It takes a long time to compile changes for a big game (Like Space Station 13, for one), even if the changes are really insignificant. It makes it a pain in the ass to code. Now I really don't know anything about the way BYOND's compiler works, so I guess I might just be suggesting something rather absurd, impossible or already in there, so apologies for that. A idea I had for a efficient system (if it is even possible and something unlike it is currently in use) would be this: As it seems, the dream maker stores a list of all files. Why not associate a MD5-hash or other sort of short 'description' for each file that could uniquely identify it's contents? Every time you compile, if a file either has no md5 hash (a newly added file) or a file has a different stored md5 hash from it's current one, it is compiled. If the md5 hash matches, it does not compile. Or, perhaps associate a changed bool with each file. Each time you modify the code in a editor (while, the issue is here that it could be possible you undone the changes at some point, and it still re-compiles), it is marked as changed. All changed files are re-compiled and the changed variable is re-set. Once a new file is added, it is automatically set to changed.

Hopefully this is not impossible, already added or stupid. If it is, well, it was worth a try I guess.