Open Source: Winky's Custom Chat

[GamersInternational (RIPWiiU3DSOnline0904)]

Hmmm yeah maybe! Tabbed Chat is a thing so maybe you could have the ‘All’ messages tab, and the ‘Team’ and private messages tabs plus the ‘Donation’ tab you could develop. I think a Super Chat system could really help developers earn some money.

[GamersInternational (RIPWiiU3DSOnline0904)]

@Winky_y The user interface size needs a LOT of work.

Look how small it is? I can barely read. You should implement a system for text to expand across multiple lines. Also chat shouldn’t fade away after a while and I’d prefer to have a scrollbar in the chat.

[Logimite (84pontiacdream)]

Yeah even though it is worse than the default chat in my opinion it really adds some freshness to games.

[jackTabsCode (Jack)]

@Winky_y

I’ve looked through every spawn that I used, and the only time this was being used was when there was a wait() in the script. If you didn’t know, wait yields the script, and spawn creates a separate thread, so instead of yielding the whole script, I created a separate thread for it. For example, the thread that waits 40 seconds before fading a message out is wrapped in a spawn so that the whole function does not yield and the script can continue.

I am well aware of how Lua works. Creating a thread every single time a chat message is made is bad. Knowledge of the Roblox API would help you here! For example, TweenService tweens have a delay argument. This would eradicate any need to create a new thread or yield at all.

@Winky_y

I did this so that I can use tweening, if I used a list layout the inserting of new messages would be a cut and it would be jarring.

You can still tween your messages with UIListLayout.

@Winky_y

I did this because some of the functions were getting random errors, ones that occurred once in a hundred times but could crash the script so I just pcalled it.

My reason for pcalling in the server script is because exploiters can easily fire the chatting event with invalid arguments and crash the script.

This is not how you use pcalls. You should have no errors whatsoever with a chat script, (especially not in the local portion) if you do, it is the result of a mistake in your code somewhere. The only case where pcalls are necessary are when using APIs that can fail, i.e. FilterStringAsync, and even in that case, you should be handling them, not simply wrapping functions in them, because what good does that do? All you have to do on the server is make sure that their message argument is a string, and maybe even throttle it, that’s it.

I think you should be much more concerned about spamming a remote to indicate whether they are typing or not. That will lag the server immediately. Like I said, the Roblox API reference will help you here. All you have to do is fire one event when they focus the textbox and one event when they unfocus.

@Winky_y

If you’re talking about the configuration variables then these were created so that people with not a lot of knowledge with scripting can change things that they want to change without having to dive through the script.

This is irrelevant. For example, you shouldn’t redefine a TweenInfo every time a message isa created when it stays the same each time.

@Winky_y

The main reason that I used TextScaled is because, correct me if I am wrong, TextSize is offset and not scale. So what may appear to be normal on a phone could be tiny on pc, vice-versa.

I’m not sure what you mean by this. Simply calculate the size of the new TextLabel based on the desired text size. Once again, Roblox API! Try TextService::GetTextSize()!

@Winky_y

Sorry for not being a UI designer?

@Winky_y

Exists… so why not just change the fonts if you don’t like them?

@GamersInternational

Hmm, maybe he didn’t use it and just looked at the script and the test video.

No, I didn’t use it. I can tell enough about how your script works just by looking at your code. My concern was not your font, but either way—No need to apologize! As I said, it’s just my opinion. Take it or leave it. I think sizing the text correctly would do wonders for your design.

@Winky_y

Just know that people like you are the reason that a lot of people don’t opensource looking for nothing but negatives in peoples works, and it’s kinda sad that you had nothing better to do than dissect a model looking for bad things and attempt to debunk someone trying to help other people on dvf. (:

This is just immaturity on your part. What do you mean people like me? I am giving you constructive criticism to help you get better. if you can’t or won’t take it, then close your post or don’t post at all.

