A roblox text chat service script is essentially the backbone of how players communicate in your experience nowadays, and if you're still relying on the old "LegacyChatService," you're missing out on a lot of easier ways to customize your game. Roblox recently moved toward the modern TextChatService (TCS) because, frankly, the old system was a nightmare to navigate. It was bloated, hard to script for, and felt like it belonged in 2015. With the new system, creating custom chat tags, commands, and unique UI elements has become much more streamlined.
If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the idea of writing a script just to change the color of someone's name in chat, don't worry. It's actually pretty straightforward once you get the hang of how the service interacts with the player's input. Let's dive into how this works and why you should be using it for your next project.
Why Switch to TextChatService?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the code, it's worth talking about why this shift happened. The old system required you to fork the chat modules—meaning you had to copy a bunch of Roblox's internal code into your game—just to make a small change. This was a headache because whenever Roblox updated the chat, your forked version stayed old and sometimes even broke.
With a roblox text chat service script, you don't have to copy anything. You just hook into the existing service. It's cleaner, it's faster, and it respects the modern Luau syntax. Plus, it handles things like RichText natively, so you can make text bold, italic, or even multi-colored without jumping through hoops.
Setting the Foundation
To start using a roblox text chat service script, you first need to make sure your game is actually set to use the new service. Usually, new games have this enabled by default, but if you're working on an older place, you'll need to go to the Explorer, find TextChatService, and check the ChatVersion property. It should be set to TextChatService instead of LegacyChatService.
Once that's toggled, you're ready to start scripting. Most of your work will happen in StarterPlayerScripts or StarterGui using a LocalScript. Why a LocalScript? Because the modern chat system allows for a lot of client-side visual customization that doesn't need to put a heavy load on the server.
Creating a Basic Chat Tag
One of the most common things people want is a way to give staff or VIPs a special tag. In the old days, this took dozens of lines. Now, you can do it with a relatively simple roblox text chat service script.
You'll want to use the OnIncomingMessage callback. This function runs every time a message is sent, allowing you to intercept it and add your own styling before it hits the chat window. Here's a rough idea of how that looks:
```lua local TextChatService = game:GetService("TextChatService")
TextChatService.OnIncomingMessage = function(message) local properties = Instance.new("TextChatMessageProperties")
if message.TextSource then local player = game.Players:GetPlayerByUserId(message.TextSource.UserId) -- Check if the player is the owner or a VIP if player.Name == "YourUsernameHere" then properties.PrefixText = "[OWNER] " .. message.PrefixText end end return properties end ```
See how much cleaner that is? You're just creating a "properties" object and telling Roblox, "Hey, if this guy is the owner, add this red tag in front of his name." The use of hex codes for colors makes it super easy to match the chat style to your game's aesthetic.
Custom Chat Commands
Another big part of any roblox text chat service script is handling commands. We're talking about things like /kick, /fly, or even just fun stuff like /dance.
In the past, you'd have to write a bunch of string-parsing logic to see if a player's message started with a specific character. Now, Roblox provides a dedicated TextChatCommand object. You can add these directly in the Explorer under TextChatService, or you can script them.
When a player types a command that you've defined, it triggers a specific event. This is great because it separates regular "chatting" from "commanding," which makes your code much more organized. You don't have to worry about a player accidentally triggering a command because they happened to type something that looked like code.
Styling the Chat Window
The visual side of the roblox text chat service script is where you can really make your game stand out. Most games just use the default dark transparent box, but you don't have to. Through the ChatWindowConfiguration and ChatInputBarConfiguration objects, you can change almost everything.
Want the chat to be at the bottom right instead of the top left? You can do that. Want a custom font that matches your RPG theme? Easy. You can even toggle whether the chat bubbles appear over players' heads or just in the window.
The flexibility here is pretty wild. You can even script the chat to disappear during cutscenes or high-intensity moments to keep the screen clear for the player. It's all about creating an experience that feels polished and intentional.
Handling Message Filtering
Roblox is very strict about safety—as they should be. When you're writing a roblox text chat service script, you don't actually have to worry about the filtering logic yourself; Roblox handles the heavy lifting. However, you do need to make sure you aren't trying to bypass it.
The TextChatService automatically filters messages before they are displayed to other players. If you're creating a system where a script "speaks" for a player (like a shout command or an announcement), you have to be careful to use the proper filtering methods provided by the TextService. If you don't, your game might get flagged, and nobody wants that.
Advanced Techniques: System Messages
Sometimes, you want the game itself to send a message to the player. Maybe a "Welcome to the game!" note or a notification that a boss has spawned. A roblox text chat service script makes this incredibly simple via the DisplaySystemMessage method.
Instead of trying to "fake" a message from a player, you can send a system-level notification that looks different from regular chat. You can make these messages a different color (like yellow or blue) so they catch the player's eye without being annoying. It's a great way to handle tutorials or world events without cluttering the middle of the screen with massive UI pop-ups.
Final Thoughts on Implementation
Implementing a roblox text chat service script might seem like a small detail in the grand scheme of game development, but it's often the small details that make a game feel "premium." Players notice when the chat is clean, when the tags look good, and when commands work instantly.
If you're just starting out, my advice is to keep it simple. Start by getting a basic tag system working. Once you're comfortable with OnIncomingMessage, try adding a few custom commands. Before you know it, you'll have a fully customized communication suite that rivals the top games on the platform.
The most important thing to remember is that the chat is where your community lives. By taking the time to write a solid script for it, you're making your game a more inviting place for people to hang out, talk, and make friends. And at the end of the day, that's what Roblox is all about. So, grab a LocalScript, head over to the TextChatService, and start experimenting. You'll be surprised at how much you can do with just a few lines of code.