this post was submitted on 03 Aug 2023
505 points (100.0% liked)

196

16744 readers
1853 users here now

Be sure to follow the rule before you head out.

Rule: You must post before you leave.

^other^ ^rules^

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[โ€“] GlitchyDigiBun@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

So, especially with PC games, software is compiled using an IDE/language and runtime environments. That last part is why games stop running on newer versions of windows, and it's especially why older games can't just "be ported" to consoles, mac, etc. Once you compile a program, it's like etching that program into a stone called an executable/extension(DLL). If you want your program to run on anything other than the old compatible hardware using their runtime libraries, you gotta have the OG source code in order to recompile. Blizard North had a liquidation sale way back and the source codes to their projects was in it. They've been scrambling to get it all back to make remakes/remasters.

[โ€“] OmegaMouse 1 points 1 year ago

Thank you for this. The only bit I'm not quite sure on is runtime libraries - would you mind elaborating / explaining what these do?