Weekly ROBLOX Roundup: July 22, 2012

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Weekly ROBLOX Roundup logo

Every week, we’re busy telling the stories behind our platform, our technology, and our place in the gaming and technology industries. For those of you who catch up with ROBLOX over the weekend, the Weekly ROBLOX Roundup collects the best stuff to hit our various avenues of publication in the last week. This time: graphics rendering, the first ROBLOX Hackathon, new groups features and more.

A vision for visuals

At ROBLOX Game Conference 2012, ROBLOX developer Simon Kozlov presented five prototype videos that demonstrate a potential, future look for ROBLOX. While there’s no projected release date — the prototypes weren’t actually built in our game engine — we’re excited to see your generally positive feedback and excitement for a day when ROBLOX’s graphical representation gets a refresh. Make sure to check out all five prototypes and let us know what you think. Here’s the first:

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Who won the first ROBLOX Hackathon?

Hackathon SignThat would be user aperson1890. You can find out how the rest of the participants fared in our post dedicated to the Hackathon. If you’re really into it, you can download our entire collection of Hackathon challenges, including 14 building and 14 scripting tasks.

The future of groups on ROBLOX

At RGC 2012, Software Engineer Navin Lal premiered some of our ideas for more functional, flexible and competitive groups on ROBLOX. We relayed his ideas, including in-game group representation, group battles and land ownership, group websites and group game-building collaboration, in this blog post. It’s a solid insight into some of the massively multiplayer and social integration we’d like to bring to ROBLOX.

Deadliest Swords on ROBLOXThe deadliest swords on ROBLOX

This week was chock full of RGC 2012 coverage. As a little reprieve, we posted an overview of the most powerful swords you can acquire from the ROBLOX Catalog. If you manage to collect them all, you’ll have a serious arsenal of cutlery.

Don’t forget to check out our photo gallery from RGC 2012. We even included a short video spanning events throughout the day and conference floor. If you couldn’t be there, you’ll at least get a feel for the day’s many goings on.

A follow-up to our article about procedurally generated content

If you’re a ROBLOX game developer and you were interested in the story we ran about procedurally generated content in “Zombie City!”, you might want to check out this in-depth Gamasutra feature on the strengths and weaknesses of procedural generation. Of note is the idea that procedural generation — creating content algorithmically – often works best in conjunction with manual content creation. So, if you use a plugin to automatically generate city buildings, it might be worth your time to manually plot out other environmental objects. Something worth considering when you work with terrain and other automatic content creation.

ROBLOX on Social Networks

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Last week, we asked our Twitter followers what ROBLOX game is, at the moment, the most interesting. We saw many mentions of Apocalypse Rising, an eerie survival game, and crazyman32′s AeroCity Tycoon, a sim-style game that lets you go from mining coal to building airplanes. We’re looking for input on games we can cover, so let us know what current ROBLOX games you find interesting.

261 thoughts on “Weekly ROBLOX Roundup: July 22, 2012”

  1. Sounds good to me,but,maybe you could create a new type of server,not for BC only,but a type of thing like ”Building server”,its not like a personal server,your builds won’t save,but its like in the place created by ROBLOX,the one with the stamper tool,a freebuild server,i’d like that,and by the way,to make sure nobody deletes your bricks,there should be,a trust system,if a person is not trusted,he can’t build,modify,or delete any of your bricks.

  3. I love the new graphics. Looks great, and I’m sure it would make the gaming experience a lot better. But there definitely should be an option to turn off.

    • I don’t think it’d necessarily have a “turn off” button. You’d always have those nice new graphics, going back to old would be like switching engines. I think they’d do something more like a slider or button that lets you turn off certain features, or make them less pristine, such as turning off shadows or particle effects.

  4. this is a message to alllife selfish money loving freaks (i mean the roblox creators)
    remember how the old roblox had no insults in the updates well now you made stuff for ONLY bc and of you jacked up low-now look how many insults there are if you think us nbc’s are loosing you money then why dont you make people buy the game instead of making it free sinc you think were making you loose money and you wil lstill have less people on there cus no one wants to waste money for this game

    • I agree. I think they are so hungry for money that they take their ideas and use them on us so we get are own pearnt sto pay for it. But there are some parents that cant afford it and might not for a long while. And other people on roblox judge you for what you look like and because your not a member. Alss the problem of roblox.

    • On the contrary, I do not believe the creators of Roblox to be such money hungry fiends as you describe. I love the idea of BC and BC-only. Not only does it give incentive for people to buy BC, but all that money helps the developers to keep the site running, keep the game running, fix the game, upgrade the game, and add more hats and gear than you can shake a stick at. The only problem I see is a severe lack of stuff for the average user. At this rate you might as well take your tix and turn them to Robux. Maybe if they cut back a little bit on the BC exclusive stuff and integrated more stuff for the average non-paying community that still enjoys this game, then things would be better.

