3 ms·

It's true, but all of those games are... well... Zachtronics doesn't pull any punches. Their games are amazing. Even the deceptively simple Infinifactory is ac

It's true, but all of those games are... well... Zachtronics doesn't pull any punches. Their games are amazing. Even the deceptively simple Infinifactory is actually full of amazing and beautiful opportunities for elegant programming concepts (the first time you realize, "I can... I can make a clock with controllably variable periodicity!? What?" And TIS-100 resembles programming in a stripped down Erlang-like mode. HRM is a great starter into the Genre, it's sure. But Spacechem is on a totally different level of complexity and beauty and depth.

empath75 10y ago
Not to mention the game that inspired Minecraft.
- jbpetersen 10y ago
  Along with Dwarf Fortress
qwertyuiop924 10y ago
If TIS-100 is erlang, than Spacechem is C. Enjoy the fun of continually worrying that you forgot a sync/mutex.
esoteric_wombat 10y ago
What I should have said is that Zachtronics has the market cornered on programming puzzle games for programmers. I could suggest Human Resource Machine to someone who has never programmed before, but I would never do that with TIS-100. Making a TIS emulator in Elixir sounds like a fun and useless project.
- qwertyuiop924 10y ago
  Somebody's already done one in C: https://eviltrout.com/2015/06/29/an-emulator-for-tis-100.html https://eviltrout.com/2015/06/29/an-emulator-for-tis-100.htm... And according to Zach, the intended market wasn't just programmers (which is why he explicitly killed bit manipulation, and the largest number a TIS-100 register can hold isn't a power of two), and I've heard tales of non-programmers enjoying it. Then again, if you like Zachtronics games, especially TIS-100, then have I got a hobby for you...
swah 10y ago
Do you think those games can make you better at some kinds of programming?
- qwertyuiop924 10y ago
  Of course. They're effectively excercises for the parts of your brain that you use most while programming.
Kabie 10y ago
The model of TIS-100 is more like the blocking channels in Go.
- KirinDave 10y ago
  Nah, it's really not! I think the author even mentioned the actor model in an interview about it. And Go certainly has never desired to be associated as "the actor model." It lacks many of the tools required.

empath75 10y ago

Not to mention the game that inspired Minecraft.

jbpetersen 10y ago
Along with Dwarf Fortress

qwertyuiop924 10y ago

If TIS-100 is erlang, than Spacechem is C. Enjoy the fun of continually worrying that you forgot a sync/mutex.

esoteric_wombat 10y ago

What I should have said is that Zachtronics has the market cornered on programming puzzle games for programmers. I could suggest Human Resource Machine to someone who has never programmed before, but I would never do that with TIS-100. Making a TIS emulator in Elixir sounds like a fun and useless project.

qwertyuiop924 10y ago
Somebody's already done one in C: https://eviltrout.com/2015/06/29/an-emulator-for-tis-100.html https://eviltrout.com/2015/06/29/an-emulator-for-tis-100.htm... And according to Zach, the intended market wasn't just programmers (which is why he explicitly killed bit manipulation, and the largest number a TIS-100 register can hold isn't a power of two), and I've heard tales of non-programmers enjoying it. Then again, if you like Zachtronics games, especially TIS-100, then have I got a hobby for you...

swah 10y ago

Do you think those games can make you better at some kinds of programming?

qwertyuiop924 10y ago
Of course. They're effectively excercises for the parts of your brain that you use most while programming.

Kabie 10y ago

The model of TIS-100 is more like the blocking channels in Go.

KirinDave 10y ago
Nah, it's really not! I think the author even mentioned the actor model in an interview about it. And Go certainly has never desired to be associated as "the actor model." It lacks many of the tools required.