Roblox Optimization

Kitbashing

Kitbashing refers to the practice of using preset groups of versatile meshes to construct other models to reduce the number of instances, furthermore reducing the loading period. One new mesh ID means one new instance for the client to load upon startup, too many instances can lead to an extended loading period, which is a HUGE nono.

---

Minimizing Union Usage

Unions are horrendous. No matter how good they look, NEVER use them whenever they could be easily replaced with textures or meshes (eg; a cool looking wall texture). Unions should ONLY be used in cases which require the Negation, if it doesn't require negation, don't union.

IF IT DOESN'T REQUIRE NEGATION, DON'T USE UNIONS!

---

Property Checklists

PROPERTY	USAGE	WHEN TO DISABLE
CastShadow	Determines if the part throws a shadow based on the sun or local lights.	Disable this for small details (like kitbashed nuts/bolts) or interior parts players never see to reduce the GPU's lighting workload.
RenderFidelity	Controls the Level of Detail (LOD) for MeshParts.	Setting this to Performance allows the engine to simplify the mesh geometry as the player moves further away, saving memory.
EnableFluidForces	Determines if the part reacts to the Aerodynamics and Water features of the engine.	If True, the part will experience drag and lift when moving through air or buoyancy in water. Turn it off for stationary props to save CPU.
CanTouch	Determines if the part triggers Touched events (e.g., kill bricks or touch-interest scripts).	If a part doesn't have a script attached to it, turn this False to prevent the engine from constantly checking for overlaps.
CanCollide	Determines if the part is a physical barrier that players and objects can bump into.	Turn this off for decoration (grass, hanging wires) so the physics engine doesn't have to calculate "hits" there.
CanQuery	Determines if the part is "seen" by Raycasts, Region3s, and Shapecasts.	If you have a massive invisible hitbox that you only want for collisions but don't want to block your gun's bullets (raycasts), set this to False.

---

MaterialService > Textures

Using MaterialService (MaterialVariants) instead of traditional Textures or Decals is significantly better for performance, memory, and visual consistency.

1. Memory Efficiency (Instancing)

When you use a Texture instance, Roblox often treats each application as a unique draw call or overhead.

• MaterialService: Once a MaterialVariant is created, it is loaded into memory once. Every part using that material essentially "points" to that single asset.

• Textures: Having 6 Texture instances on a single cube (one for each side) is 6x the work for the engine compared to a single Material override.

2. PBR Support (Physical Based Rendering)

Standard Textures only allow for a flat image (Albedo). MaterialService allows for a full PBR set:

• Color Map: The base color.

• Normal Map: Adds fake depth and bumps (critical for realism).

• Roughness Map: Controls how light blurs across the surface (shiny vs. matte).

• Metalness Map: Dictates how "metallic" the surface reflects light.

• Benefit: You get high-end visuals that react to the game's lighting dynamically, which standard Textures cannot do.

3. Tiling and Scaling

• Automatic Tiling: MaterialVariants tile seamlessly across any part size without you having to manually adjust StudsPerTile.

• Consistency: If you decide to change your "Concrete" look, you only update it in MaterialService once, and every part in your game updates instantly. With Textures, you would have to find and replace thousands of instances.

4. Organic Variety (Stochastic Tiling)

Roblox's MaterialService uses Stochastic Tiling, which subtly randomizes the rotation and position of the texture tiles.

• Purpose: This eliminates the "checkerboard" pattern seen when a texture repeats over a large floor or wall, making surfaces look more natural and less like a repeating 2D image.