Converting Maps

Up one category: Tutorials

This is a tutorial on how to convert newer Roblox maps to work with old Roblox clients (older than 2013).

This is an advanced tutorial, so please read it carefully.

Introduction and Requirements

You cannot load .rbxl files (Roblox place files) saved in clients from 2014-present in any client version earlier than 2013. If a map was saved in a client version more recent than 2013, it will have to be "converted" in order to be opened in clients earlier than 2013. GoodBlox uses a (modified) early 2010 client, so newer maps will have to be converted to work with it.

To "convert" a newer map, all you really have to do is load and save it in a 2013 client, but the problem is that not all data gets carried over to 2013, meaning that we would have to manually save and load this data separately.

First of all, you'll need these items:

• ConversionScripts
• Roblox Late 2013 Studio
• Roblox FIBv11 Studio

ConversionScripts contains two important scripts: ConvSAVE.lua and ConvLOAD.lua. You'll need them.

You won't always need to use FIBv11 Studio for converting maps, but it's good to have for when you do need it.

FIBv11 is an old development build of Future is Bright, Roblox's modern lighting system. It has found to be useful for fixing some errors with map conversion.

Once you have these items, you're ready to start converting.

Directions

1. Open the map you want to convert in modern Roblox Studio.
2. At the top of the screen, click [MODEL], then [Run Script] (above the Advanced section). Locate ConvSAVE.lua, and open it. A message box will tell you when the script is done saving conversion data.
3. Save the map. (once the message goes away)
4. Now, open the Late 2013 Studio. (Find RobloxStudioBeta.exe in the 2013 directory)
5. In 2013, open the map you just saved. All the parts should have no color, and any GUI text will be really small. Don't worry; this is normal. (If you get an error that prevents the map from opening, please check the bold text just below these directions.)
6. At the top of the screen, click [Tools], then [Execute Script...]. Locate ConvLOAD.lua, and open it.
7. All items should have their colors returned, and GUIs should be fixed.
8. Save the map.

You're done! Now you should be able to use the map in GoodBlox, and any other old client!

If you get an error while trying to load the map in 2013 Studio, try saving the map in FIBv11 Studio instead of in modern Roblox Studio, and then try loading the map in 2013 again.

Such errors typically say things like "Error in opening file" and "Unexpected format 27 (expected 3)"

Converting Models

If you'd like to simply convert a model, you must load the model through an .rbxl file in 2013 Studio. You cannot simply load .rbxm (model) files from modern Roblox Studio into 2013. Follow the same steps as above to convert the .rbxl file.

You can just save the model on an empty baseplate, convert the map, and export the model from the map in 2013 Studio.

Note: If you save an .rbxmx or .rbxlx file in modern Roblox Studio (instead of an .rbxm or .rbxl), you might be able to load it in older clients without having to convert, but the colors and other factors will still be reset. This will not always work, and the colors will still be reset if it does work, so it's best to just convert it normally.

Important Info

This section contains extra notable information about converting maps.

• If you get an error that prevents a map from loading in 2013, try saving the map in FIBv11 Studio instead of in modern Roblox Studio, and then try loading the map in 2013 again.
• If you convert a map that uses objects added after 2013, such as UnionOperation, MeshPart, ParticleEmitter, Accessory, etc., then those objects will be automatically removed from the map in 2013, as they do not exist in that client. To maintain compatibility, in modern Studio you would have to substitute these objects. For example, you can separate UnionOperations into Parts, replace MeshParts with SpecialMeshes, Accessory with Hat/Accoutrement, ParticleEmitter with Sparkles/Fire/Smoke, etc.
• If your map uses newer BrickColors added after 2016, then those colors will be converted to the closest available BrickColor when you run ConvLOAD.lua in 2013.
• Upon conversion, the formFactor properties of Parts might be reset to Brick.
• Asset IDs that use the rbxassetid://XXXXXX format will not work in clients older than 2013. Change these asset IDs to use http://www.roblox.com/asset/?id=XXXXXX (the old format) instead, so that they will work after conversion. (Assets that use the old format might not work in 2013, but this will not affect map conversion.)
• GoodBlox's client only supports Roblox mesh format versions 1.00 and 2.00. In simple terms, this means that only meshes uploaded to Roblox before April 2019 will load in the client. (This does not affect map conversion; newer meshes will just be invisible. Click here for a more detailed explanation.)