20 min

Creating with Module Scripts

Player in front of treasure chest and lockpick

To apply your knowledge of module scripts, create a module script that allows players to pick up lockpicks and use them to open treasure chests.

Project Setup

This project includes a starter map with leaderboard and scripted pickup objects for the lockpicks and treasure chests.

Load the Starter Project

Download the starter project.

DOWNLOAD

In Roblox Studio, open the downloaded file: Intro to Module Scripts - Starter Project.rbxl.

Create a Module Script

So players can get treasure from chests, create a module script named TreasureManager. Using a module script will connect the pickups and leaderboards together.

In ServerStorage, create a new ModuleScript and rename it TreasureManager.

In TreasureManager, rename the default module table by replacing module with TreasureManager in both places.

				
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			local TreasureManager = {}

return TreasureManager
		
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Using Functions in Module Scripts

To test how functions work in module scripts, create a new function named getLockpick(). When the getLockpick() function is called from another script, it’ll receive a lockpick part to destroy and add 1 to the number of lockpicks in the player’s inventory.

Create a Module Function for Lockpicks

This module script will use a combination of module and local functions, type two comments to help you keep them separated.

				
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			local TreasureManager = {}

------------------ Local Functions

------------------ Module Functions

return TreasureManager
		
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Under the Module Functions comment, add a new module function to TreasureManager named getLockpick().

Use two parameters:

lockpickPart - the part to destroy.
whichCharacter - the player that touched the lockpick part.

				
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			local TreasureManager = {}

------------------ Local Functions

------------------ Module Functions
function TreasureManager.getLockpick(lockpickPart, whichCharacter)

end

return TreasureManager
		
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In getLockpick(), destroy lockpickPart.

				
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			function TreasureManager.getLockpick(lockpickPart, whichCharacter)
	lockpickPart:Destroy()
end
		
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Use the Module Function

Now, the module function getLockpick() can be used in other scripts. To test that function, you’ll open a premade script and call it.

Open the Lockpick script in Workspace > Lockpicks > LockpickScript.
In LockpickScript, store the module script in a variable named treasureManager and set it equal to:


require(ServerStorage:WaitForChild("TreasureManager"))

				
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			local ServerStorage = game:GetService("ServerStorage")
-- Require the module script below ⯆
local treasureManager = require(ServerStorage:WaitForChild("TreasureManager"))

local lockpicks = script.Parent
local lockpicksFolder = lockpicks.Parts
local lockpicksArray = lockpicksFolder:GetChildren()
		
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Why WaitForChild()? »

Prevent errors by using WaitForChild() instead of the dot operator to make the script wait until TreasureManager has loaded before moving on. For scripts in ServerScriptService or ServerStorage, it’s safe to use the dot operator instead, like in ServerStorage.TreasureManager.

There’s already a function named partTouched() to check for a player touching the part. Inside partTouched():

Call the getLockpick() module function to destroy the lockpick.
Pass in lockpickPart and whichCharacter.

				
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			local ServerStorage = game:GetService("ServerStorage")
-- Require the module script below ⯆
local treasureManager = require(ServerStorage:WaitForChild("TreasureManager"))

local lockpicks = script.Parent
local lockpicksFolder = lockpicks.Parts
local lockpicksArray = lockpicksFolder:GetChildren()

local function partTouched(otherPart, lockpickPart)
	local whichCharacter = otherPart.Parent
	local humanoid = whichCharacter:FindFirstChildWhichIsA("Humanoid")
	if humanoid then
		-- Give the player a lockpick and destroy the lockpick part
		-- =============================================
		treasureManager.getLockpick(lockpickPart, whichCharacter)
		-- =============================================
	end
end
		
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Run the project and check that touching a lockpick destroys it.

Troubleshooting Tips »

Issue: Get an error message including: "Infinite yield possible".

Check the spelling of your module script in a script. If a module script, like TreasureManager, is spelled differently, there will be an error.

Issue: Get an error message including: "attempt to index global".

Check the line that includes the require for the module script in LockpickScript. If the module does not include require, it can’t use functions and variables from that module script.

