Instructions

How do I get in?

Roblox is a utility platform for large-scale 3D social environments (see Baszucki keynote and their SEC S-1 filing). Localised voice chat in metauni is based on Discord, a popular real-time communication platform. Here are instructions for visiting a metauni node:

1. Create Roblox and Discord accounts and install both programs.
2. Enter the Discord server for the node (e.g. the Rising Sea Discord).
3. On your first visit to the Discord server register your Roblox username with !register <username> (possibly the etiquette is to do this in a #registration channel).
4. Manually enter any Discord voice channel (e.g. General). Please use headphones to avoid feedback.
5. Enter the Roblox world by visiting its webpage and clicking on “Play” (again see the Node Directory, e.g. the Rising Sea world).

This setup should work on PC, Mac, iOS and Android. Moreover, you can run the Discord and Roblox applications on different devices (i.e. run audio via Discord through your phone but Roblox on your computer).

Some notes on in-game controls and features:

• The translucent boxes are voice chat zones which transition your Discord into a specific voice channel when entered. Leaving the zone will not remove you from the channel. If you want to return to the General voice channel, click the “Reset” in the top right hand corner of your GUI.

• You move your player with the arrow keys (or WASD) and you can look around by holding down the right mouse button, or doing a two-finger drag on a trackpad. The control scheme can be changed in Settings (press Escape in-game to access).

• To interact with in-world GUI elements, such as buttons, you simply (left) click on them. Most of the white floating displays can be clicked on for a more readable popup view, including the presenter display in the talk zone.

• To use the in-game chat press /. It’s convenient to quickly toggle between fullscreen and windowed, which is fn + F11 on a Mac, but you’ll have to first disable the “Show Desktop” shortcut in System Preferences.

• You can access animations, such as waves, by pressing .. You can enable additional animations on the Roblox website.

You should comply with the Roblox rules while on their platform, and that includes the developer rules if you are creating your own nodes. These rules are in place to protect the children who spend a lot of time in Roblox, and seem to me well-intentioned and reasonable. However this does mean that you should refrain from using the in-game chat or images to share URLs or post Discord information inside your node. This coordination should happen on Discord or through some other channel. Finally, do not under any circumstances climb the knot.

Troubleshooting

• If you have trouble connecting to Roblox (and you have clicked Retry a few times) you might have to turn off your VPN.
• You may have a better experience with the separate Discord application as compared to running Discord in the browser.
• You may have problems using Firefox on the Roblox site.
• If you use !register for the first time while already in a voice chat zone within the Roblox world, you may have to click General in the top right hand corner of your GUI to join the voice channel.
• If your mouse gets locked try zooming all the way in with I and then out with O.
• When drawing on the whiteboards you might want to turn off the in-game chat by clicking on its icon.

Does metauni violate Roblox rules?

Not as we currently understand them, but see our page on Roblox rules for more information.