Ragdoll physics, bone-based articulation, and AI-generated face migrations - Roblox is rewriting its avatar system from scratch. Adam and Anthony unpack the three-phase rollout, debate whether R6 is truly being preserved, and ask whether AI is the right tool to get Roblox to AAA quality.

Episode 23

Sources:

- Action Required: Advancing Avatars on Roblox

- Studio Beta: Avatar Joint Upgrade - Enabling Physically Simulated Characters

- Completing the Dynamic Head Migration

- MaximumADHD's weight painting analysis on X

Hosts:

- Adam (BanTech): https://lastlevel.co.uk/adam

- Anthony (sublivion): https://www.roblox.com/users/44028290/profile

----------------------------

Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Visit https://lastlevel.co.uk/podcast for more.

Join the Discord: https://discord.lastlevel.co.uk

Beyond The Blox is produced by Seb Jensen for Last Level Studios.

----------------------------

Chapters:

(00:00) Intro

(01:02) Avatar Joint Upgrade & Ragdoll Physics

(07:01) Bones, Fingers & New Articulation Points

(11:48) R6 vs R15: Retargeting & Backward Compatibility

(15:15) The Three Phases & Motor6D's Future

(18:44) R6 in Competitive Games & Avatar Settings

(22:17) Animation Editors & Weight Painting

(24:37) Dynamic Head Migration & AI Suspicions

(28:03) Why Roblox is Changing the Avatar Aesthetic

(34:54) AI, Sora's Shutdown & the Cost of Innovation

(41:37) Outro

Adam and Anthony play through the five winning experiences of the 2026 Roblox Developer Challenge. From AI-powered sitcom acting to hexagon tycoons, see what talented developers can build in just 72 hours for a share of the $35,000 prize pool.

Episode 22

Sources:

- Roblox Developer Challenge 2026: https://devforum.roblox.com/t/roblox-developer-challenge-2026/4274705/1

- dye by kenami and Soorbeet: https://www.roblox.com/games/136477995380740/dye

- Stellar Supervision by doomforks, Justine_Emmerson, PuffoThePufferfish, reamnos and SComics: https://www.roblox.com/games/121709669836446/Stellar-Supervision

- Ethics Pending: Extract First, Ask Later by Nova_MrRoyal, Keeenchi, EinMarek, Stayroh and Leon_Kokosnuss](https://www.roblox.com/games/103153024796840

- On AIR! by Crystalflxme, Zomebody, Sheenyo, Skarletbun and Rox_N_Roll: https://www.roblox.com/games/98003360579346/On-AIR

- First Rift by MarkMuz123, EAGLEMKII, Xelixis, catmanguy_s and fineeena: https://www.roblox.com/games/138981612377019/First-Rift

Hosts:

- Adam (BanTech): https://lastlevel.co.uk/adam

- Fedor (LoadingL0n3ly): https://x.com/LoadingL0n3ly

- Anthony (sublivion): https://www.roblox.com/users/44028290/profile

----------------------------

Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Visit https://lastlevel.co.uk/podcast for more.

Join the Discord: https://discord.lastlevel.co.uk

Beyond The Blox is produced by Seb Jensen for Last Level Studios.

----------------------------

Chapters:

(00:00) Intro

(02:35) Interpretation of Theme: Dye

(08:13) Technical Quality: Stellar Supervision

(11:54) Engaging Experience: Ethics Pending

(17:20) Use of Interactive AI: On Air

(23:40) Innovative Gameplay: First Rift

(28:38) Outro

From catching "attempt to index nil" bugs before they go live, to building UI with JSX and React, Adam shares why TypeScript via Roblox-TS has become the default for every Last Level Studios project.

Episode 21

Sources:

- Roblox-TS: https://roblox-ts.com

- Luau: https://luau.org

- Luau's New Type Solver (DevForum): https://devforum.roblox.com/t/general-release-luau%E2%80%99s-new-type-solver/4084991

- Roblox-TS Packages on npm: https://www.npmjs.com/org/rbxts

Host:

- Adam (BanTech): https://lastlevel.co.uk/adam

----------------------------

Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Visit https://lastlevel.co.uk/podcast for more.

Join the Discord: https://discord.lastlevel.co.uk

Beyond The Blox is produced by Seb Jensen for Last Level Studios.

