As a Roblox developer, it is currently too hard to find audios, images, and other within the asset libraries because the filter is applied to each query. Queries like pyramid, bite, laser, break, etc “randomly” seem to filter themselves, which leads to “No results found for ######” rather than " [X] results for [Y]".
It’s frustrating trying to find an audio, image, mesh, or otherwise, only to need a thesaurus to find other words to describe what you’re looking for.
If this issue was addressed, it would improve my development experience because I would not have to constantly come up with alternatives for the search I’m looking for. If I’m scripting a spider that has a bite attack, I expect “bite” to be allowed as an SFX search query. Instead, I have to try “biting”, “biteSFX”, “bite_sfx”, “bite_sound”, etc, hoping that the alternative:
this is generally the thing i never understood about a search system.
i already had this issue trying to search up someone just for it to end up getting filtered, or searching up something i needed.
plus like, who else is going to see your search query? billions of others?
FWIW: staff had something to say about this a few years back and it has to do with it being a preemptive measure. The point of search features across the site being filtered is because Roblox can’t retroactively moderate (m)illions of assets uploaded to the site on a daily basis, so the filter is there to make it difficult for you to accidentally stumble across lingering unmoderated content.
cc @vvv331 It’s not about who can see your query, but rather the filter is in place for the end user to not happen across inappropriate content, especally younger developers.
and cc @nooneisback While that’s true, filters are also dynamic. New asset names are always filtered with the latest filter data, but older assets may be filtered using an outdated data set or filter process. The filter is there so as the filter updates, asset names that are no longer appropriate don’t end up showing up in search results.
Just the messenger. I personally don’t agree all that much with the search filter either especially as an older developer, but I can understand the rationale for it being in place. The best thing to do now is to submit filter improvement requests via the filter form.
I feel you here. However as im not a regular yet i wanted to post this exact thing except slightly different. Ive felt as if the Toolbox Search has devolved over the years as whenever i search for something i want in the toolbox. For example, if i search tower battles (A popular game) i find old models from like 2012 and other things that are completely unrelated to Tower battles. However, last year, (around like 2021-2022) The toolbox would actually give the things you searched for and not stuff like DECAYING SILO 2021 or a ton of old sonic morphs. Even when i have “Include unverified creators” I still don’t get what I want. Ive seen this happening in the game search too. For example whenever I searched “Friend Checker” in the roblox games search I was bombarded with Rainbow Friends and NOT friend checker. I really hope roblox brings back the old search system as this has just become a pain for me and alot of developers alike
I appreciate this insight into the topic and that you’re relaying information rather than responding as Roblox staff. I think they’ve missed the mark with pre-emptively filtering searches to avoid malicious content. As a developer, I find the intense friction of using the search engine impacts my development much more than seeing the occasional malicious asset in the toolbox.
Certainly, I think under 13 developers (or even under 17, given the new policies) require some additional layer(s) of protection to ensure their safety. However, the friction involved in finding appropriate assets is so high, I find myself dreading using it at all. I would like an opt-in feature or some other way of waiving my comfort in exchange for a search engine that finds me results in polynomial time…