Build a Multiplayer Game Lobby with R3F & Playroom

Overview

When creating a multiplayer game, the lobby is where it all begins. It’s the first impression players get—a place to set up, select characters, or customize cars while waiting for friends to join. It’s where the excitement builds before diving into the actual game.

In this tutorial, we’ll build an interactive 3D multiplayer game lobby for web browsers using React Three Fiber (R3F) and Playroom. This project features car selection, username editing, dynamic animations, and seamless matchmaking to provide players with an engaging pre-game experience.

Creating Memorable Multiplayer Experiences

As multiplayer games grow in popularity, having a functional and visually appealing game lobby is essential for player satisfaction. A well-designed lobby helps players:

Easily customize their experience, like choosing a car or a username.
Interact with friends or prepare for competitive gameplay.
Seamlessly transition into the game world

Insights and Skills

By the end of this project, you'll learn how to:

Set up a React Three Fiber project for web-based multiplayer games.
Create a 3D lobby with interactive car selection and username editing.
Integrate Playroom for real-time player matchmaking and game invites.
Add animations and lighting effects to enhance user experience.
Implement physics for gameplay using React Three Rapier.
Use tools like Tailwind CSS for responsive and aesthetic UI.
Optimize 3D assets for seamless performance.

Tech Stack

React Three Fiber
Playroom
React Three Rapier
Blender
Tailwind CSS
Leva
Heroicons

Experience the project in action and explore the final implementation

Live demo 🏖️
Starter pack 🔗
Final code 🔗

Resources

#threejs #developer #reactthreefiber

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