Roblox (Windows, Mac OS X)/Removed Features

This is a sub-page of Roblox (Windows, Mac OS X).

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Removed/Altered Services

DHTML

DHTML, as the name suggests, was a service which allowed players to display HTML documents within ROBLOX. Unlike GUIs, DHTML windows were completely new windows that would open on a player's computer.

A sample code of the above would look like:

local w = game:service("HtmlService"):NewWindow()

w.DocumentComplete:connect(function ()
	w:SetBody([==[
<table width="420" height="190" border="0">
	  <tr>
	    <td width="490" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><font color="#000000"> 
	      </font><div align="center">
		<p><font color="#000000"><b>Hello, World!</b></font></p>
		<p><font color="#000000">I am a DHTML window!</font></p>
			
	      </div>
	    </td>
	  </tr>
	</table>
]==])	
	w:Show()
end)
w:Navigate()

The main reason for its removal was because it was easily exploitable, mainly for place stealing. Its very short life span (being removed in January of 2008) suggests that ROBLOX was very aware of the security issues it created. A year and a half later, in 2009, ROBLOX would release a replacement for DHTML, known as PlayerGUIs, a built-in GUI display system which could do nearly everything DHTML could.

"Controller" Variable

This variable was in almost all physical objects, and when it was set to a Player, the player set to it would be able to control whatever the instance was, provided that the model had the correct parts for doing so. This variable was to control many old models, one example being The Hammer. There is KeyboardLeft, which controls the model with WASD, KeyboardRight, which controls it with HUJK, Joypad1 and Joypad2, which don't do anything, Chase, which has it chase the player, and Flee, where it runs away from you. However, the model needs wheels to move around on, so it will not work without them. The surface that connects has to be SteppingMotor or Motor, and the ring on it changes color depending on what controller type you chose. There was a variable called "ControllerFlagShown" where if you checked it on models with a controller set, a 3D flag would appear ontop of them, with the same color as the rings. This was removed in April 2009 in favor of a more easy to use class called VehicleSeat. Barely anyone knew about this until recently, where some people rediscovered it.

InsertService

Like DHTML, this service was also unfortunately very exploitable and was changed by ROBLOX in mid 2011. While the service still exists, it can no longer insert any instance not made by the game's creator or the ROBLOX account in any way. This service was famously used to power the insert tool, introduced by ROBLOX in 2009.

SafeChat

This was a feature that allowed users with custom chat disabled in their game to still to talk with others. This was also used by guests and under-13s to talk in chat. This was a feature around since 2007 from 2013 when they added a new white list system. This is not to be confused with under 13 limitations in chat, where people call it SafeChat.

Bevels

This was a detail on parts that was implemented in 2008 to early 2013. This was able to be turned off through Roblox studio or back on if turned off. The only thing that would hide bevels without turning them off was using decals. In early 2013, Roblox released a blog post stating they are removing bevels to reduce lag.

Image below shows what bevels look like.

LDraw

LDraw is a standard for Lego CAD programs, essentially letting you create 3D scenes using virtual Legos. Roblox Studio originally had the ability to insert LDraw files, which was silently removed in 2010. It only really worked for builds featuring basic parts, otherwise builds would not contain the parts it couldn't import, or even crash Studio. Here is an LDraw file of a small pyramid imported into the Roblox 2007 client's studio.

0 Example Pyramid for Demonstration of LDRAW Library
0 Name: pyramid.ldr
0 Author: James Jessiman

1 1 -40 -24 60 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 3001.dat
1 1 40 -24 60 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 3001.dat
1 1 60 -24 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 -1 0 0 3001.dat
1 1 40 -24 -60 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 3001.dat
1 1 -40 -24 -60 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 3001.dat
1 1 -60 -24 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 -1 0 0 3001.dat

0 STEP

1 4 -20 -48 40 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 3001.dat
1 4 40 -48 20 0 0 1 0 1 0 -1 0 0 3001.dat
1 4 20 -48 -40 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 3001.dat
1 4 -40 -48 -20 0 0 1 0 1 0 -1 0 0 3001.dat

0 STEP

1 14 0 -72 20 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 3001.dat
1 14 0 -72 -20 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 3001.dat

0 STEP

1 0 0 -96 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 3003.dat

0 STEP