NandGame – Build a Computer from Scratch | Hacker News Reader

NandGame – Build a Computer from Scratch

nandgame.com

137 points_fnqu14 comments

NandGame – Build a Computer from Scratch - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25282507 - Dec 2020 (136 comments)

Show HN: Online challenge: Build a CPU from scratch - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17508151 - July 2018 (60 comments)

This seems similar, but perhaps less ambitious, than the very well done Nand-To-Tetris (https://www.nand2tetris.org/) - anyone know both?

Nand2Tetris has open source simulators, great docs, lectures / help via coursera. I’ve used it with kids.

Admitted bias as EE who used circuits & assembly back in the day in addition to CS, but I do think knowing the underlying “machine” of compute helps inform good systems thinking / trade offs. Plus it’s fun for people who are engaged by this type of logic puzzles / problem solving, which I think is a large set of folks who like software.

Kohctpykyop (needs flash so run in external player or through ruffle or something) is adjacent and also interesting. I haven't managed to finish it yet but afaik it doesn't ever zoom out and have you combine modules you'd previously made to make something else. You draw out circuits from N and P doped silicon building things from NPN and PNP transistors formed from different configurations of the silicon.

https://www.zachtronics.com/kohctpyktop-engineer-of-the-peop...

It doesn't let you zoom out but it does let you save snippets, which you can paste into the levels. I used this a lot as I progressed (still haven't finished it either).

I've played this before, it's satisfying to see tour computer go from individual relays to a device controlling a rover.

I like the idea, but needs a better way to save state. I have started this game twice when it was posted, and each time got so far before I had to do real work and forgot about it. If it were a local application I could have just loaded a saved state, but it being a browser app, there is no good long term storage mechanism. Which is a shame since it is fun, but doing a bunch of EE101 problems for the 7th time in my life isn't. I am sure the later parts of the game are even better.

If you're looking for a more polished version of this game, "Turing Complete" on steam has the exact same premise.

Turing Complete seem to skip the electronic level that NandGame has?

I think that is the case. You don't build a nand gate as an actual electrical circuit with +, gnd, and transistors. You only start with a nand gate.

localStorage would work fine for saving state.

I finished this game three times and I just came back after months? and I stopped midway at Data Flip-Flop and my save state is still there.

"49 minutes ago" <- how long it took me to beat the hardware part of the game for the 4th time after D-Flip-Flop

> I just came back after months

I am sure this works if you don't upgrade your OS and have more stability in your browser. Running Fedora, we tend to upgrade every ~6 months and due to somewhat bizarre security policy have all browser data wiped every week.

Enjoying this game, but almost impossible to play on mobile. The window that pops up when you check the solution will usually be too small, so you cannot see what exactly you did wrong or click the buttons to move on.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com