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What is Space Station 14?

Space Station 14 gameplay overview Space Station 14 station interior

🚀 What is Space Station 14?​

Space Station 14 (SS14) is an open-source, round-based multiplayer role-playing sandbox game and a modern reimagining of the cult-classic Space Station 13.

Players work together aboard a high-tech space station that almost always ends up in chaos. Each round tells a different story, shaped entirely by player decisions, mistakes, and unexpected events.

Every round is unique.
No two stations ever fail the same way.

🧑‍🚀 Core gameplay​

Each game takes place in rounds. At the start of a round, players are assigned specific roles on the station, such as:

  • Engineer
  • Doctor
  • Scientist
  • Security Officer
  • Janitor
  • Cargo Technician
  • Captain

Every role has its own tools, responsibilities, and level of access. The general goal is to keep the station operational, but that goal is often challenged by disasters, poor decisions, or hidden threats.

🕵️ Antagonists & hidden objectives​

Not everyone on the station is working toward the same goal.

Some players are secretly assigned antagonist roles, such as traitors or cult members. These players receive hidden objectives that may involve sabotaging critical systems, stealing sensitive items, or eliminating specific crew members — all while pretending to be a normal part of the crew.

This hidden conflict is a core part of what makes Space Station 14 unpredictable and exciting.

🧪 Deep system simulation​

Space Station 14 is known for its interconnected systems, including:

  • Atmospheric pressure and air composition
  • Electrical power and wiring
  • Chemistry and medicine
  • Machinery, tools, and construction

Actions in one system often affect others. A small mistake can escalate into a station-wide emergency if left unchecked.

🎭 A true social sandbox​

While the station is full of complex systems, much of the fun comes from player interaction.

Miscommunication, roleplay moments, incompetence, panic, and pure chaos are part of everyday life on the station. Sometimes the biggest threat isn’t an antagonist — it’s an underqualified crew member with access to critical systems… or the station clown.

Space Station 14 shines as a social sandbox, where stories naturally emerge through player behavior.

🗺️ Top-down, real-time gameplay​

The game uses a top-down 2D perspective combined with:

  • Real-time physics
  • Smooth, grid-free movement
  • Fast-paced interactions

This makes the game easy to run while still offering a surprising amount of depth, especially on multiplayer servers with many players.

⚙️ A modern engine​

Unlike Space Station 13, which runs on the older BYOND engine, Space Station 14 is built on Robust Toolbox, a modern custom engine written in C#.

This results in:

  • Better performance
  • Higher player limits
  • Smoother movement
  • Fewer technical limitations

For server owners, this means a more stable and scalable server experience.

🌍 Community-driven & open-source​

Space Station 14 is developed by a community of volunteers and is actively maintained.

Because the game is open-source:

  • Communities can create their own customized servers
  • Different servers may use different mechanics or rulesets
  • Long-term development is driven by community feedback

This flexibility allows server owners to build unique experiences tailored to their players.

🚀 Key improvements over Space Station 13​

Compared to Space Station 13, Space Station 14 focuses on:

  • Improved performance with less lag
  • A modern user interface
  • Better accessibility for new players
  • A more stable technical foundation

The goal is to preserve the depth and chaos of SS13 while removing its technical barriers.

🛠️ Why host your own Space Station 14 server?​

Running your own SS14 server gives you full control:

  • Public or private access
  • Whitelists for serious roleplay
  • Admins and moderation tools
  • Custom configuration and rules
  • Long-term community building

At OXY.Games, we make hosting simple:

  • 24/7 server uptime
  • Easy-to-use control panel
  • File and configuration access
  • Backups and reinstalls
  • Friendly human support 💜

⚠️ Good to know​

  • Space Station 14 is still evolving
  • Updates may introduce new mechanics
  • Server configuration is more technical than Minecraft
  • Our documentation guides you step by step

➡️ What’s next?​

Continue with:

  • Starting your Space Station 14 server
  • How to connect to your Space Station 14 server
  • Basic server configuration

You’ll find these guides in the Getting Started section.

Happy station building 🛰️