Issue: Script doesn’t run or can’t pick up lockpicks.

In the module script, make sure that all the code is between local TreasureManager = {} and return TreasureManager. Any code outside these lines can’t be seen by other scripts.
Check that there are two parthenessis at the end of the line with require, like in WaitForChild("TreasureManager")).

Create a Local Function

To modify a player’s lockpick and treasure leaderboard stats, use local functions in the module script. The functions that change a player’s variables are local functions since they’re only used within this module script.

In ServerStorage, open the TreasureManager script.
Create local variables to do the following:

Get the Players service so the script can work with player's leaderboard stats.
Store the number of lockpicks the player receives after touching LockpickPart.

				
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			local TreasureManager = {}

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local lockpickDrop = 1

------------------ Local Functions

------------------ Module Functions
function TreasureManager.getLockpick(lockpickPart, whichCharacter)
	lockpickPart:Destroy()
end

return TreasureManager
		
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Copy and paste these two local functions into the Local Functions section.

getPlayerLockpicks() returns the value of the player's Lockpicks leaderstat.
getPlayerTreasure() returns the value of the player's Treasure leaderstat.

				
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			------------------ Local Functions
local function getPlayerLockpicks(whichCharacter)
	local player = Players:GetPlayerFromCharacter(whichCharacter)
	local leaderstats = player:FindFirstChild("leaderstats")
	return leaderstats:WaitForChild("Lockpicks")
end

local function getPlayerTreasure(whichCharacter)
	local player = Players:GetPlayerFromCharacter(whichCharacter)
	local leaderstats = player:FindFirstChild("leaderstats")
	return leaderstats:WaitForChild("Treasure")
end

------------------ Module Functions
		
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To add to the player’s lockpicks, in the getLockpick() module function:

Create a local variable to call getPlayerLockpicks(whichCharacter)
Add the value of lockpickDrop to playerLockpicks.

				
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			------------------ Module Functions
function TreasureManager.getLockpick(lockpickPart, whichCharacter)
	local playerLockpicks = getPlayerLockpicks(whichCharacter)
	playerLockpicks.Value = playerLockpicks.Value + lockpickDrop
	lockpickPart:Destroy()
end
		
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Run the project. Check that touching a lockpick destroys it and adds 1 to the player’s lockpicks in the leaderboard.

Troubleshooting Tips »

Check that all local functions are above any module functions. A module function won’t be able to use a local function that’s below it.

Current TreasureManager Script »

				
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			local TreasureManager = {}

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local lockpickDrop = 1

------------------ Local Functions
local function getPlayerLockpicks(whichCharacter)
	local player = Players:GetPlayerFromCharacter(whichCharacter)
	local leaderstats = player:FindFirstChild("leaderstats")
	return leaderstats:WaitForChild("Lockpicks")
end

local function getPlayerTreasure(whichCharacter)
	local player = Players:GetPlayerFromCharacter(whichCharacter)
	local leaderstats = player:FindFirstChild("leaderstats")
	return leaderstats:WaitForChild("Treasure")
end

------------------ Module Functions
function TreasureManager.getLockpick(lockpickPart, whichCharacter)
	local playerLockpicks = getPlayerLockpicks(whichCharacter)
	playerLockpicks.Value = playerLockpicks.Value + lockpickDrop
	lockpickPart:Destroy()
end

return TreasureManager
		
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Getting Information From Module Scripts

The TreasureManager module script will be used when players touch a treasure chest to check if they have at least one lockpick before opening it and giving them gold.

Check if Chests can Be Opened

First in ServerStorage > TreasureManager script, set up variables for how many lockpicks it costs to open a chest, and how much gold each chest contains.

				
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			local TreasureManager = {}

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local lockpickDrop = 1
local chestPickCost = 1
local chestReward = 100

------------------ Local Functions
local function getPlayerLockpicks(whichCharacter)
	local player = Players:GetPlayerFromCharacter(whichCharacter)
	local leaderstats = player:FindFirstChild("leaderstats")
	return leaderstats:WaitForChild("Lockpicks")
end
		
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To create a function that checks if a player can open a chest, in the Module Functions section, add a new function to the TreasureManager table named canOpenChest() with the parameter whichCharacter.