There is no need to be so defensive. Beginners make mistakes all the time, and I provided you resources for most of the problems to try to fix it. Like I said, you should not need to use wait, or spawn, or coroutine in a chat script at all, let alone in most scripts—they are antipatterns.

edit:

@Winky_y

Just being petty at this point.

I will agree, this was an unnecessary addition and I apologize. What I provided in the post should be enough to fix it, but I would suggest rescripting it.

[tacheometrist]

IMO, you shouldn’t post your work anywhere if you aren’t prepared for critique or people pointing out what they don’t like.

[GamersInternational (RIPWiiU3DSOnline0904)]

@jackTabsCode

@Winky_y

Just know that people like you are the reason that a lot of people don’t opensource looking for nothing but negatives in peoples works, and it’s kinda sad that you had nothing better to do than dissect a model looking for bad things and attempt to debunk someone trying to help other people on dvf. (:

This is just immaturity on your part. What do you mean people like me? I am giving you constructive criticism to help you get better. if you can’t or won’t take it, then close your post or don’t post at all.

@Winky_y Criticism helps people grow. Your going to have to deal with it no matter what.

@Logimite

Yeah even though it is worse than the default chat in my opinion it really adds some freshness to games.

Right now yes I do agree but if Winky can figure out how to perhaps add a tabbed chat function and enable all the standard chat commands then that would massively help.

@jackTabsCode

@GamersInternational

Hmm, maybe he didn’t use it and just looked at the script and the test video.

No, I didn’t use it. I can tell enough about how your script works just by looking at your code. My concern was not your font, but either way—No need to apologize! As I said, it’s just my opinion. Take it or leave it. I think sizing the text correctly would do wonders for your design.

Yeah sizing the text correctly is going to need to be at the top of the list, it is hard to read when the message is too long. Yes I know Winky added a function to stop messages being too long but the default of 100 needs reconsidering. Right now it honestly needs to be 20-40 for people to see properly. (See text size below)

@GamersInternational

That is ridiculously small. TextScaled I don’t think is right here as it makes it far too small.

What needs to be done

• Tabbed Chat Support
• Standard Chat Commands Support
• Third-Party Admin Commands Support
• Text being sized properly
• Resizeable Chat Support
• Message when a friend joins you
• Message when Roblox filter is experiencing issues
• An actual Roblox TopBar button, if you need help with adding TopBar items I’d recommend going here

What I would like to see

• A YouTube Super Chat Style System
• Allow users to perhaps right click a message and give options such as ‘Private Message Player’, ‘Send Friend Request to Player’, ‘Copy Message’, ‘Follow Player’, ‘Block Player’, ‘Mute Player’ (yes you can mute people with the /mute command if you never knew), ‘View Players Avatar’ and finally ‘Report Player’
• Emoji Support, I don’t see this often in Roblox chats, the only good emoji support in a Roblox game is probably in @Den_S’s Theme Park Tycoon 2, in that game I can use two colons and then in between I just type the emoji name, just like the DevForum

I think this is probably the most I’m going to say about what needs to be fixed.

[CategoryTheory]

Open Source: Winky's Custom Chat

My custom chat was not made to be “better” than the default chat, but it was designed to change things up. Don’t use it if you want but it’s here if you want to. This was more of a learning experience on my part. Just know that people like you are the reason that a lot of people don’t opensource looking for nothing but negatives in peoples works, and it’s kinda sad that you had nothing better to do than dissect a model looking for bad things and attempt to debunk someone trying to help other pe…

Based on this post, there seems to be too many flaws. You must’ve considered posted it inside of the code review section.

This can’t clearly be used in a large scale projects in all seriousness. It might have been a good instructive project, but at its current state I don’t think that it should be used under any circumstances until fixes get added.

In sum, the problems listed greatly outweight the uses of the resources which doesn’t really seem to bring any additional features, I think that Roblox already made a good tutorial for changing a few elements of the chat interface and that’s what this thing seems to be used for even if someone could counter this from an esthetic standpoint,

[index_l (index)]

For all the interface designers who are getting annoyed at sizing or anything, quick reminder, Its open sourced. This means you have the ability to edit it!

