If you're trying to make a part spin or create a rotating platform, you're going to need a solid roblox angular velocity script to get the physics moving properly. For a long time, developers used things like BodyAngularVelocity, but Roblox has moved toward a newer constraint-based system. It's actually a lot more stable once you get the hang of it, though it does require a couple more steps to set up than the old legacy stuff used to.
I remember when I first started messing with physics in Studio, I just wanted a simple fan to spin. I thought I could just change the rotation in a loop, but then my character would just slide right off because the physics engine didn't "feel" the movement. That's where a proper script comes in handy. It tells the engine, "Hey, this part has actual momentum," which makes the whole game world feel way more realistic.
Why move away from legacy body movers?
You might still see some old tutorials talking about BodyAngularVelocity. While those technically still work for now, Roblox has officially deprecated them. This means they aren't getting updates and might eventually break or just perform worse than the newer AngularVelocity constraint.
The new system is much more predictable. It uses attachments, which might feel like an extra step, but it gives you way more control over the axis of rotation. Plus, if you're building something complex like a car or a mechanical arm, the constraint system plays much nicer with other moving parts. If you want your game to be optimized and future-proof, learning the modern roblox angular velocity script style is definitely the way to go.
Setting up the basic script
To get a part spinning, you can't just drop a script in and call it a day. You need three main ingredients: the Part itself, an Attachment, and the AngularVelocity object.
Here is a simple example of how you can set this up entirely through a script. This is great if you're spawning items or just want to keep your workspace clean.
```lua local part = script.Parent -- Assuming the script is inside the part
-- We need an attachment for the velocity to "hook" onto local attachment = Instance.new("Attachment") attachment.Parent = part
-- Now we create the AngularVelocity object local angularVelocity = Instance.new("AngularVelocity") angularVelocity.Attachment0 = attachment angularVelocity.MaxTorque = 100000 -- How much power it has angularVelocity.AngularVelocity = Vector3.new(0, 10, 0) -- The speed/direction angularVelocity.Parent = part
print("The part should be spinning now!") ```
The Vector3.new(0, 10, 0) part is where the magic happens. The middle number is the Y-axis, so this script will make the part spin horizontally like a top. If you wanted it to flip forward like a rolling tire, you'd change the first or third number instead.
Understanding MaxTorque and Pwr
One thing that trips up a lot of people is the MaxTorque property. Think of this like the "strength" of the motor. If you're trying to spin a giant, heavy stone slab but your MaxTorque is set to a tiny number, the part won't move at all. It's like trying to spin a merry-go-round with one finger—you just don't have the leverage.
I usually start with a really high number like 100000 or even math.huge if I want the part to reach its target speed no matter what. Once I see it's working, I can dial it back to something more reasonable. If you set it too high on a very light object, sometimes the physics can get a bit jittery, so it's all about finding that sweet spot for your specific build.
RelativeTo: World vs. Attachment
This is a setting that confuses even experienced scripters sometimes. In your roblox angular velocity script, you have a property called RelativeTo. It basically decides which way is "up."
If you set it to Enum.ActuatorRelativeTo.World, the part will always spin relative to the world's axes. So, if you tell it to spin on the Y-axis, it will always spin "up" towards the sky, regardless of how the part is tilted.
On the other hand, Enum.ActuatorRelativeTo.Attachment0 makes it spin relative to the part itself. This is usually what you want for things like wheels or propellers. If the plane tilts, the propeller should tilt with it, right? If you had it set to World, the propeller would try to keep spinning upright even while the plane is flying sideways. That would look pretty weird.
Making a spinning trap for an Obby
Let's look at a practical use case. If you're making an obstacle course (Obby), you probably want a spinning beam that knocks players off. Using a roblox angular velocity script is perfect for this because it ensures that when a player touches the beam, they actually get pushed by the force.
Instead of just a constant spin, you might want to vary the speed to make it harder. You can easily tweak the script to change speeds every few seconds:
```lua local velocity = script.Parent.AngularVelocity
while true do velocity.AngularVelocity = Vector3.new(0, 5, 0) task.wait(2) velocity.AngularVelocity = Vector3.new(0, 20, 0) -- Speed it up! task.wait(2) velocity.AngularVelocity = Vector3.new(0, -10, 0) -- Reverse it! task.wait(1) end ```
Using task.wait() is much better than the old wait() because it's more accurate and better for performance. This little loop keeps players on their toes because they can't just time the jump perfectly every time.
Troubleshooting common issues
If your script isn't working, don't worry—it happens to everyone. The first thing to check is whether your part is Anchored. This is the number one reason physics scripts "fail." An anchored part is basically frozen in time; no force in the world can move it. To make it spin using AngularVelocity, Anchored must be set to false.
But wait, if you unanchor it, won't it just fall through the floor? Yeah, it will. To fix that, you either need to weld it to something that is anchored or use a HingeConstraint to keep it in place while still allowing it to rotate.
Another thing to check is the mass of the part. If your part is massive (like a huge building), the default torque might not be enough. You can try checking the "Massless" box in the part's properties or just crank that MaxTorque up to a billion.
Creative ways to use angular velocity
Beyond just spinning blocks, there are some really cool things you can do with a roblox angular velocity script. For example, you can create a "tornado" effect by putting a large, invisible, non-collidable part with angular velocity in the center of a room. If you use a Touch event to weld players to a small invisible part inside that spin zone, you can fling them around the map.
You can also use it for decorative stuff, like floating crystals that slowly rotate in a shop, or a planetary system where moons orbit around a planet. Because it's physics-based, it looks much smoother than trying to manually update the CFrame every frame.
Wrapping things up
Using a roblox angular velocity script is a bit of a learning curve if you're coming from the old-school methods, but it's worth the effort. It's more stable, it's what Roblox recommends, and it gives you a lot more "oomph" in your physics interactions.
Just remember the golden rules: unanchor your part, use an attachment, and make sure your MaxTorque is high enough to actually move the mass you're working with. Once you get those three things down, you can make pretty much anything spin, flip, or rotate exactly how you want it. Happy scripting!