s&box Workshop: Prototypes, Weird Physics, Source-Style Chaos, and Playable Ideas
Welcome to Game Dev → s&box — the Fyrbloc place for s&box projects, prototypes, experiments, maps, game modes, tools, entities, UI, networking, physics, assets, code problems, and that classic moment when one tiny object launches itself into the sky like it has discovered freedom.
s&box is a strong space for builders who like experimenting with gameplay systems, custom worlds, multiplayer ideas, physics toys, mod-style projects, and weird prototypes that slowly become actual games.
This section is for:
Testing ideas
Sharing builds
Asking for help
Showing maps
Debugging systems
Posting progress
Finding testers
Turning chaos into gameplay
Not every s&box project needs to be polished.
A rough prototype is welcome.
A half-working mechanic is welcome.
A test map where one door works and the other door has emotional issues is also welcome.
That is game development.
What belongs here?
Use Game Dev → s&box for topics like:
- s&box prototypes
- Game modes
- Custom maps
- Physics experiments
- Entity systems
- Player controllers
- NPC tests
- Multiplayer tests
- UI/HUD work
- Inventory systems
- Weapons
- Tools
- Vehicles
- Movement systems
- Lighting
- Level design
- Asset importing
- Materials
- Sound
- Particles
- Networking issues
- Performance
- Playtests
- Bug reports
- “Why did my object become a missile?” investigations
If you are building, testing, breaking, or launching something in s&box, post it here.
s&box project template
Copy this when sharing your project:
Project name:
Type:
Game mode / map / tool / prototype / test / other
What I am building:
Current stage:
What works now:
What is broken:
What I need help with:
Gameplay idea:
Controls:
Assets used:
Multiplayer:
Yes / No / planned
Screenshots/video:
Playtest link/instructions:
Example:
Project name:
Island Camp Raid
Type:
Top-down / survival / enemy camp prototype
What I am building:
A small island test where players explore, fight daytime enemies, collect resources, and return to camp.
Current stage:
Early prototype.
What works now:
Basic movement, enemy patrols, simple combat, resource pickup, and one camp area.
What is broken:
NPC pathing gets confused near rocks, and one enemy keeps walking into the sea.
What I need help with:
Enemy AI, combat feel, and map layout feedback.
Gameplay idea:
Players explore islands, fight creatures, gather materials, and unlock abilities over time.
Controls:
WASD to move, mouse to aim, left click to attack.
Assets used:
Prototype placeholder assets.
Multiplayer:
Planned.
Screenshots/video:
Added below.
Playtest link/instructions:
Coming soon.
That gives people enough context to help.
Much better than:
My s&box thing broke.
The thing may indeed be broken.
But we need the shape of the thing.
Good s&box post topics
Prototype ideas
Post things like:
I made a movement prototype.
I am testing enemy camps.
I built a small island map.
I am testing melee combat.
I am trying a multiplayer resource system.
A prototype is not a failure.
A prototype is a question with controls.
Sometimes the answer is:
This is fun.
Sometimes the answer is:
This rock has become the main character.
Both are useful.
Maps and worlds
For maps, include:
Map theme
Size
Player count target
Main routes
Landmarks
Spawn points
Combat areas
Safe zones
Lighting mood
Performance concerns
Screenshots
Example:
Map theme:
Small forest island with caves, camps, and ruins.
Player count target:
1–8 players.
Main routes:
Beach path, forest route, mountain shortcut.
Feedback wanted:
Does the map feel readable? Are the paths clear? Are enemy camps too close together?
Good maps guide players without needing a giant arrow screaming at them.
Although sometimes a giant arrow is useful.
No shame.
Game modes
For game modes, explain:
Main objective
Win/loss condition
Round length
Player count
Teams or solo
Progression
Weapons/tools
Respawn rules
Scoring
Known bugs
Example:
Game mode:
Cobalt Rush
Main objective:
Players mine resources, upgrade strength, fight creatures, and survive island events.
Win condition:
Collect enough cobalt and escape before nightfall.
Player count:
1–6 players.
Feedback wanted:
Does the loop feel fun after 10 minutes?
A game mode needs a loop.
If players do not know what they are doing, they will invent their own game.
Usually involving barrels.
Gameplay loop template
Use this to explain your idea:
Player starts by:
Player explores:
Player collects:
Player fights/avoids:
Player upgrades:
Player unlocks:
Player wins/continues by:
Example:
Player starts by:
Waking up near a small island camp.
Player explores:
Forests, caves, enemy camps, and ruined shrines.
Player collects:
Cobalt, food, potions, books, and broken tools.
