If you're tired of the standard leaderboard, finding a solid roblox player list gui script is usually the first step toward making your game look more professional. Let's be honest, the default Roblox leaderboard is fine for basic stuff, but it doesn't always fit the aesthetic of a high-end RPG or a stylized simulator. Sometimes you want something that matches your UI theme, handles team divisions better, or shows specific stats that the default core script just doesn't prioritize.
Building your own player list might seem intimidating if you're new to Luau, but it's actually one of the best projects for learning how the UI and the server interact. It covers the basics of events, loops, and object cloning. Plus, once you have your own script running, you have total control over who sees what and how it looks.
Why Ditch the Default Leaderboard?
The standard Roblox leaderboard is functional, sure, but it's a bit of a "one size fits all" solution. It takes up a specific corner of the screen, it's semi-transparent in a way you can't easily change, and it's limited in how it displays information.
When you write your own roblox player list gui script, you're opening the door to a lot of customization. Maybe you want a list that only shows your friends. Or maybe you want a list that displays a player's rank or their current killstreak with a cool glowing effect. Doing this yourself means you aren't fighting against the engine's built-in UI; you're creating a bespoke experience for your players.
Setting Up the UI Framework
Before we even touch a script, we need a place for the player names to live. In Roblox Studio, you'll want to start in the StarterGui service.
The Container
Create a ScreenGui and call it something obvious like "PlayerListGui." Inside that, you'll want a Frame or a ScrollingFrame. I highly recommend using a ScrollingFrame because if your game suddenly gets 30 people in a server, a regular frame is going to cut off half the names.
One little trick I've learned is to use a UIListLayout object inside your scrolling frame. This is a lifesaver. It automatically stacks your player entries vertically (or horizontally) so you don't have to manually calculate the Y-position for every single player label. Set the padding to something small, like 5 pixels, to keep things looking clean.
The Template Entry
Don't go creating a text label for every player by hand. Instead, create one "Template" frame that represents what a single player's row will look like. Put a TextLabel for the username, maybe an ImageLabel for their avatar thumbnail, and a label for their stats. Once you're happy with how that one row looks, put it inside a folder named "Assets" or just keep it parented to the script itself and set its Visible property to false. Your roblox player list gui script will clone this template every time someone joins.
Writing the Roblox Player List GUI Script Logic
Now for the fun part. You'll want a LocalScript to handle the actual UI updates. While you could technically do some of this on the server, UI is a client-side responsibility. We want the player's own computer to handle the visual updates.
Handling New Players
The core of your script is going to revolve around the Players service. You'll want to use game:GetService("Players") and then hook into the PlayerAdded event.
```lua local Players = game:GetService("Players") local playerListFrame = script.Parent.ScrollingFrame -- adjust path as needed
local function addPlayerToList(player) -- This is where the magic happens local entry = script.Template:Clone() entry.Name = player.Name entry.UsernameLabel.Text = player.DisplayName or player.Name entry.Visible = true entry.Parent = playerListFrame end
Players.PlayerAdded:Connect(addPlayerToList) ```
But wait, if you just use PlayerAdded, the people who are already in the server when you join won't show up. You've got to run a quick loop at the start of the script to catch anyone who beat you to the game. Using a simple for _, player in pairs(Players:GetPlayers()) do loop right at the beginning ensures the list is accurate the second it loads.
Removing Players
It's just as important to clean up. When a player leaves, you don't want their ghost lingering on the leaderboard. You'll listen for Players.PlayerRemoving and then find the corresponding frame in your UI and destroy it. Since we named the cloned entry after the player's name earlier, it's as easy as playerListFrame:FindFirstChild(player.Name):Destroy().
Adding Teams and Custom Stats
A basic list of names is cool, but usually, we want more. If your game has teams, you might want to group players together. You can do this by adding another UIListLayout or by color-coding the background of the player entries based on their TeamColor.
If you're displaying stats like "Cash" or "Level," you'll need to access the leaderstats folder. Just a heads up: sometimes leaderstats takes a second to load when a player joins. It's a good idea to use WaitForChild("leaderstats") inside your addPlayerToList function. Then, you can use a Changed event on the specific value (like Gold) to update the text label on the GUI in real-time. This way, whenever their gold count goes up, the player list updates instantly without the player needing to refresh anything.
Polishing and Performance Tips
I've seen some scripts that try to update the entire player list every single second using a while true do loop. Don't do that. It's a massive waste of resources and can cause stuttering, especially in large servers. Events are your best friend. Only update the list when someone joins, leaves, or a specific stat changes.
Another thing to keep in mind is the AutomaticCanvasSize property on your ScrollingFrame. If you set this to "Y," the scroll bar will automatically grow as more players are added to the list. It saves you from having to write extra code to calculate how big the scrolling area should be.
Also, consider using GetAttribute for things like "VIP status" or "Admin." If you set an attribute on the player on the server, your roblox player list gui script on the client can easily check for it and add a special icon or change the text color to make them stand out.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
One mistake I see all the time is forgetting about DisplayName. Since Roblox introduced display names, just showing player.Name can feel a bit outdated. Most players prefer seeing their chosen display name. However, it's usually smart to keep the actual username visible in a smaller font or when hovering, just so people know exactly who they are dealing with in case of reports or trades.
Another thing is Z-Index. If your player list is overlapping with other UI elements, make sure you've set the DisplayOrder on your ScreenGui correctly. There's nothing more annoying than a player list that hides behind the chat box or the health bar.
Lastly, make sure you handle the case where a player joins and leaves really quickly. Sometimes a script might try to clone a template for a player who has already disconnected. Adding a quick check like if not player then return end at the start of your functions can prevent those annoying red errors in the output console.
Wrapping Things Up
Creating a custom roblox player list gui script is really one of those "level up" moments for a developer. It moves you away from the "out of the box" feel and toward a game that feels unique and polished. It takes a little more effort than just toggling a setting in the StarterGui properties, but the control you get over the user experience is totally worth it.
Once you get the hang of cloning templates and responding to player events, you can apply those same concepts to inventory systems, shop menus, and almost any other dynamic UI in your game. So, grab a template, start scripting, and see how much better your game feels with a custom list!