roblox Studio launches with extra windows open that you don't need for this lesson. You can close these extra windows to create more space for what you're currently working on.

To customize the workspace for your VFX art task:

1. Close each window on the **left** of the 3D view by clicking the **×** in the window's upper-right corner. If you don't see anything to close on the left, go to the next step.
2. Leave the **Explorer** and **Properties** windows open on the right side of Studio. If you have done each step correctly, Studio looks like the following image.
  > **Warning:** If you don't see the **Explorer** and **Properties** windows, toggle them on from Studio's **Window** menu.

## Playtest the game

Before you start creating VFX art, it's important to take a moment to playtest the template so you can see how the gameplay works. When players join the game and jump into the carnival ride, slimes and ghosts begin to slowly advance toward the player's moving cart. If these enemies touch the cart too many times, the cart explodes.

To playtest the game:

1. In the top-left corner of Studio, keep the default **Test** playtest option, then click the **Play** button. Studio enters playtest mode.
  > **Info:** There are a variety of additional playtest options that you will explore in a later chapter of the tutorial.
2. In the game, use the following player controls to walk up to the golem character on the stage, then press `E` to open up a menu. From that menu, click **Play Game**. | **Action** | **Control** |
| --- | --- | | **Move** | `W` `A` `S` `D` or arrow keys | | **Rotate** | Hold the right mouse button and look around. | | **Pan** | Hold the middle mouse button to drag your camera around. |
3. When the ride starts, left click to shoot the blaster at enemies. Watch the cart's health at the top of the screen and try and make it to the treasure room at the end.
  > **Warning:** During the ride, you can't use your mouse to click parts of Studio. To use the mouse, press `1` on the keyboard.
4. When you're done, return to the top-left corner of Studio, then click the **Stop** button. Studio exits playtest mode.

Now that you are familiar with the gameplay, it's time to start creating special effects!