Player fights/avoids:
Daytime creatures, camp enemies, and cave threats.
Player upgrades:
Strength, stamina, weapons, and learned abilities.
Player unlocks:
New islands, powers, NPC trades, and hidden routes.
Player wins/continues by:
Completing quests and surviving deeper areas.
This helps people understand the actual game.
Not just the vibe.
Vibes are good.
Loops make games playable.
Common s&box problem posts
Use this format for bugs:
s&box issue:
What I was building:
What happened:
What I expected:
Steps to reproduce:
Error/log:
Code involved:
Map/entity involved:
What I already tried:
Screenshot/video:
Example:
s&box issue:
NPC keeps walking into rocks.
What I was building:
Enemy camp patrol system.
What happened:
The NPC pathing works on flat ground but fails near mountain rocks.
What I expected:
NPC should walk around rocks and return to patrol.
Steps to reproduce:
Spawn NPC near camp path, start patrol, wait 10 seconds.
Error/log:
No visible error.
Code involved:
Patrol script added below.
Map/entity involved:
Forest camp test map.
What I already tried:
Moved waypoints, adjusted collision, tested on flatter ground.
Screenshot/video:
Added below.
That is useful.
“NPC broken” is emotionally honest.
But not enough.
Movement and controller posts
Movement is one of the most important parts of a game.
When posting movement work, include:
Camera style
Movement type
Speed
Jumping/climbing
Crouch/sprint
Controller support
Mouse/keyboard support
Mobile support if relevant
What feels wrong
Video/GIF
Useful feedback questions:
Does movement feel too floaty?
Is turning too sharp?
Is sprint too fast?
Does camera movement feel smooth?
Is jumping predictable?
Does combat interrupt movement properly?
Movement can make a simple game feel good.
Bad movement can make a beautiful game feel like pushing a fridge through soup.
Fix movement early.
Combat posts
For combat systems, include:
Combat type:
Melee / ranged / magic / mixed
Weapons:
Enemy type:
Damage rules:
Health/stamina:
Cooldowns:
Feedback wanted:
Example:
Combat type:
Melee and bow.
Weapons:
Sword, shield, bow, potions.
Enemy type:
Daytime camp creatures.
Damage rules:
Light attacks, heavy attacks, block, dodge.
Health/stamina:
Basic health and stamina system.
Feedback wanted:
Does combat feel fair? Are enemies too aggressive? Is stamina too punishing?
Combat needs testing.
A lot.
One number can turn a fun enemy into a tiny murder accountant.
NPC and enemy posts
For NPC/enemy systems, include:
NPC/enemy type
Behaviour
Spawn location
Day/night rules
Aggression range
Patrol route
Attack pattern
Dialogue/trading if friendly
Known issues
Example:
Enemy type:
Camp raider creature.
Behaviour:
Patrols during daytime, attacks if player enters camp area.
Spawn location:
Small camps, cave entrances, settlements.
Known issues:
Gets stuck near tents and attacks through one wall.
Feedback wanted:
Should enemies chase longer or return to camp faster?
NPCs are expensive little problems.
They need paths, rules, states, animations, and the ability not to walk directly into furniture.
Difficult ask, apparently.
UI and HUD posts
For UI/HUD work, include:
UI purpose
Screen size
Input method
What should be visible
What feels cluttered
Screenshots
Style direction
Good UI feedback questions:
Is the health bar readable?
Is inventory too busy?
Are prompts clear?
Does the HUD block gameplay?
Is the text too small?
Does it work in dark/light scenes?
Game UI should help players.
Not cover the screen like a tax form.
Multiplayer testing posts
If your s&box project has multiplayer, include:
Player count target
Current tested player count
What syncs correctly
What does not sync
Server/client issue
Latency problem
Desync example
Steps to reproduce
Example:
Multiplayer issue:
Resource pickup appears for one player but not others.
Player count tested:
2 players.
What syncs correctly:
Player movement and basic combat.
What does not sync:
Resource pickup state.
Steps to reproduce:
Player 1 collects cobalt. Player 2 still sees it on the ground.
Feedback wanted:
Best way to handle shared pickup state?
Multiplayer bugs are normal.
Multiplayer is where simple systems go to become suspicious.
Performance posts
For performance issues, include:
Map size
Entity count
Player count
FPS
Hardware if relevant
What causes lag
Screenshots/video
Profiler/logs if available
Recent changes
Common causes:
Too many entities
Heavy lighting
Too many physics objects
Expensive scripts
Unoptimised assets
Large textures
Bad collision
Too many particles
Network load
If your map lags when 200 barrels wake up at once, that is not a mystery.
