Need help coding? Try my custom GPT AI!

NxhFam · November 13, 2023, 6:50am

I personally struggled with coding, and it wasn’t until recently that I learned thanks in big part to ChatGPT, so I took everything I’ve learned about using ChatGPT and I created a custom AI assistant tailored to Roblox Lua tailored towards complete beginners, expandable to intermediate users, and even advanced users.

I have also included the link to Roblox Assistant for those who do not have ChatGPT Plus, or are not interested in paying the monthly fee.

Coding Bacon is here to help! If you are a ChatGPT Plus user, try it out and let me know if there’s anything it doesn’t help you with so I can update it’s resource range.

The goal is to make an assistant that knows your weaknesses as a coder/programmer and supplements that by diving deep into your thought process and helping you find the simplest solution.

–Coding Bacon Updated 1/31/24

It will provide both answers and questions to make sure it’s understanding your request.

Coding Bacon

Roblox Assistant

It’s important to keep in mind that Coding Bacon is not a replacement for Roblox Assistant, nothing could replace a free resource so thank you to the Roblox Devs for releasing this powerful tool for free!
Ultimately, whether it’s superior or not is entirely based on preference but I believe it is more detailed, and beginner friendly and the responses you will get will leave you needing very little direction.

Update: A lot of the replies seems to be driven towards “Why use this, over Assistant which is free?”

I decided a complex example would help satisfy this question.

Request used in both Roblox Assistant, and Coding Bacon–
Create a datastore which keeps track of Money, player kills, player deaths, and all of the items in the player’s backpack. I want to be able to save, and load these everytime the player leaves, and joins the game, and I want to have the player items be saved in tables which will use table keys for the information.
The player items table will be located in ReplicatedStorage inside a folder named “Tables”, inside of a table named “ItemDB” which contains the name of the item, the value, the description, and the saveID which is a string. When we look through the table to find the “saveID” we want to find the item name in the backpack, and compare the names of the items in the backpack to our “ItemDB” to find the saveID for the specific item.
In my backpack I have an item named “Shovel” and the saveID is “00001” since it’s the first item on my ItemDB. When we save “Shovel” as an item that gets added to the player’s backpack, we want to save “00001” instead of “Shovel”, and we can then instance the item into the players backpack when they load in.

Roblox Assistant’s response to the prompt:

Coding Bacon’s Response to the prompt:

Now let’s do a follow up request:
“Can you create the ItemDB table with the previously discussed requirements?”

Roblox Assistant:

Coding Bacon:

The point of that long unnecessary prompt/request is to show the level of detail in the responses from both Roblox Assistant, and Coding Bacon. Draw your own conclusions, if you are a ChatGPT Plus member, I encourage you to test my custom GTP and push it’s resources to the limit. I am certain there’s not much you can imagine that it cannot help you put together or solve.

Edited:

Post format
Added Roblox Assistant’s link (Free) since the option I am sharing requires a premium subscription.
Added a complex/Impossible example
Added pictures
Added more detail
Added update information

NxhFam · November 13, 2023, 7:59am

How does it not work? please be more specific.

I can’t help much if I don’t understand the issue you’re having.

Guest9132342 · November 13, 2023, 8:00am

saaawdust · November 13, 2023, 8:00am

You need to sign up to use ChatGPT.

Guest9132342 · November 13, 2023, 8:01am

Oh haha, thanks for the fix. After clickign the green button it works! thanks

WinnersTakesAll · November 13, 2023, 9:57am

I don’t own ChatGPT Plus so is there any way to try this resource for free?

And what advantages does this AI even warrant to be used over Roblox’s Assistant.

Why should I pay $20/month to use your AI assistant over one made by Roblox provided for free? Are they any major differences between the AI created the the makers of Luau vs your’s?

NxhFam · November 13, 2023, 10:31am

++ Sidenote: I am not the creator of this AI, I only created the Coding Bacon GPT which is curated to help developers program better, and faster using ChatGPT. Coding Bacon will be updated with scripts, and other resources as I continue developing it to be the best assistant.

Sadly there is no way to try this for free.