				
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			------------------ Module Functions
function TreasureManager.canOpenChest(whichCharacter)

end

function TreasureManager.getLockpick(lockpickPart, whichCharacter)
	local playerLockpicks = getPlayerLockpicks(whichCharacter)
	playerLockpicks.Value = playerLockpicks.Value + lockpickDrop
	lockpickPart:Destroy()
end
		
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Copy and paste the code below into canOpenChest() to return true if the player has enough lockpicks, and false if they don’t.

				
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			function TreasureManager.canOpenChest(whichCharacter)
	local playerLockpicks = getPlayerLockpicks(whichCharacter)
	if playerLockpicks.Value >= 1 then
		return true
	else
		return false
	end
end
		
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Give Players Treasure

If a player can open a chest, create a function in TreasureManager that awards them treasure.

Add a new module function to TreasureManager named openChest().

Pass in two arguments:

chestPart - the chest part to destroy.
whichCharacter - the player to give treasure.

				
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			------------------ Module Functions
function TreasureManager.canOpenChest(whichCharacter)
	local playerLockpicks = getPlayerLockpicks(whichCharacter)
	if playerLockpicks.Value >= 1 then
		return true
	else
		return false
	end
end

function TreasureManager.openChest(chestPart, whichCharacter)

end
		
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To subtract a player’s lockpicks and award them treasure, copy and paste the code below in openChest(). This code uses the variables created previously, like chestReward, the amount of treasure given per chest.

				
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			function TreasureManager.openChest(chestPart, whichCharacter)
	local playerLockpicks = getPlayerLockpicks(whichCharacter)
	local playerTreasure = getPlayerTreasure(whichCharacter)

	playerLockpicks.Value = playerLockpicks.Value - chestPickCost
	playerTreasure.Value = playerTreasure.Value + chestReward
	chestPart:Destroy()
end
		
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Call the Chest Functions

Now that the two module functions, canOpenChest() and openChest(), have been created, they can be called by the Chest parts whenever a player touches them using the premade partTouched() function.

In Workspace > Chests > open ChestScript.
Create a new variable named treasureManager and require the TreasureManager module script in ServerStorage.

				
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			local ServerStorage = game:GetService("ServerStorage")
-- Require the module script below ⯆
local treasureManager = require(ServerStorage:WaitForChild("TreasureManager"))

local chests = script.Parent
local chestsFolder = chests.Parts
local chestsArray = chestsFolder:GetChildren()
		
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In partTouched(), under the if humanoid statement, create a new variable named canOpen and set it equal to:

treasureManager.canOpenChest(whichCharacter)

				
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			local function partTouched(otherPart, chestPart)
	local whichCharacter = otherPart.Parent
	local humanoid = whichCharacter:FindFirstChildWhichIsA("Humanoid")
	if humanoid then
		-- Check if the player can open a chest, then let them get treasure
		-- =============================================
		local canOpen = treasureManager.canOpenChest(whichCharacter)
		-- =============================================
	end
end
		
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Next, create an if statement to check if canOpen is true.

If so, call the TreasureManager's openChest() function.
Then, pass in two parameters: chestPart, the chest to destroy, and whichCharacter, the player to award treasure.

				
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			local function partTouched(otherPart, chestPart)
	local whichCharacter = otherPart.Parent
	local humanoid = whichCharacter:FindFirstChildWhichIsA("Humanoid")
	if humanoid then
		-- Check if the player can open a chest, then let them get treasure
		-- =============================================
		local canOpen = treasureManager.canOpenChest(whichCharacter)
		if canOpen == true then
			treasureManager.openChest(chestPart, whichCharacter)
		end
		-- =============================================
	end
end
		
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Run the project. Check that:

If you have at least 1 lockpick, touching a chest will destroys it and awards treasure.
If you have 0 lockpicks, you can't open a treasure chest.

