byond uses a single-thread:multiple-stacks framework that treats soft blocks (sleep, network/file io, client involved commands) specially and allows you to detach your call stack at an arbitrary point when a softblock happens allowing for easier programming of performant code. Non-visualized programming languages also have issues that make game dev hard, that byond can sidestep. Lacking all of the fluff of modern programming languages allowed it to appeal to a wider base of contributors, a fair amount who got their start in programming by contributing to ss13. Half the features wouldn't get coded if class members had visibility/security levels (public/private), or had to be well written interface defined frameworks, or if types were enforced or required to be specified. ss13 wouldn't exist if byond was a competent programming language. They are always hailed as a failing, but its not. One of the devs apparently spent two years mostly learning OpenGL just to finish the engine.īyond does alot of things differently then most programming languages.

This was after trying to use SFML, scrapping everything, and eventually spending a year 'waiting for Godot', in someone else's words. There is also this very interesting writeup by another SS14 dev about four years ago about how the project got started.Īlso interesting about SS14 in particular is that they use a completely custom engine called RobustToolbox, written in C#. But it speaks volumes about how passionate many individuals are about this specific game. I think it illustrates that the stories of people trying to remake SS13 alone are numerous and fraught with tension at times.

I do remember stumbling across this issue by one of the lead developers of SS14 calling out one of the devs of another project. I'm not quite up to speed, but ever since SS13 was first created there have been maybe a dozen attempts to move it off of BYOND: SS14, SS3D, RE:SS3D, UnityStation, Griefly, Bluespess.

Cursed game hunter wow