Excellent question, I’ll put it on a list of pros and cons for both since it’ll help other readers get a better idea for it’s capability.

Roblox Assistant;
Pros:

Free
Provides sources directly linking to documentation

Cons:

Prompting for full scripts is limited to the scope of the request
Full scripts will often be generically labeled/referenced
Asking for scripts that tie to the 1st script can confuse Assistant depending on the wording.

Coding Bacon - ChatGPT Assistant
Pros:

Understands natural language so a prompt like “I need to create a datastore that stores player gems” will provide a full script, and if you want to expand that script you can follow up with “Can we make the gems load for the player when they load?”.
Coding Bacon follows the conversation, so you can troubleshoot with ease. If you create a working script and make changes and then it stops working, you can say “The changes we made broke it with X error” and it will analyze the issue to provide the solution.
Coding Bacon will help you understand things, so if you don’t know where the script you create goes just ask “Where should I put that script?” and it will help you better understand the hierarchy.
It helps you deep dive into each topic individually or as you program, I’ll include some examples below.

Using the datastore creation as an example, we received the following instructions:

Set Up the DataStore: We’ll use Roblox’s DataStoreService to store and retrieve player data.
Handle Player Joining and Leaving: We need to load the data when a player joins and save it when they leave.
Update Data In-Game: We’ll write functions to update gems, kills, and deaths during gameplay.
Error Handling: It’s important to include error handling to deal with potential issues with the datastore.

After the instructions we received in-depth script, as well as a full explanation:

Explanation:

DataStoreService: This is used to interact with Roblox’s cloud data storage system.
GetAsync/SetAsync: These functions are used to read from and write to the datastore.
Error Handling: We use pcall to safely attempt to load and save data, catching any errors that may occur.
Player Attributes: We’re using player attributes to store the gem, kill, and death counts while the player is in the game. You can modify these attributes when a player earns gems, makes a kill, or dies.

Important Notes:

Data Persistence: Datastores are used for persistent storage. This means the data is saved even after a player leaves the game.
Rate Limiting: Be mindful of DataStore limits (like request limits per minute). Too many requests in a short time can lead to errors.
Testing: Always test datastore scripts in a live environment (not just Roblox Studio), as datastores do not function in offline testing.
Security: Ensure that your datastore keys (in this case, player.UserId) are unique and cannot collide with other game’s data.

Remember, this script is quite basic and

Let’s say I wanted to understand how to make my datastore more secure, I could ask “Tell me more about security, how can I make my datastore more secure?”

With the answers we get, I can request a specific implementation like option #6 which suggests avoiding client-sided access. Coding Bacon will explain everything including description of examples, and code examples

On to the cons.

Cons to using Coding Bacon:

Price, paying $20usd for ChatGPT Plus isn’t in everyone’s interest.
Requesting full scripts can lead to undesired issues, make sure to use Coding Bacon as a learning resource first, and a scripting AI second.

Coding Bacon can absolutely code a full project for you, but it’s primary function is to help you understand how Roblox Lua is set up, help you learn the in and outs, and help you write long scripts you don’t feel like typing out.

Smileeiles · November 13, 2023, 11:51am

Why should one consider using this over a free alternative like Windows 11’s Copilot, particularly when the latter offers up-to-date results among other features?

ThatUncreativeDude · November 13, 2023, 12:08pm

Looks like a cool project, only downside is the 20$ fee for ChatGPT Pro. I wish you the best of luck on this project.

NxhFam · November 13, 2023, 12:12pm

Currently Copilot is available only to users who have a registered version of windows 11 version 23H2.

Users running windows 10 (a vast majority of users) will not have access to Copilot, and in addition to this point, per the update notes it’s biggest selling points are “Answering complex questions, generate new ideas, summarize pages, quickly change PC settings”. With Coding Bacon, you can have separate conversations and revisit them to look over those, or jump back into those conversations to make changes or improvements to any scripts created.

IMPORTANT:
I have personally not tried Copilot but I will update Windows today and share a more detailed list of it’s limitations when comparing it to the solution I am sharing.

