If you're tired of the default chat, learning how to make a roblox custom message system script is a total game changer for your project. Let's be real—the standard Roblox chat works fine, but it's a bit generic. If you're building a specialized horror game, a high-stakes roleplay, or a competitive sim, you probably want something that fits your aesthetic better than that standard blue box in the corner.
Creating your own system isn't just about making things look pretty, though. It's about control. You get to decide how long messages stay on screen, who can see what, and exactly how the text behaves. Whether you want a system that announces boss fights or just a cleaner way for players to whisper to each other, a custom script is the way to go.
Why Even Bother With a Custom System?
You might be wondering why you'd go through the effort of scripting something from scratch when Roblox provides a perfectly functional chat system. Honestly, it comes down to the "vibe" of your game. If you've spent hundreds of hours on high-quality textures and custom models, the default UI can feel like a bit of an eyesore.
Beyond the visuals, there's the functionality. Maybe you want messages to pop up in the middle of the screen like a cinematic RPG. Or perhaps you want a notification system that alerts players when a specific event happens without cluttering the main chat. By building a roblox custom message system script, you're taking the training wheels off. You can handle team-only pings, global announcements, or even system-wide alerts that look exactly how you want them to.
Breaking Down the Basic Logic
Before you start typing away in the editor, it's good to have a roadmap. A message system basically needs three main parts to function: a way to trigger the message, a way to filter the text (this is super important for Roblox safety), and a way to display it to the players.
Most people start by setting up a RemoteEvent in ReplicatedStorage. Think of this as the bridge between the server and the players' screens. When something happens—say, a player finds a secret item—the server "fires" this event, telling the clients (the players) to show a specific message.
The Importance of Text Filtering
I can't stress this enough: if you're making anything that involves player-generated text, you must use Roblox's filtering service. If you skip this, your game will likely get flagged or taken down. Roblox is very strict about safety, and for good reason.
You'll want to use TextService:FilterStringAsync. Basically, the server takes the raw text, sends it to the filtering service, and then you get back a "safe" version that's okay to show to other players. Even if you're just making a system for server announcements, it's a good habit to understand how filtering works for whenever you move on to player-to-player messaging.
Setting Up the User Interface (UI)
Now for the fun part: making it look good. In your StarterGui, you'll need a ScreenGui. Inside that, most developers use a ScrollingFrame or a simple Frame to hold the messages.
A pro tip here is to use a UIListLayout. This is a lifesaver because it automatically stacks your messages. You don't have to manually calculate where the next line of text should go; the UIListLayout just pushes the new message to the bottom (or top) and moves everything else accordingly.
- TextLabels: These will be your actual messages. You can style these with custom fonts, strokes, and gradients.
- CanvasSize: If you're using a ScrollingFrame, make sure you script the CanvasSize to update whenever a new message is added, otherwise players won't be able to scroll back up to see what they missed.
Writing the Roblox Custom Message System Script
Let's talk about the actual scripting. Usually, you'll have a LocalScript sitting inside your UI that listens for the RemoteEvent we mentioned earlier. When that event is triggered, the LocalScript creates a new TextLabel, sets its text to whatever message was sent, and parents it to the ScrollingFrame.
It looks something like this in your head: "Event happens -> Server checks if it's okay -> Server tells everyone -> LocalScript makes a new label -> Label fades in."
Making Messages "Pop"
Static text is a bit boring. To make your roblox custom message system script feel high-quality, you should use TweenService. Instead of the message just "appearing," you can make it slide in from the side or slowly fade from transparent to opaque. It's a small detail, but it's the difference between a "starter" project and a professional-feeling game.
You can also use RichText. If you haven't played with it yet, RichText lets you use simple HTML-like tags to change the color or weight of specific words within a single string. This is great for highlighting player names in a different color than the rest of the message.
Handling Server-Wide vs. Individual Messages
Not every message needs to go to everyone. If a player levels up, they probably need to see a "Level Up!" notification, but the rest of the server doesn't necessarily care.
When firing your RemoteEvent from the server, you can choose to use FireAllClients() or FireClient(player). * FireAllClients is for global stuff—"A new round is starting!" * FireClient is for that specific player—"You found a hidden coin!"
Keeping these separate prevents your players' screens from getting cluttered with information that doesn't apply to them. No one likes a messy UI.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
When you're first setting up a roblox custom message system script, you'll probably run into a few hiccups. The most common one is messages overlapping because the UIListLayout wasn't set up quite right, or the TextLabel size was too small for the content.
Another thing to watch out for is "memory leaks." If your script keeps creating new TextLabels and never deletes the old ones, the game might start to lag after a few hours of play. A simple way to fix this is to add a bit of logic that checks how many messages are in the frame. If there are more than, say, 50, just destroy the oldest one. Or, you can just have the messages destroy themselves after 10 or 15 seconds if they don't need to be permanent.
Leveling Up Your System
Once you've got the basics down, you can start adding some "prestige" features. How about a sound effect that plays whenever a message arrives? A subtle ding or whoosh can make the system feel much more interactive.
You could even add different categories of messages. Maybe "System" messages are always red, "Trade" messages are green, and "Chat" messages are white. By passing a "type" argument through your RemoteEvent, your LocalScript can look at that type and decide which color to make the text.
Wrapping It Up
Building a roblox custom message system script is one of those projects that seems intimidating at first but is actually super rewarding. It forces you to learn about the relationship between the Server and the Client, how UI objects work, and the importance of data filtering.
The best part is that once you have a solid script, you can carry it over from project to project. It becomes a tool in your developer toolbox that you can tweak and refine as you get better at Luau. So, jump into Studio, mess around with some GuiObjects, and start making a message system that actually looks like it belongs in your game. Your players will definitely notice the extra effort.