Finding a reliable roblox overhead gui script is one of those things every new developer ends up doing because it's such a staple for any roleplay or hangout game. You've definitely seen them—those little floating nameplates above characters that show their name, their rank in a group, or maybe even a "VIP" tag if they've spent some Robux. It's one of the simplest ways to add a layer of polish to your game without needing to be a master coder.
While you could just grab a model from the Toolbox, those are often messy, outdated, or filled with weird backdoors you don't want in your project. It's honestly much better to just build one yourself. It's not as scary as it sounds, and once you understand how the parts fit together, you can customize it however you want.
Why use an overhead GUI anyway?
The main reason is identity. When players are running around a big map, it's hard to tell who is who just by looking at their avatar. A good roblox overhead gui script solves that by pinning a label right above their head.
Beyond just names, these GUIs are perfect for showing off status. If you're running a military sim, you can show ranks. If it's a cafe game, you can show who the staff members are. It adds a level of organization that makes the world feel more "official." Plus, it just looks cool when you have a clean, well-designed UI floating above everyone.
Setting up the BillboardGui
Before we even touch a script, we need to design the thing. In Roblox, anything that floats in 3D space but is actually a 2D interface is called a BillboardGui.
To get started, you usually want to create a BillboardGui in your ServerStorage or ReplicatedStorage. Inside that, you'll toss in a TextLabel. This is where the player's name will live.
Here are a few settings you'll want to tweak to make it look right: * Size: Something like {4, 0}, {1, 0} usually works well. * StudsOffset: This is the big one. You don't want the GUI inside the player's brain; you want it floating. Setting the Y-axis to something like 2 or 3 will push it up above the head. * AlwaysOnTop: If you check this, players can see the tag through walls. Most people leave this off for realism, but it depends on your game's vibe. * MaxDistance: You probably don't want to see a nameplate from a mile away. Setting this to something like 50 or 100 keeps the screen from getting cluttered.
The basic scripting logic
Now for the part where we actually make it work. We need a script that waits for a player to join, waits for their character to load, and then clones our GUI onto their head.
You'll want to place a Script in ServerScriptService. We use a server script because we want everyone in the game to see these tags. If you did it in a LocalScript, only you would see your own tag, which is kind of pointless for a social feature.
The logic usually looks like this: 1. Connect to the PlayerAdded event. 2. Connect to the CharacterAdded event (so it reapplies when they respawn). 3. Clone the BillboardGui from storage. 4. Set the Adornee of the GUI to the player's head. 5. Parent the GUI to the player's head. 6. Change the text of the TextLabel to the player's name.
It sounds like a lot of steps, but it's actually just a few lines of code. The important thing is making sure you wait for the "Head" to actually exist. Sometimes the character loads, but the body parts aren't quite there yet, which can cause the script to error out. Using WaitForChild("Head") is a lifesaver here.
Adding group ranks and roles
Once you have the name working, you'll probably want to add more info. Most people use a roblox overhead gui script to show group ranks. This is where things get a little more interesting.
Roblox has a built-in function called GetRoleInGroup(GroupID). You can grab your group's ID from the URL of your group page, plug it into the script, and suddenly your GUI can tell if someone is a "Trainee" or the "Owner."
You could even change the color of the text based on the rank. For example, you could make the Owner's name glow bright gold while everyone else has a standard white or gray name. It's a small touch, but players love feeling like their rank actually means something visible.
Making it look professional
Let's be real, a plain white rectangle with black text looks a bit 2012. If you want your game to look modern, you should spend a few minutes on the aesthetics.
- UICorner: Adding a
UICornerto your TextLabel makes the edges rounded and soft. It immediately makes the UI feel higher quality. - UIGradient: Instead of a flat color, use a gradient. A subtle shift from a light blue to a slightly darker blue looks way better than just plain blue.
- TextStroke: Always give your text a bit of a "stroke" or outline. Since the sky in Roblox can be very bright, white text can sometimes disappear. A black outline ensures it's readable no matter what time of day it is in your game.
- Fonts: Don't just stick with "SourceSans." Try out "Gotham" or "LuckiestGuy" for a more stylized look.
Handling multiple lines of text
Sometimes you want the player's name on top and their rank underneath. To do this, you can just add a second TextLabel inside the same BillboardGui. You'll just need to adjust the positions so they don't overlap.
Alternatively, you could use one label and use the \n (newline) character in your script to stack the text, but having two separate labels gives you way more control over the sizing and colors of each part. You might want the name to be big and bold, while the rank is smaller and italicized.
Performance considerations
You might be thinking, "If I have 50 players and everyone has a script running for their GUI, will it lag?"
The short answer is no, not really. BillboardGuis are pretty lightweight. However, you should still be smart about how you write the script. Don't use a while true do loop to constantly update the text. You only need to set the text once when the character spawns.
The only time you'd need a loop is if you're displaying something that changes constantly, like a "Time Played" counter or a "Cash" display. Even then, it's better to update the text only when the value actually changes rather than every single frame.
Common mistakes to avoid
One mistake I see all the time is people forgetting to handle the player's death. When a player dies, their character model is destroyed and a new one is created. If your script only runs once when they join, they won't have a tag when they respawn. That's why the CharacterAdded connection is so vital.
Another annoying issue is the "clipping" problem. If the GUI is too close to the head, it might clip into hats or hair. This is why that StudsOffset we talked about earlier is your best friend. Give it some breathing room!
Final thoughts on customization
The best part about a roblox overhead gui script is that it's a foundation you can build on. Once you have the basics down, you can add things like: * VIP icons next to names. * A level bar that fills up as they play. * Team colors that match their team's color. * Special effects like a shimmering rainbow gradient for developers.
It's one of those projects that gives you immediate visual feedback. You write a few lines, hit play, and see your name floating there in glory. It makes the game feel like your game. So, skip the broken Toolbox models and spend twenty minutes putting your own together. Your players (and your game's performance) will thank you for it.