      • Well on our side it does because non-members miss out on a lot of things like stuff in shops, speical events.And being called names by other people that we are forced to get it so we dont feel bad about ourselves. And you dont notice it.

  5. I’ve been a Roblox player since 2008. I’ve been used to this game’s awful graphics since 2008. Therefore, I think updating all of the graphics would be such a let down. Roblox is known for it’s terrible, terrible graphics. However, it’s also known for it’s ability to allow every type of computer to play on it without fear of lag.
    That said, it would be best to put these new graphics as an option in the settings, as that is the only way to please every Robloxian.

    Although for feedback, I think these graphics are well done! I’d easily get used to them.

    (Sorry if there’s a double post, my computer’s being slow, and I couldn’t find my post after I posted it.)

  6. I’ve been a Roblox player since 2008. I’ve been used to this game’s awful graphics since 2008. Therefore, I think updating all of the graphics would be such a let down. Roblox is known for it’s terrible, terrible graphics. However, it’s also known for it’s ability to allow every type of computer to play on it without fear of lag.
    That said, it would be best to put these new graphics as an option in the settings, as that is the only way to please every Robloxian.

    Although for feedback, I think these graphics are well done! I’d easily get used to them.

  7. I like the graphics for the new and the old. But I do feel like there should be a few things changed. Like one, The roblox bodies should be updated to roblox 2.0. Two, I think that more tix should be given to the NBC’s Because the TBC’s and OBC’s get a lot of tix as it is while us NBC’s get a small amount and get left out of the cool stuff being relesed in the shop. And three,if your ganna do the new grapics thing…… You should add a setting where people can change the graphics from the old graphics now, to the new relistic graphics. I think this is because there are some games that are already relistic and it can hurt your eyes for staring at it for too long. Also because some people like the new graphics that are planed. While others like the graphics now.

    WELL, I hope you see this BECAUSE I THINK that these could get you more people to join and have more free say and do in roblox.AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT AGREE WITH ME. Well I REALLY REALLY hope that you ues these ideas. Not just mine but everyone’s opinion. :3

    • Since most other PC games with good to amazing graphics have ways of adjusting their graphics from better to worse, it’s safe to assume that it’ll definitely be a non-issue. :)

      • Well what about laptops that have lags, on this game like mine? This game lags everytime my computer that I go on. Is that gonna be fixable in the new graphics of roblox?

  10. Good but changing the look of bodys as seen with 3.0 bodys won’t go so well also it is possible that roblox would be much more laggy
    since the computer this is shown on might have some 8gb RAM and 3TB or memory and 6.0GHz to do all roblox work on at 100fps also I think more room on the severs usable to poeple when the game fps gets to low.

  13. love you roblox hello from aruba roblox in my heart love you for life roblox

  14. hey that graphics good but can you make it where when youre just about to make the place you can choose the graphics say yes above if you agree!

  16. Aw yeah just in a few days Apocoplyse Rising. Sorry i dont know how to spell that. But good job Gusmanak. Btw whats all this news about NBC?

  17. I notice that the GLSL Shaders are going great with Roblox. But, its a little to real.

  18. I think it’s a good idea, bu PLEASE, no more Builders Club ONLY Items! I used to be BC.. but it expired, so now I can’t buy the new Roblox Man or Roblox Woman packages, or trade.

    • Yes I agree not everything should be for builders club because its unfair for people who are not members!!!

  20. PLEASE don’t change the graphics. If your going to do anything give us our old game back, because that’s what we want. Keep the shirts,pants and stuff, but get rid of TBC and OBC. Go back to the classic BC, and start making items for Tix again for the NBCers. Trust me, if you would actually listen to your community, you would have tons more players.

    • I agree completely you will get a lot more users if you listen to our ideas, what we think and our opinions. I totally agree .
      Thank you

    • I agree on the idea that players without BC should have the ability to buy more items for tix, but I disagree on the graphics idea. This new graphics thing they’re going to add is basically only a lighting change, and something like that could easily come with an option to turn it off so you don’t have to use it if you don’t want to.

  21. Guest should have the power 2 see other ppl chats
    but use safe chat words

    • I think you should have a box and get the people to type in to there instead of choosing a phrase. For example if you wanted to see please get me out of the cart but how would I do it? You would be able to say it and get help and the next person could reply and tell them how to do it!