ThatUncreativeDude · November 13, 2023, 12:38pm

Just wondering on why this requires ChatGPT Pro to use? Is it possible to share the prompt that you are using or another alternative instead?

Misterx113 · November 13, 2023, 1:57pm

This is a pro for Roblox Assistent too(It works there too).

NxhFam · November 13, 2023, 2:01pm

This requires ChatGPT Plus due to the fact that this is GPT curated by me specifically for Roblox game development, it’s instructed to be more than a scripting AI, it’s an educator.

You can absolutely use ChatGPT for free, but you will be faced with limitations including the number of users currently using the service, and you are only allowed to use ChatGPT 3.5 which is great but lacks in a lot of important aspects like understanding and continuity. I’ll share an example of how this specific GPT is superior to vanilla ChatGPT when it relates to Roblox Development.

For the sake of fairness, and transparency, I have used the same prompt for both examples, and I will include the entire conversation without editing anything out of them.

Prompt used for both examples:
Write server sided script that check the workspace for “Teleport 1” and “Teleport 2”. If the player Steps on “Teleport 1” the place them in “Teleport 2” and vice-versa.

ChatGPT 3.5 (Free):

Where ChatGPT 3.5 fell short: As you can see, the vanilla version of ChatGPT fell short in one very important aspect, details. The service didn’t provide where the script would go, and the details given on how it works are very rushed.

Coding Bacon:

Coding Bacon excels where Vanilla ChatGPT falls short. It’s in-depth explanations show the steps you need to take including what things you need to create, and where you need to create them, what to name them in order to work with your script, how your script will work, where to place the script, and even goes into how to properly test your newly scripted functionality. Now imagine what a more detailed prompt could do for your growth as a programmer.

The purpose of Coding Bacon isn’t to be the only solution or the most ideal from a pricing standpoint, it’s purpose is to be the best solution for users who don’t learn from videos, or reading tutorials but like myself learn from doing. Coding Bacon can work with you to build a project or functionality you are truly interested in learning how to build, all while asking questions about what you’re working on, and making backpedaling easy so you can move on from a topic and revisit it once you understand whatever concept you’re working on.

Although users could achieve similar results by using the free version of ChatGPT, it’s important to keep in mind that the curation process isn’t just a specific prompt, or a set of instructions, it’s a directive paired with support information and documents which includes not only working battle-tested scripts but also full projects to improve the response accuracy which means less time troubleshooting.

Little footnote: I do have to say that even if my specific GPT isn’t used, I wholeheartedly encourage any user who loves ChatGPT, uses it to program, and has the means to try the Plus plan, do so! These are my thoughts, and comments which are not sponsored by OpenAI. If you sign up for OpenAI, I do not get paid for it, if you do not have ChatGPT and want to sign up, go to google and look up ChatGPT so you don’t run into any affiliate links.

MrArronSH · November 13, 2023, 2:32pm

Instead of paying for GPT Plus, Everyone who’s a student can apply for GitHub Student Developer Program to get access to Copilot which is better than GPT (correct me if I’m wrong) because GPTs use 3.5 Turbo instead of GPT 4 which kinda sucks

Also there’s instructions on the ChatGPT site for both models so I believe we can create this Coding Beacon using custom instructions.

NxhFam · November 13, 2023, 3:18pm

Thank you for sharing that.

You are correct, anybody who is a student can apply for GitHub’s Student program. (linked below)

You are incorrect on the GPT information, currently CustomGPTs use GPT 4, and not GPT 3.5.

We are both correct on this though, Copilot being better than GPT is a matter of preference in my opinion, I believe GPT is a lot better than Copilot since the UI is not as user-friendly as GPT, Copilot is more nerd-oriented. (compliment to Copilot, not a diss)

While I do agree than anybody could create their own “Custom GPT” (linked below)

It’s important to highlight that this custom GPT is not just a set of instructions. I’ve uploaded a jaw-dropping amount of personal scripts from my own projects, documents for assets I have used/created but never released publicly, and well-written and well-informed forum post information, as I stated the content it’s utilizing has been curated to provide the best beginner programming tutor, and code assistant.

