Hello Creators,
As most of you probably know, we have been improving our UGC asset validations to eliminate exploits, striving to make the platform more stable and enjoyable for everyone. However this means that some assets on the platform that used to pass validation now fail the updated tests. In the past the only option we’ve had is take down or move these newly invalidated assets off sale. All of this is about to change! We are introducing a new initiative to update assets with non-policy violating changes that pass Roblox validation and moderation standards.
In this new initiative, Roblox will run several catalog update campaigns to update and fix catalog assets. Each campaign will target a specific issue related to a recent update. The first update campaign we will run targets fixing cages on existing layered clothing assets. There will be additional campaigns targeting different issues, so it is possible an asset will end up being updated more than once over multiple campaigns.
Each campaign is executed according to the following process.
Identification of an Issue
- Roblox identifies a subset of catalog assets that no longer pass a specific validation check.
- Roblox uses the Avatar Auto-Setup product to automatically create a fixed version of these assets whenever possible.
- We expect the majority of the assets to have an auto-fixed version, though it is possible some won’t have auto-fixes available.
Notification to Creators
- Roblox notifies the creators that own these assets about the upcoming update process.
- We will send a bulk DM to all asset owners announcing a new campaign
- We will notify each owner individually via email listing their assets that need to be updated, The email sender will be an official @roblox.com email.
- Each asset listed in the email will have a link to a webform to gather the creator feedback for that specific asset
- Emails will be sent around the 1st and 15th of each month while the campaign is running
- They contain information specific to the campaign with instructions on how to update the assets, including links to additional resources, tutorials and documentation when available
- Each email can contain up to 20 assets that need to be reviewed in that 2-week span (we expect most of them to have an auto-fixed version which will reduce the load on creators to produce fixes)
- Creators with more than 20 assets affected in a campaign will receive multiple emails, twice a month, until all of their assets are listed and reviewed
Creator Feedback
- Creators will have the option to:
- Do nothing. If no response is received during the update period,
- If an auto-fixed version is available the asset will be updated with it
- If no auto-fix version is available and no acceptable replacement is provided, the asset will be moved off sale.
- Produce a fixed version themselves that Roblox will review.
- If approved, the asset will be updated with the fixed version
- If not approved the asset will be moved off sale
- Do nothing. If no response is received during the update period,
- The system will use asset IDs to communicate auto-fixed versions to creators and receive feedback from the creator with their own fixed version (see section “Managing Communication with Creators” below for more details on this)
- Roblox will update the existing catalog assets with the fixed versions twice a month while the campaign is underway
- All asset updates will be run through the latest validation and moderation checks
Campaign Completion
- Upon completion, Roblox will send a bulk DM to all creators affected by the update announcing the end of the campaign
- No asset updates for the campaign will take place after it finishes
We believe the above process will capture the nuances and details of the different types of update campaigns we are planning to run, though we will make adjustments as needed based on your feedback and potential unforeseen issues we may encounter.
This initiative applies only to assets that were valid at the time of their publishing and no longer pass validation. We will continue doing retroactive take downs of catalog assets that are deemed to be exploits or break gameplay for experiences. We will not attempt to fix exploits, and they will be taken down with consequences applied to their creators just as they are today.
Managing Campaigns
All update campaigns will be initiated by Roblox and target a specific issue that needs to be fixed on the catalog assets. Only creators notified by Roblox will be able to participate in the campaign.
This initiative is not a general update system to enable creators to version up their existing assets at will. Roblox will only update the asset components that correspond to the campaign. For example, we will only take new cages during the campaign to update the layered clothing cages, and ignore any other change that might have been made to the asset.
The asset updates need to be processed using the links to each asset listed in the email notification. Roblox will not be able to process update requests without using the provided links.
Managing Communication with Creators
We are using asset IDs to communicate with creators. An instance of the asset corresponding to the asset ID “my_asset_id” can be loaded into Studio using the following Luau command:
game:GetService("InsertService"):LoadAsset(my_asset_id).Parent = workspace
The instance contains all the information for the asset at the time of publishing. For example, a layered clothing asset would have information about its cages, and a rigid accessory would have information about its attachment point.
Creators that decide to produce their own versions of their fixed assets will be able to use the link to the webform in the email to communicate back the asset IDs of the updated components. Roblox will update your catalog assets while keeping their original ID in a process that is completely transparent to players equipping their avatars with your assets.
Gearing Up for the First Campaign
As stated above, our first campaign will target updating layered clothing assets that no longer pass the recent cage validation checks. Within the following weeks, we will reach out to all creators affected with additional details and will start the campaign soon after.
As always, your feedback is very important for us to continue supporting our creator community producing world-class catalog assets on the platform. Please share your thoughts and suggestions on this initiative below.
Thank you!