And things like this isn’t required unless your commissioning Winky

@GamersInternational

Third-Party Admin Commands Support

[GamersInternational (RIPWiiU3DSOnline0904)]

Admin Commands are widely used on Roblox. So I think having this is sensible. Also I might be a UI designer but I’m not one of those that do sizing or positioning, I’ve been criticised before on how I position/size GUI’s. I’m a person who makes icons, not GUI’s.

[takticiadam (Taktici)]

You did but you dont understand what i mean, your design is responsive and i cant do it in my custom chat basically it fits good both on mobile and pc

Edit: nevermind you actually didnt implement it

[oskxzr (DULA_PEEP)]

I stand by my original remarks.

@jackTabsCode

I am giving you constructive criticism to help you get better. if you can’t or won’t take it, then close your post or don’t post at all.

I can take contructive criticism, but what I can’t take is people scrutinizing for errors and only including that. Your original post was not set out like a post trying to build up, rather put down. e.g

@jackTabsCode

and probably much more

[jackTabsCode (Jack)]

@Winky_y

I can take contructive criticism, but what I can’t take is people scrutinizing for errors and only including that. Your original post was not set out like a post trying to build up, rather put down. e.g

Clearly you can’t. I was not scrutinizing you, I was pointing out flaws in your code.

[index_l (index)]

Once you have posted what needs improving, why come back to implement what you have already discussed? If Winky does not want your tips to improve this open source chat which he is very so generously presenting to the community, why continue to argue over his own thread? If you want to make the changes go for it, its open source.

[jackTabsCode (Jack)]

I’m just replying to his messages. Nobody is arguing, and I’m sorry you see it that way.

[GamersInternational (RIPWiiU3DSOnline0904)]

@jackTabsCode

@Winky_y

I can take contructive criticism, but what I can’t take is people scrutinizing for errors and only including that. Your original post was not set out like a post trying to build up, rather put down. e.g

Clearly you can’t. I was not scrutinizing you, I was pointing out flaws in your code.

Exactly and you weren’t the only person spotting out the flaws.

[GamersInternational (RIPWiiU3DSOnline0904)]

@index_l

Once you have posted what needs improving, why come back to implement what you have already discussed? If Winky does not want your tips to improve this open source chat which he is very so generously presenting to the community, why continue to argue over his own thread? If you want to make the changes go for it, its open source.

He’s doing this to help Winky. So then it can become more popular.

[oskxzr (DULA_PEEP)]

@GamersInternational -
Like @index_l said, this is not a commission, it is an open source. It is not your place to make a list of demands.

@jackTabsCode -
I am no longer going to be responding to your posts. What I meant when I said that it’s people like you stopping people from opensourcing, I meant that when you look at the post you made it really looks like you’re trying to attack me, (with remarks like “probably much more” under errors of the code) looking into all the flaws and describing my work as something to avoid. As I said before, no one is forcing you to use it- and it’s opensourced change it if you don’t like it.

[index_l (index)]

Mate its open source for you to copy, go find things to comment on in #help-and-feedback:cool-creations. Any edits you would like to suggest either post it once or just simply change it yourself.

[jackTabsCode (Jack)]

@Winky_y

@unmiss -
I am no longer going to be responding to your posts. What I meant when I said that it’s people like you stopping people from opensourcing, I meant that when you look at the post you made it really looks like you’re trying to attack me, (with remarks like “probably much more” under errors of the code) looking into all the flaws and describing my work as something to avoid. As I said before, no one is forcing you to use it- and it’s opensourced change it if you don’t like it.

As I said I am simply providing constructive criticism, and I am sorry that you take offense to that. Nobody was attacking you in any way. This is a public forum, and if you have a problem with people replying to your post, don’t post at all.

[codefroze (Yon)]

In my opinion I don’t think it’s constructive, ehh, I’d say it’s more of an attack (unpurposely). If so, please resolve the problem and do not argue here anymore.