Instance Values vs Modules for Data

Help and Feedback Scripting Support
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#1

Hey Dev Forum.

Ive been battling this for a while now and I wanted to get some opinions on this.

For my new game I want a secure way to store and hold data. I want a easy way to access these values, change these values, and see when these values changes to update GUI’S ( Money counters , Stats Counters etc etc)

Ive been researching things like Profile Service and DataStore2 and I was wondering if I should use Modules for my Data instead of the regular Instance Values used.

For a while now I’ve been using Instance values in folders on the server for my data which i feel a bit more comfortable using and I’m worried this isn’t the most secure way.

I just want to know if I should continue using the Instance Values or switch to modules

Thanks!

( The way i traditionally data store below)

local DSS = game:GetService("DataStoreService")
local PlayerData = DSS:GetDataStore("RaceData001")
local RunService = game:GetService("RunService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")

local function CreateTable(Plr)
	local PlrStats = {}
	for _,V in ipairs(Plr.RData:GetChildren()) do 
		PlrStats[V.Name] = V.Value
	end
	return PlrStats
end

local function Save(Plr)
	local PlrStats = CreateTable(Plr)
	local Sucess, Error = pcall(function()
		local PlrUserID = "Player_"..Plr.UserId
		PlayerData:SetAsync(PlrUserID, PlrStats)
	end)
	print("Attempted to saved player please wait for data response")
	if not Sucess then 
		warn("Not Able To Save")
		
	else 
		print("Sucessfully Saved "..Plr.Name)
	end
end

Players.PlayerAdded:Connect(function(Plr)
	local RData = Instance.new("Folder", Plr)
	RData.Name = "RData"

	local RaceRolls = Instance.new("IntValue")
	RaceRolls.Parent = RData
	RaceRolls.Name = "RaceRolls"
	RaceRolls.Value = 5
	
	local Race = Instance.new("StringValue")
	Race.Parent = RData
	Race.Name = "RaceData"
	Race.Value = "Human"

	

	local PlrUserId = "Player_"..Plr.UserId
	local StoreData 
	local Sucess, Error = pcall(function()
		StoreData = PlayerData:GetAsync(PlrUserId)
	end)
	if not Sucess then 
		warn("Not Able To Save")
	end

	if type(StoreData) == "table" then
		for I,V in pairs(StoreData) do
			if RData:FindFirstChild(I) then
				RData:FindFirstChild(I).Value = V
			end
		end
	end
end)

Players.PlayerRemoving:Connect(function(Plr)
	Save(Plr)
end)

game:BindToClose(function()
	for _, Plr in ipairs(Players:GetPlayers()) do
		Save(Plr)
	end
end)
3 Likes
#2

its up to you. I store all my data in a table. It just makes more sense to me if i store data in a table vs instance values.

#3

I recommend keeping a table in a module on the server for reference and data-checking, and then if you want you can either use attributes for reading the data globally or have a function in a module that returns a read-only copy of the main table. I recommend not using InstanceValues at all, and swapping them out for attributes instead as InstanceValues are deprected/superseded.
Edit: Here’s the link for info about Instance Attributes | Roblox Creator Documentation.

#4

Intresting can you show me a code sample of how I would accomplish this?

#5

Just to be clear if i dont use the method you suggested anduse my method theirs a higher chance of my data getting hacked or it being easily manipulated? The problem for me is not learning a new way of datastore its just I want something that’s secure. So specifically would the way I’m using be less safe than the one you proposed?

#6

Well, it’s not about the methods you use, but the way you use them. As long as the data is read-only for the client, it’s secure as can be. If a client tries to edit the value of an InstanceValue or an Attribute, it won’t replicate to the server. However, if you make a function that edits the main data table in a module, make sure there’s no way a client can run it via a remote event.