Troubleshooting Tips »

In ChestScript, make sure that functions called from the module script like canOpenChest() are spelled exactly how they’re found in the TreasureManager script. Any difference will cause an error.
Check that copy and pasted functions, like treasureManager.openChest(), are exactly as shown in the lesson. Any differences can cause subtle errors in the script.

Finished Project Sample

Project File

Download the finished project here.

Finished Scripts

Finished TreasureManager Script »

				
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			local TreasureManager = {}

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local lockpickDrop = 1
local chestPickCost = 1
local chestReward = 100

------------------ Local Functions
local function getPlayerLockpicks(whichCharacter)
	local player = Players:GetPlayerFromCharacter(whichCharacter)
	local leaderstats = player:FindFirstChild("leaderstats")
	return leaderstats:WaitForChild("Lockpicks")
end

local function getPlayerTreasure(whichCharacter)
	local player = Players:GetPlayerFromCharacter(whichCharacter)
	local leaderstats = player:FindFirstChild("leaderstats")
	return leaderstats:WaitForChild("Treasure")
end

------------------ Module Functions
function TreasureManager.canOpenChest(whichCharacter)
	local playerLockpicks = getPlayerLockpicks(whichCharacter)
	if playerLockpicks.Value >= 1 then
		return true
	else
		return false
	end
end

function TreasureManager.openChest(chestPart, whichCharacter)
	local playerLockpicks = getPlayerLockpicks(whichCharacter)
	local playerTreasure = getPlayerTreasure(whichCharacter)

	playerLockpicks.Value = playerLockpicks.Value - chestPickCost
	playerTreasure.Value = playerTreasure.Value + chestReward
	chestPart:Destroy()
end

function TreasureManager.getLockpick(lockpickPart, whichCharacter)
	local playerLockpicks = getPlayerLockpicks(whichCharacter)
	playerLockpicks.Value = playerLockpicks.Value + lockpickDrop
	lockpickPart:Destroy()
end

return TreasureManager
		
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Finished ChestScript »

				
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			local ServerStorage = game:GetService("ServerStorage")
-- Require the module script below ⯆
local treasureManager = require(ServerStorage:WaitForChild("TreasureManager"))

local chests = script.Parent
local chestsFolder = chests.Parts
local chestsArray = chestsFolder:GetChildren()

local function partTouched(otherPart, chestPart)
	local whichCharacter = otherPart.Parent
	local humanoid = whichCharacter:FindFirstChildWhichIsA("Humanoid")
	if humanoid then
		-- Check if the player can open a chest, then let them get treasure
		-- =============================================
		local canOpen = treasureManager.canOpenChest(whichCharacter)
		if canOpen == true then
			treasureManager.openChest(chestPart, whichCharacter)
		end
		-- =============================================
	end
end

-- Binds every chest part to the touch function so it works on all parts
for chestIndex = 1, #chestsArray do
	local chestPart = chestsArray[chestIndex]
	chestPart.Touched:Connect(function(otherPart)
		partTouched(otherPart, chestPart)
	end)
end
		
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Finished LockpickScript »

				
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			local ServerStorage = game:GetService("ServerStorage")
-- Require the module script below ⯆
local treasureManager = require(ServerStorage:WaitForChild("TreasureManager"))

local lockpicks = script.Parent
local lockpicksFolder = lockpicks.Parts
local lockpicksArray = lockpicksFolder:GetChildren()

local function partTouched(otherPart, lockpickPart)
	local whichCharacter = otherPart.Parent
	local humanoid = whichCharacter:FindFirstChildWhichIsA("Humanoid")
	if humanoid then
		-- Give the player a lockpick and destroy the lockpick part
		-- =============================================
		treasureManager.getLockpick(lockpickPart, whichCharacter)
		-- =============================================
	end
end

-- Binds every lockpick part to the touch function so it works on all parts
for lockpickIndex = 1, #lockpicksArray do
	local lockpickPart = lockpicksArray[lockpickIndex]
	lockpickPart.Touched:Connect(function(otherPart)
		partTouched(otherPart, lockpickPart)
	end)
end
		
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