----------------------------

Chapters:

(00:00) Intro

(01:00) Type Safety

(03:13) Ecosystem

(04:52) UI Framework

(06:00) The Hurdles

(07:40) Verdict

Anthony (sublivion) has been building on Roblox since he was 10, and now — while studying computer science at university — he's a core developer on Croydon: London Bus Simulator, a niche transport sim that's attracted over 46 million visits. We explore how Roblox's discovery algorithm turns hyper-specific concepts into mainstream hits that outperform competitors on Steam, and why the platform's low barrier to entry makes it the perfect home for simulation games.

Episode 20

Sources:

- Croydon: London Bus Simulator on Roblox: https://www.roblox.com/games/8265622251/Croydon-London-Bus-Simulator

- 4K Texture Rendering (DevForum): https://devforum.roblox.com/t/studio-beta-4k-texture-rendering/4144950

- SLIM - Scalable Lightweight Interactive Models (DevForum): https://devforum.roblox.com/t/client-beta-introducing-scalable-lightweight-interactive-models-slim/4034709

- Server Authority (DevForum): https://devforum.roblox.com/t/studio-beta-build-fair-responsive-games-with-server-authority/4139157

- Roblox Incubator & Jumpstart Programs: https://about.roblox.com/newsroom/2026/03/roblox-announces-incubator-jumpstart-creator-programs

- Bus Simulator 21 - Steam Charts: https://steamcharts.com/app/976590

Hosts:

- Adam (BanTech): https://lastlevel.co.uk/adam

- Fedor (LoadingL0n3ly): https://x.com/LoadingL0n3ly

- Anthony (sublivion): https://www.roblox.com/users/44028290/profile

----------------------------

Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Visit https://lastlevel.co.uk/podcast for more.

Join the Discord: https://discord.lastlevel.co.uk

Beyond The Blox is produced by Seb Jensen for Last Level Studios.

----------------------------

Chapters:

(00:00) Intro

(00:54) Meet the Host: Anthony's Story

(05:06) Learning Physics and Math Through Game Dev

(13:07) The Journey to Transport Simulation

(22:35) Croydon: The Mainstream Niche Explained

(25:23) Organic Growth & the Roblox Algorithm

(30:39) Croydon's Realistic Design Choices

(32:52) The Tech Behind Croydon

(37:42) AI and NPCs in the Future of Simulation

(41:06) Could Croydon Work on Another Platform?

(44:07) Outro

With recent dissatisfaction around Roblox's chat and safety changes, Adam and Fedor explore if alternatives like Fortnite's UEFN or Polytoria could ever take its crown. They break down the "identity crisis" holding UEFN back and the chicken-and-egg problem facing smaller nostalgic platforms.

Episode 19

Sources:

- Fortnite Going All-In on UGC but Chasing Roblox: https://www.platformaeronaut.com/p/fortnite-going-all-in-on-ugc-but

- Unreal Engine GDC 2025 Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dF1Q7FDBfGw

- Polytoria: https://polytoria.com/home

- Polytoria Documentation: https://docs.polytoria.com/

- Reddit: Why Polytoria (and every other Roblox clone) is doomed to fail: https://www.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/1qw67t6/why_polytoria_and_every_other_roblox_clone_is/

Hosts:

- Adam (BanTech): https://lastlevel.co.uk/adam

- Fedor (LoadingL0n3ly): https://x.com/LoadingL0n3ly

----------------------------

Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Visit https://lastlevel.co.uk/podcast for more.

Join the Discord: https://discord.lastlevel.co.uk

Beyond The Blox is produced by Seb Jensen for Last Level Studios.

----------------------------

Chapters:

(00:00) Intro

(01:29) Exploring UEFN as an Alternative

(08:08) Fortnite's Identity Crisis

(15:45) Discovery Problems on UEFN

(23:43) Fortnite vs Roblox by the Numbers

(27:13) Polytoria: The Hobbyist Alternative

(34:45) The Cost of Running a UGC Platform

(41:39) Will AAA Studios Build a Competitor?

(47:07) Outro

Roblox is changing how physics work with Server Authority. We built billiards and bowling demos to test if this new rollback netcode is ready to replace client-sided simulation for competitive games.

