If you're looking to get feedback from your players, setting up a roblox poll script is one of the easiest ways to do it without having to jump into everyone's DMs. It's a classic feature for a reason. Whether you're trying to decide which map to play next or just want to know if people like the new update, a poll gives you hard data instead of just guessing based on chat messages.
Building one doesn't have to be a massive headache, either. You don't need to be a Luau master to get a basic system running. Most of the work is just making sure the client (the player's computer) can talk to the server correctly. Since Roblox is a multiplayer platform, you can't just change a number on one person's screen and expect everyone else to see it. That's where the actual scripting logic comes into play.
Why You Actually Need a Poll System
Let's be real, players love feeling like they have a say in the game. When you throw up a poll, it keeps people engaged. It's a small interaction that makes the world feel more alive. Beyond just "fun," it's a practical tool for developers. If you're stuck between two different game modes for the next round, just let the roblox poll script handle the decision for you. It takes the pressure off and usually results in a happier server because the majority got what they wanted.
Setting Up the RemoteEvents
Before you even touch a line of code for the buttons, you need a way for the game to communicate. In Roblox, we use RemoteEvents for this. Think of it like a phone line between the player and the server. When a player clicks "Option A," their game sends a signal through the RemoteEvent to the server saying, "Hey, add a vote to Option A!"
I usually put my RemoteEvents in ReplicatedStorage. It's the standard spot because both the server and the client can see it. Just create a folder called "PollEvents" and toss a RemoteEvent inside named "SubmitVote." Without this, your script won't do anything because the server will have no idea that a button was pushed.
Designing a Simple UI
You can't have a poll without something for the players to click on. You'll want a ScreenGui in StarterGui with a couple of TextButtons. Don't overcomplicate it at first. Maybe a "Yes" button and a "No" button, or an "Option 1" and "Option 2."
Make sure your UI is clean but visible. Use a Frame to hold everything together so it doesn't look messy. One thing I've learned the hard way: always check how your UI looks on mobile. A button that looks great on a 27-inch monitor might be impossible to tap on an iPhone. Use Scale instead of Offset for your sizes and positions so the poll looks decent on every device.
Writing the Client-Side Script
Now, let's get into the actual roblox poll script logic. On the player's side, you'll need a LocalScript inside your button. This script's only job is to wait for a click and then fire that RemoteEvent we talked about.
It usually looks something like this: ```lua local button = script.Parent local remoteEvent = game.ReplicatedStorage.PollEvents.SubmitVote
button.MouseButton1Click:Connect(function() remoteEvent:FireServer("OptionA") -- Maybe disable the button here so they don't spam it button.Active = false button.Text = "Voted!" end) ```
It's pretty straightforward. You're just telling the game to listen for a click and then "Fire" the information to the server. I highly recommend disabling the button or changing the text after a vote is cast. Players will spam the button if you let them, and that can get messy if your server script isn't prepared for it.
Handling the Logic on the Server
The server-side script is where the actual math happens. You'll want a regular Script inside ServerScriptService. This script listens for the RemoteEvent and updates a table of results.
You should also include some basic security. Don't just trust every signal that comes through. You want to make sure the player hasn't already voted. A simple way to do this is to keep a list of Player IDs who have already participated.
```lua local remoteEvent = game.ReplicatedStorage.PollEvents.SubmitVote local votes = {OptionA = 0, OptionB = 0} local hasVoted = {}
remoteEvent.OnServerEvent:Connect(function(player, choice) if not hasVoted[player.UserId] then if votes[choice] ~= nil then votes[choice] = votes[choice] + 1 hasVoted[player.UserId] = true print(player.Name .. " voted for " .. choice) -- Here you'd update a Global UI or a part in the game end else print(player.Name .. " tried to vote twice!") end end) ```
This bit of code is the backbone of your roblox poll script. It checks if the UserId is in our hasVoted table. If it's not, it adds the vote and marks them as having voted. If they try again, the script just ignores it. It's a simple fix for a common problem.
Displaying the Results in Real Time
Seeing the numbers go up is the best part of a poll. You can do this a few ways. You could have a big screen in the game lobby that updates, or you could send the new totals back to everyone's screen.
If you want to update everyone's UI, you'll need another RemoteEvent (maybe call it "UpdateResults") and use FireAllClients. When the server receives a vote, it calculates the new totals and blasts that info out to every player currently in the game. Their local scripts then receive that data and update the text on their screen.
Quick tip: Don't fire the "Update" event every single millisecond. If you have 50 players all voting at once, it can cause a bit of lag. Sometimes it's better to update the display every second or two instead of instantly.
Dealing with Common Issues
Writing a roblox poll script isn't always smooth sailing. You'll probably run into a few "Attempt to index nil" errors at some point. Usually, this happens because a script is trying to find the RemoteEvent before it has even loaded into the game. Using WaitForChild() instead of just dot notation (like game.ReplicatedStorage.RemoteEvent) can save you a lot of frustration.
Another thing to watch out for is player's leaving. If your poll is tied to who is currently in the server, you might want to clear their vote or adjust the percentages when someone leaves. It's not strictly necessary for a casual poll, but for something like a "Skip Map" vote, it's pretty important.
Making it Look Fancy
Once you have the basic logic down, you can start adding some polish. Instead of just boring text, why not add a progress bar that fills up as more people vote? You can use a Frame inside another Frame and change its size based on the percentage of total votes.
Visual feedback matters. When a player clicks a button, maybe it should make a sound or play a little animation. It makes the roblox poll script feel like a part of the game rather than just some developer tool stuck onto the screen.
Wrapping Things Up
Creating a roblox poll script is a fantastic project for getting used to how client-server communication works. It covers the basics of UI, RemoteEvents, and server-side data management. Once you've got the hang of it, you can expand it into more complex systems, like a full-blown voting system for game rounds or even a player-driven economy survey.
Just remember to keep it simple at first. Get the buttons working, make sure players can't vote ten times, and ensure the numbers add up. Once the foundation is solid, the sky's the limit for how you want to style it or add extra features. Good luck with your scripting, and hopefully, your players actually vote for the good maps!