'Space Station 13': Behind One of the Largest Open Source Games

In this 2022 Open Source Game Development Summit, Nathan Riemer (a maintainer and designer for the largest SS13 fork) reveals how open source development shapes the design and production processes of a game and describes unique challenges that don't occur in closed source development.

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[keekenox]

As somebody that's contributed and been a member of this game's community for like 10 years, it's unreal to see it on GDC. It makes me so happy.

[ZeWaka]

Great talk mothblocks. This is a great overview of the overall SS13 developer community and how we've evolved as such a unique game. Thanks for taking the time to present this, glad it's finally up!

[maoromka]

Gotta say, Nathan has done an incredible job with this presentation. The slides are great and it was very interesting to listen! He needs to do more talks!

[skyfiremighty]

This is an awesome presentation, I love that this game is getting more attention (it deserves it), I love all the different possibilities and branches of the game, overall I LOVE THIS GAME! As a civ13 moderator I would highly encourage you to come hang out on our branch of the game, we are constantly trying to add things even tho we have a vastly smaller amount of contributors, are branch is really unique in that it is based around real life, so if you want a real survival/civilization building experience but in ss13 we are the server for you.

[KeyboardWario]

That's the guy that removed nanites! Get em!

[potatoboy]

I love this game so much, and it’s interesting playermade changes are part of why, it’s never the exact same game and I love it

[toastedeggplant]

*spin *flip *Clap Good game. Also an amazing presentation from Mothblocks! :)

[atomic_bomba]

Woah.. it's weird to see SS13 get mainstream attention. I haven't touched /tg/ in years, so a lot of this is pretty cool. I make a lot of content, help code and create videos on a couple niche/closed access servers.

[PsiDeltaUNGA]

I play and contribute to TGMC, or TerraGov Marine Corps. This server is one of the great examples of how players can contribute to the game.

Many of my footages in my YouTube channel are from me playing TGMC, but the videos serve more than entertainment. It is one of the feedback systems that contributors use to gauge what is needed to change or add to TGMC. I even use my YouTube channel to demonstrate what I have contributed for TGMC (resprite of acid rain for one). Due to the fact that Space Station 13's development is ephemeral, some players don't know mechanics, so I put in time to making tutorials for anyone that need them including veteran players!

The interpersonal dynamics of TGMC developement is interesting to say the least, but alas I don't have time to type it all out.

Come play TerraGov Marine Corps! We will teach you how to not die and shoot xenomorphs!

[doomgod]

An open source space station game?! Must download now

[Vardisk]

I play on the CM-SS13 server, which is typically the single most popular SS13 server, by online player counts. It's very different from the other more normal SS13 servers, as its a total overhaul into a sort of military sim, where you're on a mission to hunt down and destroy an alien infestation). Just the fact you can have 200 people online simultaneously, playing an asymmetrical pvp shooter, with roleplaying, an overarching plot for the round, and real consequences for your actions (i.e.: permanent death and being out of the rest of the round for potentially 3-4 hours and/or individual impact on how the round goes), is just an amazing feeling.

People have spent literal years designing so many in depth systems on just this one server. Dozens of different guns, with attachments that meaningfully change the way they shoot. Couple dozen different classes/roles/jobs that are in depth and complex, with real impacts on the round (rifleman, specialist, medic, engineer, smartgunner, staff officers, military police, androids, doctors (and separate nurses!), a complex medical system which really immerses people that are playing medics/nurses/doctors/chemists, drop ship pilots and APC drivers, it goes on and on). You can be on the battlefield, just shooting your gun, and you're supported by a mortar team, orbital artillery, close air support, an APC, and a tank. Meanwhile, the enemy team is just completely different from your team, a much smaller group of alien creatures with their own completely different roles and gameplay, and yet its still all fairly well balanced with win rates between the two.

Yea, the game is graphically very simple, but its much more in depth that the triple A shooters like CoD or Battlefield. Really just an amazing game.

[arkan]

What i like the most about this model is that even people with 0 coding skill can contribute, if their ideas are interesting enough and they talk with the community, someone might pick up on their idea and form it into a workable concept. A lot of things start in casual conversation between players with the typical "what if" and it leads to many things that are now staples of the game.

[ambralemon]

I adore this game. Best true roleplay experience out there

[rikuleinonen]

Rather proud to say I've contributed to both TGMC and /tg/station and I still am.

[Shinesart]

When I heard Space Station 13. I saw it together with Sseth's review video.

[thedragmeme]

The funniest part of this entire thing is the fact Mothblocks was representing /TG/, the thumbnail is for Goon

[zdavis]

Been playing this game for years and I'm glad its getting some attention! We have such an amazing and diverse community, and the game only gets better with age :)

[UliTroyo]

This is so interesting! Great talk! I've played a few open-source games, but nothing with remotely this level of contribution.

[DingleFlop]

The fact that this game is now leaking out into the real world is terrifying.

[Birch_ON]

As someone whos joined in on SS13 on the Ssethtide, I'm glad to see more recognition for it.