Episode 18

Sources:

- Server Authority Overview (Roblox Documentation) - https://create.roblox.com/docs/projects/server-authority

- Server Authority Advanced Techniques (Roblox Documentation) - https://create.roblox.com/docs/projects/server-authority/techniques

- Server Authority: How to Begin? (Community Guide) - https://devforum.roblox.com/t/server-authority-how-to-begin/4139185

- Input Action System (Roblox Documentation) - https://create.roblox.com/docs/input/input-action-system

- BindToSimulation API Reference (Roblox Documentation) - https://create.roblox.com/docs/reference/engine/classes/RunService#BindToSimulation

Hosts:

- Adam (BanTech): https://lastlevel.co.uk/adam

- Fedor (LoadingL0n3ly): https://x.com/LoadingL0n3ly

- Anthony (sublivion): https://www.roblox.com/users/44028290/profile

----------------------------

Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Visit https://lastlevel.co.uk/podcast for more.

Join the Discord: https://discord.lastlevel.co.uk

Beyond The Blox is produced by Seb Jensen for Last Level Studios.

----------------------------

Chapters:

(00:00) Intro

(00:35) What is Server Authority?

(03:52) Prerequisites and Settings

(07:54) How Rollback Netcode Works

(15:07) Rough Demo: Server Authority in Action

(24:09) BindToSimulation & Managing State

(35:34) Migrating 'The Lanes' to Server Authority

(46:02) The Impact on Competitive Game Design

(53:13) The Future of Roblox Scripting

(01:03:09) Outro

Adam dives into his first-ever game jam experience at Roblox's 2026 Developer Challenge. From prepping five game ideas to building a multiplayer bomb-battle maze in 72 hours, he breaks down the strategy, the tools, and the lessons every Roblox developer can take away.

Episode 17

Sources:

- Space Bombs (Game Jam Submission): https://www.roblox.com/games/97442218073300/Space-Bombs

- Roblox Developer Challenge 2026 ("First Contact"): https://devforum.roblox.com/t/roblox-developer-challenge-2026/4274705

- Roblox Developer Challenge 2025 ("Break the System"): https://devforum.roblox.com/t/roblox-developer-challenge-2025/3389448/1012

Hosts:

- Adam (BanTech): https://lastlevel.co.uk/adam

- Anthony (sublivion): https://www.roblox.com/users/44028290/profile

----------------------------

Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Visit https://lastlevel.co.uk/podcast for more.

Join the Discord: https://discord.lastlevel.co.uk

Beyond The Blox is produced by Seb Jensen for Last Level Studios.

----------------------------

Chapters:

(00:00) Intro

(00:58) The Roblox Developer Challenge 2026

(05:40) Choosing Which Categories to Target

(12:13) Brainstorming Five Game Ideas

(19:55) Planning & Organizing 72 Hours

(25:13) Adapting to the "First Contact" Theme

(33:00) Tech Stack & AI Tools

(45:11) Why Every Developer Should Enter a Game Jam

(52:42) Outro

This week we discuss the controversial removal of classic faces, the rollout of 4K textures, and speak to Toby Johnson (OverheadWires) about building high-fidelity experiences like Croydon: London Bus Simulator.

Episode 16

Sources:

- New Chat APIs: https://devforum.roblox.com/t/new-chat-apis-teleport-users-who-can-chat-together/4337233

- 4k Texture Rendering: https://devforum.roblox.com/t/4k-texture-rendering/4316229

- Completing the Dynamic Head Migration: https://devforum.roblox.com/t/completing-the-dynamic-head-migration/4301387

- Q4 2025 Report: https://ir.roblox.com/financials/quarterly-results/default.aspx

Hosts:

- Adam (BanTech): https://lastlevel.co.uk/adam

- Fedor (LoadingL0n3ly): https://x.com/LoadingL0n3ly

- Anthony (sublivion): https://www.roblox.com/users/44028290/profile

----------------------------

Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Visit https://lastlevel.co.uk/podcast for more.

Join the Discord: https://discord.lastlevel.co.uk

Beyond The Blox is produced by Seb Jensen for Last Level Studios.

----------------------------

Chapters:

(00:00) Intro

(00:42) Dynamic Heads Controversy

(08:11) Interview with Toby (OverheadWires)

(12:03) 4K Textures & Visual Fidelity

(19:53) Roblox Letter to Shareholders

(25:02) Age Group Matchmaking API

(31:48) Outro