Turns out a little bit of a trend among hardcore gamers is building calculators and even basic full-fledged computers using materials inside of computer games. While this might sound a little like using laser-cannons to invent the bow-and-arrow, I think it is damn cool.
Here are a few examples:
Computing Inside Videogames
- Dwarven Computer: A complete 8-bit programmable computer built inside Dwarf Fortress. It has 672 pumps, 2,000 logs, 8,500 mechanisms and thousands of other assorted bits and knobs like doors and stone blocks. The Dwarven computer is Turing complete, which means it meets the definition of a universal computer.
- The Minecraft ALU: A 16-bit arithmetic unit built using 8,507 blocks of ‘Redstone,’ a cube with special properties found in the Minecraft game. The entire ALU uses 6,835 wires and 1,672 torches — the most basic logic unit in the game.
- Little Big Planet Calculator: An extremely complex yet fully functioning calculator created inside one level of the game. The calculator has 1,600 parts, including 610 magnetic switches, 500 wires and 430 pistons.
- MineSweeper Logic Gates: A single player PC game that comes bundled with Windows OS, Minesweeper has been used to create basic logic gates that can be used to solve problems.
Comments
Post a Comment