That is barrel democracy.
Limit the barrels.
Good s&box post titles
Use clear titles like:
s&box Prototype: Island Enemy Camp Test
Need Help: NPC Patrol Gets Stuck Near Rocks
s&box Map Feedback: Small Cave Settlement
Testing Bow Combat and Stamina System
Multiplayer Issue: Resource Pickup Desync
Game Mode Idea: Cobalt Mining Survival Loop
Avoid:
s&box help
Broken
Game thing
Question
Those titles are too vague.
Make the title do some work.
It has one job.
Give it boots.
Good replies in s&box threads
Helpful replies:
The patrol issue looks like waypoint spacing near collision. Try widening the route around the rocks.
The map has a strong mood, but the main path needs clearer landmarks.
Combat looks good, but the enemy attack cooldown may be too short.
The gameplay loop is clear. I would test the resource collection speed next.
If this is multiplayer, confirm whether the pickup is server-authoritative.
Less useful replies:
Bad.
Just remake it.
Use another engine.
Looks weird.
No.
Give useful feedback.
The project is already fighting enough physics.
s&box feedback checklist
When asking for feedback, pick a target:
Map layout
Gameplay loop
Combat feel
Movement
Lighting
UI
Performance
Multiplayer sync
NPC behaviour
Player objective
Visual style
Sound
Difficulty
Better:
I need feedback on movement and map readability.
Worse:
Any thoughts?
“Any thoughts?” can work.
But it may return:
Nice.
A kind word.
Not a useful test report.
Playtest post template
Use this when you want testers:
Playtest name:
Build version:
What to test:
How long it takes:
Player count:
Controls:
Known bugs:
Feedback questions:
How to report bugs:
Play link/instructions:
Example:
Playtest name:
Cave Camp Test 0.1
Build version:
0.1
What to test:
Movement, camp enemy patrols, basic sword combat, and resource pickup.
How long it takes:
5–10 minutes.
Player count:
Solo for now.
Controls:
WASD move, mouse aim, left click attack, E interact.
Known bugs:
Enemy may get stuck near cave wall.
Feedback questions:
Does combat feel fair?
Is the camp layout readable?
Did you know where to go next?
How to report bugs:
Reply with screenshot/video and steps to reproduce.
Play link/instructions:
Added below.
That is testable.
Good playtests are small and focused.
Do not ask people to test everything.
They will test nothing properly and somehow climb a tree you did not know was climbable.
Project progress post template
Use this for build logs:
Project:
Today/this week I worked on:
What changed:
What works:
What broke:
What I learned:
Next step:
Screenshots/video:
Example:
Project:
Island RPG prototype in s&box.
Today/this week I worked on:
Enemy camp locations and basic NPC patrols.
What changed:
Added three camps, cave entrance enemies, and a simple day patrol system.
What works:
Enemies spawn and follow patrol routes.
What broke:
Two enemies ignore the path and stare at a wall.
What I learned:
Camp paths need more space around props.
Next step:
Improve patrol logic and add first trader NPC.
Screenshots/video:
Added below.
Good progress posts make the build feel alive.
Even when half of it is still held together with console logs and hope.
s&box safety notes
When sharing files, code, or links, do not post:
Private keys
Server passwords
Personal data
Paid assets you cannot redistribute
Private project files
Unlicensed ripped assets
Private test links if not meant for public
If using assets, mention:
Original
Placeholder
Licensed
Public domain
Asset pack
AI-generated
Temporary
Respect asset rules.
“Found it online” is not a licence.
That excuse has tiny legs and cannot carry you far.
Quick s&box starter format
Use this:
s&box post:
Project:
Type:
Current stage:
What works:
Problem/question:
Feedback wanted:
Screenshots/video:
Example:
s&box post:
Testing a small resource mining loop.
Project:
Cobalt Island
Type:
Prototype
Current stage:
Early gameplay test.
What works:
Player can collect cobalt, eat food, and fight one enemy type.
Problem/question:
Mining feels too slow at the start.
Feedback wanted:
Should strength upgrades happen faster, or should early mining be intentionally hard?
Screenshots/video:
Added below.
Clean.
Useful.
Debuggable.
Not a mysterious barrel incident.
Final note
s&box is a great space for builders who like experimenting.
Prototype fast.
Show progress.
Ask focused questions.
Test small systems.
Fix the weird physics.
Turn the chaos into gameplay.
Not every idea will survive.
That is normal.
Some ideas become games.
Some ideas become lessons.
Some ideas become a flying barrel that everyone loves more than the main mechanic.
That is also game development.
Build. Test. Break Physics. Patch. Play Again.