  22. i kinada like this
    it rocks

    my frend said he will join roblox when this come
    out

  23. I think it would be awsome if we could do a thing where we can switch roblox versions.Like switch it to 2012 roblox all they way to 2005 or 2008 roblox that would be cool

  24. i think nbc people dont deserver robux they shuold just buy BC, TBC, or OBC but is still think ROBLOX should make EBC and an update were u can change ur username cuz some people might not like there username any mroe just like me. any one who agrees with me should PM me

    • That isn’t fair in the slightest, you are suggesting that roblox create an even wider gap between free and BC players. I used to be BC, TBC and OBC, all in different time periods, and i still agree that it is extremely unfair to some of the other players from the benefits that paying people get. I understand that it’s a premium, and that people are entitled to benefits, but that doesn’t mean that they also have the right to close off what other people have had ever since roblox started!

  26. Why! i love Roblox the way it is. It’s more fun that way.But I still love Roblox. It’s AWESOME.

  27. ROBLOX wasn’t made for reality but if this is what all the users want i have no choice…

  28. i think we should get 50 robux and tix every time you get on your account

  29. we should get 10 R$ a day not five cause if me get ten we can get things we want in the store! (or whateva)

  30. Okay So First of all, The old ROBLOX was OK. now the new ROBLOX, its also OK. The UPDATED NEW ROBLOX is getting OUT OF CONTROL!I mean, cmon! LEGO FIGURINES THAT LOOK LIKE THEY HAVE TWO FINGERS AS CRAB CLAWS!?!?!? Its getting crazy man, leave it how it is now.. Or you WILL lose money.

  32. I hope this is optional. I like the new look, but I might want a nostalgic experience! Besides, many people like me have crappy graphic cards, and we don’t want lag. Other than that, you did a good job.

  34. i like roblox the way it was. this was posted on my birth day and i still dont realy like it.

  35. OK, really. First you say you want ROBLOX to get all new graphics and now you complain and protest against new graphics. Make up your minds… -.-

  37. i wish roblox studio when you are in edit mode you can see your robloxian

  38. No just no….we like ROBLOX from 2006-2008…having guests was one of the dumbest ideas ever, but this is worse! Give us NBC’ers more money or lower prices. I know what yall are doing. John Shedletsky said it himself on twitter. “People without Builders Club lose us money” So yall push us NBC’ers so far that we have to get BC, TBC, or OBC. Just stop already!

    • I AGREE REMEMBER THE OLD TIMES WHEN THIS STUFF FOR BC WASNT THOUGHT OF US ROBLOXIANSS WERE HAPPIER TIMES I MISS THE OLD ROBLOX SO FREAKING MUCH

  41. hey roblox..i have an idea, Save Spawning, creators of the place have the option to choose for their place…normal spawning at the spawn point, or a spawning system where it loads your last game up before you left in the exact same spot you left, also with any extra tools you have. PLZ READ!

  42. One thing I don’t like about ROBLOX is that only a few games save your data!

  43. that would ruin roblox! please, please, PLEASE dont change the graphics. an alternate idea would be to have roblox texture packs! then users could create their own textures, or download one if they dident like the current graphics

  45. Builders should be for all not just for bc we need them to make stuff nice. can just take our freedom of inserting away plus even though i’m wize with a sword i’m also wize to the soldiers that stick up to me

  47. Yeah I’m gunna have to agree… I love Roblox how it is! Well I loved the old Roblox when stuff was cheaper, xD but I dont want it to change! But if it has to change then I think you should change it back to the older Roblox but not the OLD Roblox i mean the one in like 2010 or 2009… I have been playing this game for about 4 years now and I know what OLD Roblox is.

  50. ok i dont need old roblox this is good and not bad because too many kids are leaving please change the tix add to 50 tx and 50 robux

  54. roblox is getting new upgrades every year and its getting more aesome

  56. I think you should give non BC players 5 robux a day or a week give rolbloxians what they want we want some robux every day better prices for things

    • AGREE! TOTALY! I have to ask all my friends, ‘USE MY NAME WHILE GETTING BC!!! PLEASE!!!’ Just to get some R$, without R$ you rlly cant buy anything! At least, anything GOOD.

  57. I think that it looks to real >__> And with the 30% fee makes me mad and sad because i only sell limiteds to make alot of money! If this gets out of hand ill leave roblox! D:

    • roblox is the best way it is just needs the building has to be for all players and not just for bc even though i’m wize in war games i’m wize by being a soldier. so if they don’t get to do it you might get more people quiting then joining.

    • roblox is awesome i hope one day i can be a great builder like roblox my idols are builderman roblox theamazeman shedletsky telamon ‘same people’ iso electriflying12 clockworks and my name is theamazingmans and do not forget to vistit my profile and my game and if you live in louisiana lsu rocks