If you’re a student, you can apply for Github Student Developrt Program to get access to Copilot: Sign in to GitHub · GitHub
If you want to make an attempt to create your own version of Coding Bacon on ChatGPT: Introducing GPTs

Thanks again for bringing those resources up!

NxhFam · November 17, 2023, 6:05am

Hey, I know it’s been 4 days since this comment but I did say I would try out Copilot.

After 30 seconds of testing, and one question, I can confidently say that Copilot is nothing more than ChatGPT 3.5’s initial state so sadly the assumption that it’s results are more up-to-date is not accurate.

It’s likely that Microsoft kept the old CodeX model and repurposed it to make money off gullible customers once they exit preview and launch Copilot commercially.

“How recent is your dataset?” on Copilot:

It’s a bit disenchanting to be honest.

“How recent is your dataset?” on GPT 4:

MrArronSH · November 17, 2023, 1:52pm

Hey uh, Copilot now uses ChatGPT-4 by this announcement so I think (personally) I would prefer to use Copilot because it’s more integrated within visual code and allows me to use Copilot with Rojo but yeah.

Tbh it’s up to others to decide what they actually want.

NxhFam · November 18, 2023, 11:01am

I completely understand your perspective. Even if you aren’t a student and have to pay for it $10, a month is a lot more comfortable than $20, but then again if the difference between those two pricing options is detrimental then exercising good financial judgement should be a priority.

I do apologize for not being clear on my previous reply, I did not specify that my personal experience with not with Github’s Copilot but with the Window’s 11 version which I tested thoroughly and there is not a shadow of a doubt that it’s running GPT 3.5. It was not just the fact that it essentially told me it’s datasets were from 2021 which was ChatGPT 3.5 2nd update’s dataset, but it was also asking a question about a script, and getting an answer was fine until you asked a follow up without providing the script again.

I did ask Window’s 11 Copilot and it claims that it is indeed 3.5 but I read the date on it and it’s definitely an outdated source.

The average user doesn’t use Rojo, I’m pretty experienced and I don’t use it either but I do know how convenient the workflow is and I am 100% sure the model on GitHub is much better managed/updated considering the large repository of code the possess.

Still, I agree with you, everyone has an opinion, and whatever they choose, all I can say is that I wish them luck however they decide to tackle their programming challenges/learning.

Thank you for sharing the update news, I appreciate your input!

BuDeep · December 13, 2023, 12:22am

Just what I was looking for. In case anyones curious, theres the specific reference files the GPT uses.

“Programming in Lua, Third Edition”: This is a comprehensive guide on Lua programming, offering foundational knowledge useful for scripting in Roblox.
“The Advanced Roblox Coding Book: An Unofficial Guide”: This book focuses on scripting for Roblox, covering how to script games, code objects and settings, and create your own world in Roblox.
“Lua 5.1 Reference Manual”: This manual is a detailed reference for Lua 5.1, providing in-depth information on the language’s features and standard libraries.
“Programming in Lua, Fourth Edition”: An updated edition of the Lua programming guide, offering newer insights and techniques relevant to Lua scripting.
“AssetService.html”: A document related to Roblox’s AssetService, which is part of Roblox’s suite of services for managing in-game assets.

NxhFam · December 14, 2023, 9:45pm

That’s hilarious, you took my challenge on reddit, and didn’t bother to reach out there instead you browsed the web like a troll to find my post and expose the resources to the community? That’s fine you can deny it in a feeble attempt to gaslight me but the fact that this post has been up for near a month and somehow 3 days after my reddit post you find the threadyou start a comment with “Just what I was looking for”

If you read more than half of the reddit post, remember when I said you have to teach a customGPT? The amount of time I’ve spent talking to it, sending it issues and solutions that have worked Don’t come close to that tiny bit of data.

In all truth I could’ve told people what it was, what do I have to gain from keeping a few book names and 1 documentation page private? I make zero money from it, and even when people can make money it’s not like you’ll have to pay me out of your pocket, they will give the most popular GPTs a crumb for bringing user’s in.

You can see the full post below.