If you're trying to figure out how a roblox pc builder script works, you've probably realized it's a bit more complex than just dragging and dropping parts in the Studio editor. You're essentially trying to create a game within a game—a system where players can pick out components, snap them together, and end up with a virtual rig that looks and (hopefully) functions like the real thing. It's a popular mechanic, especially with the rise of "simulators" and tycoon-style games, but getting the logic right takes a bit of patience and some clever coding.
The Basic Idea Behind the System
At its core, a roblox pc builder script is really just a specialized placement system. Instead of placing walls or furniture in a house, you're placing parts inside a confined 3D space—the computer case. The script needs to handle a few specific jobs: it has to show the player what they can buy, let them select a part, show a ghost preview of where that part goes, and then "lock" it into the right spot.
The trickiest part isn't usually the building itself; it's the logic of dependencies. You can't put a CPU in if there's no motherboard, and you can't put a cooler on if the CPU isn't seated. If you're writing this from scratch, you have to think about these steps in a linear way, or your players are going to end up with graphics cards floating in mid-air.
Setting Up the User Interface
Before you even touch the 3D placement logic, you need a way for players to actually pick their parts. This is where your UI comes in. Most developers start with a ScreenGui and a ScrollingFrame that lists out different categories like Cases, Motherboards, and RAM.
When a player clicks a button in the UI, the roblox pc builder script should fire off a signal. Usually, this is handled through a RemoteEvent. You want the client to tell the server, "Hey, I want to pick up this specific RTX 4090," and then the server checks if they have enough in-game currency. If everything clears, the script can then trigger the placement mode.
Don't forget to make the UI look decent. Use some UICorners and maybe a UIStroke to give it that modern, clean look that's common in high-quality Roblox games. If the menu feels clunky, players are going to get frustrated before they even get to the building part.
Handling the Placement Logic
This is where things get a little technical. To make the parts snap into the case, you'll likely use Raycasting. When the player moves their mouse over the computer case, the script sends out an invisible line (a ray) from the camera to the mouse position. Where that ray hits the case is where the part should theoretically go.
However, you don't want free-form placement. A PC isn't a pile of random junk; it has specific slots. You'll want to set up "Attachment" points or small invisible "Socket" parts inside your 3D models. Your roblox pc builder script should look for these specific names. For example, if the player is holding a RAM stick, the script should only allow it to "snap" if the mouse is hovering over a part named "RAM_Slot" on the motherboard.
Using CFrame is your best friend here. You'll set the CFrame of the part the player is holding to match the CFrame of the socket. This ensures the part is perfectly aligned, rotated correctly, and looks like it belongs there.
Dealing with Compatibility and Dependencies
If you want your roblox pc builder script to feel realistic, you have to add some rules. In the real world, you can't fit an ATX motherboard into a tiny ITX case. In Roblox, you can simulate this by using attributes or folders.
Each part should have some data attached to it. You could give a motherboard a "SocketType" attribute (like "LGA1700") and give the CPU the same. When the player tries to click the CPU onto the board, the script checks: if CPU.SocketType == Motherboard.SocketType then. If it matches, great! If not, you can pop up a little warning message saying the parts aren't compatible.
This adds a layer of "gameplay" to the building process. It's not just clicking; it's a bit of a puzzle. It makes the final build feel a lot more rewarding for the player.
The Server-Side and Security
One mistake a lot of new scripters make is putting all the logic in a LocalScript. While it's fine for the visual stuff—like moving the part around with the mouse—the actual "final" placement must happen on the server. If you don't do this, other players won't be able to see the finished PC, and exploiters could easily give themselves free parts.
Your roblox pc builder script should follow a simple flow: 1. Client: Player clicks a part and moves it into place. 2. Client: Player clicks to "confirm" placement. 3. Client: Fire a RemoteEvent to the server with the part name and the intended location. 4. Server: Verify the player owns the part and the location is valid. 5. Server: Clone the part into the workspace and parent it to the PC model.
By keeping the "truth" on the server, you keep the game fair and synced for everyone. It's a bit more work to set up the communication, but it's worth it in the long run.
Saving the Build with DataStores
What's the point of building a 5,000-dollar virtual PC if it vanishes the moment you leave the game? Integrating a DataStore is essential. You'll need a way to serialize the build. Since you can't save an actual 3D Instance to a database, you have to save a table of strings or IDs.
For example, your save data might look like a list: {Case = "Obsidian_500", Motherboard = "Z790_Pro", CPU = "i9_13900K"}. When the player joins back, your script reads this table and runs a function to "reconstruct" the PC by looking up those names in a folder of models (usually kept in ReplicatedStorage).
It sounds intimidating if you've never used DataStoreService, but once you get the hang of saving tables, it's pretty straightforward. Just make sure you use pcall (protected calls) so that if the Roblox servers are having a hiccup, your script doesn't crash and delete the player's hard work.
Polishing the Experience
Once the functional parts of the roblox pc builder script are working, you can start adding the "juice." This is the stuff that makes the game feel high-quality.
Think about adding TweenService for the animations. Instead of the part just teleporting into the slot, have it smoothly slide in. Add some sound effects—a satisfying "click" when the RAM snaps in or the hum of fans when the PC finally turns on.
You could even add a "power on" check. The script could look through all the parts in the case and see if there's a Power Supply, a Motherboard, a CPU, and RAM. If all the requirements are met, the player can hit a button, and you can swap out the "off" textures for "on" textures (maybe some neon parts for RGB lighting).
Wrapping It All Up
Building a roblox pc builder script is a fantastic way to learn how different systems in Roblox interact. You're touching on UI design, 3D math with CFrames, client-server communication, and data management. It's a lot to juggle, but seeing a player carefully assemble a complex rig using the code you wrote is a great feeling.
Don't worry if your first version is a bit buggy. Maybe the parts snap in upside down, or the saving system forgets the GPU every other time. That's just part of the dev process. Keep tweaking the logic, refining your raycasts, and making sure your UI is intuitive. Before you know it, you'll have a system that's just as good as the top building games on the platform. Just take it one step at a time—start with the UI, move to the snapping, and finish with the saving. Happy coding!