Hacker News Reader

Comment by capableweb | Hacker News Reader

I recall there being a game mentioned somewhere here on HN, where you start with basic logic gates (I think), and you build up a fundamental CPU at the end of the game, using the parts you discovered along the way.

Problem is, I don't remember what the game is called, and no amount of searching seems to help me. Anyone know what it was called?

View on HN

- Turing Complete (2-dimensional circuit building, mission-based): https://store.steampowered.com/app/1444480/Turing_Complete/

- NandGame (2-dimensional circuit building, mission-based): https://nandgame.com/

- Logic World (3-dimensional circuit building, no missions/goals yet): https://store.steampowered.com/app/1054340/Logic_World/

Not the same game but if you like that genre zachtronics is really good at logic games and has assembly programming. https://zachtronics.com/tis-100/

>Print and explore the TIS-100 manual, which details the inner-workings of the TIS-100 while evoking the aesthetics of a vintage computer manual!

>Solve more than 20 puzzles, competing against your friends and the world to minimize your cycle, instruction, and node counts.

>Design your own challenges in the TIS-100’s 3 sandboxes, including a “visual console” that lets you create your own games within the game!

>Uncover the mysteries of the TIS-100… who created it, and for what purpose?

https://zachtronics.com/shenzhen-io/

>Build circuits using a variety of components from different manufacturers, like microcontrollers, memory, and logic gates. Write code in a compact and powerful assembly language where every instruction can be conditionally executed.

>Read the included manual, which includes over 30 pages of original datasheets, reference guides, and technical diagrams.

>Get to know the colorful cast of characters at your new employer, located in the electronics capital of the world.

>Get creative! Build your own games and devices in the sandbox. Engineering is hard! Take a break and play a brand-new twist on solitaire.

I didn't know an assembly game could be made, it's a pretty hard game only progammers and very logical people would enjoy.

Well, if Zachtronics is mentioned, then worth pointing out that the older games fit the CPU manufacturing theme better. He had a game literally called "Silicon Foundry" which used premade blocks, and then KOHCTPYKTOP which got more into the nitty gritty

I think the problem with zachtronics games is that many people feel "I would rather program at this point", did you ever feel that way too?

Not a game, but https://www.nand2tetris.org/ is a similar concept.

NandGame? https://nandgame.com/

perhaps this https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28735441

Yes, that was exactly it! "Turing Complete" it's called apparently, available at Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1444480/Turing_Complete/

Thanks

That pixel based logic simulator, I made some years ago, might also entertain you:

https://github.com/martinkirsche/wired-logic

Silicon Zeroes [1] starts out slightly more abstracted than what you described (byte-level operators, register files, ALUs, that sort of thing) and builds up to a full CPU.

[1] https://pleasingfungus.itch.io/silicon-zeroes

Reply on news.ycombinator.com