Coding the Leaderboard

In-game, player will have important stats they need to see like the items they've collected. These numbers will be displayed using a leaderboard. Leaderboards are built-in features of Roblox that need a script to be activated and customized.

Setting Up the Leaderboard

Whenever a player is added to the experience, they'll need to be added to the leaderboard along with code for tracking the individual stats.

1. In the Explorer, under ServerScriptService, create a new script named PlayerSetup. In that script, delete the hello world line and write a descriptive comment.

   

2. After the comment, create a custom function named onPlayerJoin with a parameter named player.

   -- Creates a leaderboard that shows player variables
   
   local function onPlayerJoin(player)
   
   end

3. In onPlayerJoin, create a variable named leaderstats, and have it create a new Folder Instance.

   local function onPlayerJoin(player)
    local leaderstats = Instance.new("Folder")
   end

4. Name the new Folder instance leaderstats, and parent it to the player. Naming the folder leaderstats lets Roblox Studio know to create a leaderboard.

   local function onPlayerJoin(player)
      local leaderstats = Instance.new("Folder")
      leaderstats.Name = "leaderstats"
      leaderstats.Parent = player
   end

   Because leaderboards are a built-in feature, they must be named exactly as seen. For example, a folder named "leaderboard" wouldn't work.

5. After the end of the function, connect OnPlayerJoin to the PlayerAdded event. Whenever a player joins the experience, each player will be provided the leaderboard.

   local Players = game:GetService("Players")
   
   local function onPlayerJoin(player)
      local leaderstats = Instance.new("Folder")
      leaderstats.Name = "leaderstats"
      leaderstats.Parent = player
   end
   
   Players.PlayerAdded:Connect(onPlayerJoin)

   Don't test yet since you won't see a leaderboard. Because there are no stats to display, the leaderboard won't appear.

Tracking Player Stats

Now that a leaderboard is created, it needs to show the player these numbers:

• Gold - How much money the player has.
• Items - How many items the player has collected from the world.
• Spaces - The most items a player can hold at one time.

Each of these numbers will be an IntValue, a placeholder object for a number.

Coding Player Gold

Start with coding a stat for gold.

1. In OnPlayerJoin, under leaderstats.Parent = player, type local gold = Instance.new("IntValue"). This creates a new IntValue and stores it in the variable gold.

   local function onPlayerJoin(player)
      local leaderstats = Instance.new("Folder")
      leaderstats.Name = "leaderstats"
      leaderstats.Parent = player
   
      local gold = Instance.new("IntValue")
    end

2. Next, type gold.Name = "Gold". This gives the IntValue a name so you can use it in other scripts. The name will also be shown to players on the leaderboard.

   local function onPlayerJoin(player)
      local gold = Instance.new("IntValue")
      gold.Name = "Gold"
    end

   If you decide to use your own stat names, keep track of their exact name and spelling. They'll be referenced later in the series for other scripts.

3. On a new line, type gold.Value = 0. This sets the starting value for players.

   local function onPlayerJoin(player)
      local gold = Instance.new("IntValue")
      gold.Name = "Gold"
      gold.Value = 0
    end

   While variables are normally changed using = as in myNumber = 10, an IntValue is changed using Value, like myIntValue.Value = 10.

4. Type gold.Parent = leaderstats. This parents the IntValue for gold to leaderstats. If the IntValue is not parented to leaderstats, players won't see it.

   local function onPlayerJoin(player)
      local gold = Instance.new("IntValue")
      gold.Name = "Gold"
      gold.Value = 0
      gold.Parent = leaderstats
    end

5. Play your project and notice that a leaderboard appears in the top right.

   

Troubleshooting Tips

If you don't see the leaderboard, try the following:

• Make sure that .Value is capitalized.
• Make sure that the variable for the IntValue is parented to the leaderboard like gold.Parent = leaderstats.

Coding Items and Spaces

Remember that the stat names can be anything based off the game design document. In other words, "Items" can be "Crystals" instead.

1. Add a blank line to separate the next stat, then create the item stat by setting up a new IntValue the same way you did for gold.

   local function onPlayerJoin(player)
      gold.Parent = leaderstats
   
      -- Create the Items stat
      local items = Instance.new("IntValue")
      items.Name = "Items"
      items.Value = 0
      items.Parent = leaderstats
    end

2. Create a new stat for the player's bag spaces. Set spaces.Value to 2 so players start the experience only being able to hold two items at once, encouraging them buy a new bag as soon as they can.

   local function onPlayerJoin(player)
      items.Parent = leaderstats
   
      -- Create the Spaces stat
      local spaces = Instance.new("IntValue")
      spaces.Name = "Spaces"
      spaces.Value = 2
      spaces.Parent = leaderstats
    end

3. Test the project. Players should have a leaderboard showing Gold, Items, and Spaces.

   

If the leaderboard doesn't appear, try checking the following below.

• If you can't see the number on the leaderboard, check that each IntValue is parented to leaderstats.
• Make sure each IntValue is spelled exactly as shown
• Check that the PlayerAdded event is at the bottom of the script

Complete PlayerSetup Script

A finished version of the script can be referenced below.

local Players = game:GetService("Players")

 -- Creates a leaderboard that shows player variables
 local function onPlayerJoin(player)
   local leaderstats = Instance.new("Folder")
   leaderstats.Name = "leaderstats"
   leaderstats.Parent = player

   local gold = Instance.new("IntValue")
   gold.Name = "Gold"
   gold.Value = 0
   gold.Parent = leaderstats

   local items = Instance.new("IntValue")
   items.Name = "Items"
   items.Value = 0
   items.Parent = leaderstats

   local spaces = Instance.new("IntValue")
   spaces.Name = "Spaces"
   spaces.Value = 2
   spaces.Parent = leaderstats
 end

 -- Run onPlayerJoin when the PlayerAdded event fires
 Players.PlayerAdded:Connect(onPlayerJoin)