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Show HN: Single-Instruction (Subleq) Programming Game

86 points by schemescape 3y ago

Kenneth78 3y ago
[flagged]
- nerdponx 3y ago
  Never seen such a well-targeted spam attempt before on HN. I wonder if this is a human or a clever AI model.
  - saurik 3y ago
    How was that "well-targeted"? It is barely even English...
  - ghusbands 3y ago
    Note that the only non-generic text is just copied from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36938537 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36938537
    - nerdponx 3y ago
      I didn't realize it was copied from another post, that makes more sense.
ghusbands 3y ago
If, like me, you are interested in what later puzzles are like without having to work through it all, see https://github.com/jaredkrinke/sic1/blob/master/sic1/shared/puzzles.ts https://github.com/jaredkrinke/sic1/blob/master/sic1/shared/...
anta40 3y ago
Whoa looks nice. Assembly-like programming games (like TIS-100) is always interesting for me. https://github.com/jaredkrinke/sic1/tree/master/sic1 https://github.com/jaredkrinke/sic1/tree/master/sic1 Wonder if this can be easily built on Mac...
- schemescape 3y ago
  Is anyone aware of a way to build (and ideally test) for macOS without actually owning any macOS hardware? The Linux version uses Electron and the only native code is a tiny Steam integration library that only uses C++11 functions, so it might be possible to port to macOS without too much difficulty. Or maybe I should just find a cheap Mac Mini… Edit to add: in case it’s not obvious, the browser version is the same, minus Steam integration (friend leaderboards, Steam Cloud).
  - anta40 3y ago
    Perhaps https://www.macstadium.com https://www.macstadium.com or just Google "macOs build service". Never tried them, though.
    - schemescape 3y ago
      Thanks! > $3 per day is pricier than I was expecting. Maybe I can find a used Hackintosh somewhere…
jacquesm 3y ago
Hah, neat. I love esoteric programming languages and minimalist architectures. I'm going to have a very hard time pretending that I don't know this exists but I can't spare the three months long rabbit hole that I would get sucked into if I admitted that it does ;) Good luck with this!
kazinator 3y ago
If every instruction is subleq <a> <b> [<c>] why does the mnemonic "subleq" have to appear? All it is saying is "do the one and only instruction on operands A, B and possibly C". Thus: <a> <b> [<c>] would be a better assembly language format.
- schemescape 3y ago
  You are correct that it’s strictly unnecessary as long as there’s some way to detect when the third address was omitted, e.g. by requiring a newline. I left the requirement in to make it look more like typical assembly language and also as a reminder of what it’s doing (and making the distinction between “.data” a little more obvious). I also thought the tedium of typing “subleq” fit nicely into the theme of the game. So I guess it was more of an aesthetic decision.
schemescape 3y ago
This is a "zachlike" programming game revolving around a fictional 8-bit, single-instruction (subleq) computer [0]. If you're familiar with TIS-100, it's like that, but using a subleq-based assembly language (and only one node). I shared this previously when I added a Steam version [1] with achievements, music, etc. (the Steam version is also free). Most recently, I added native Linux support to the Steam version, due to feedback from players wanting friend leaderboards on Linux. The source code is on GitHub [2], in case anyone is curious (but note that it's not Open Source--I'm still deciding how to license it). Let me know if you enjoy it! [0] subleq is "subtract, and branch if <= 0" [1] https://store.steampowered.com/app/2124440/SIC1/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/2124440/SIC1/ [2] https://github.com/jaredkrinke/sic1 https://github.com/jaredkrinke/sic1
- smcl 3y ago
  Oh god you just reminded me I am about 5 problems away from "completing" TIS-100. I can't recall specifically which one I was on but I ended up spending way too much time on the game overall and needed to step back and do other things :) Neatening up little sections, trying to shave a few cycles off my run-time, trying to use fewer nodes. Ridiculously addictive, I highly recommend it. I also bought Opus Magnum because it looked fun too and was on sale, but I fear it'll grab me the same way. Luckily it's summer so I'm not inclined to play much, and when I do I'm just throwing myself repeatedly at Malenia in Elden Ring (a strategy which isn't working out v well) :-D
  - js8 3y ago
    Many years ago, I almost completed Spacechem (only didn't do the sillicon optional level). But I can't really come back to it, because I don't have the problem-solving chops I got during the playthrough anymore. Puzzle games (although it's true for other games as well) are hard to return to.
    - smcl 3y ago
      Yeah a friend of mine was into spacechem and tbh it sounded tougher than TIS-100 from how he described it. I really like this kind of game, I just wish I had more time for them :)
Morendil 3y ago
Enjoying this a lot ! Possibly too much ;)

86 points by schemescape 3y ago

Kenneth78 3y ago

[flagged]

nerdponx 3y ago
Never seen such a well-targeted spam attempt before on HN. I wonder if this is a human or a clever AI model.
- saurik 3y ago
  How was that "well-targeted"? It is barely even English...
- ghusbands 3y ago
  Note that the only non-generic text is just copied from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36938537 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36938537
  - nerdponx 3y ago
    I didn't realize it was copied from another post, that makes more sense.

ghusbands 3y ago

If, like me, you are interested in what later puzzles are like without having to work through it all, see https://github.com/jaredkrinke/sic1/blob/master/sic1/shared/puzzles.ts https://github.com/jaredkrinke/sic1/blob/master/sic1/shared/...

anta40 3y ago

Whoa looks nice. Assembly-like programming games (like TIS-100) is always interesting for me. https://github.com/jaredkrinke/sic1/tree/master/sic1 https://github.com/jaredkrinke/sic1/tree/master/sic1 Wonder if this can be easily built on Mac...

schemescape 3y ago
Is anyone aware of a way to build (and ideally test) for macOS without actually owning any macOS hardware? The Linux version uses Electron and the only native code is a tiny Steam integration library that only uses C++11 functions, so it might be possible to port to macOS without too much difficulty. Or maybe I should just find a cheap Mac Mini… Edit to add: in case it’s not obvious, the browser version is the same, minus Steam integration (friend leaderboards, Steam Cloud).
- anta40 3y ago
  Perhaps https://www.macstadium.com https://www.macstadium.com or just Google "macOs build service". Never tried them, though.
  - schemescape 3y ago
    Thanks! > $3 per day is pricier than I was expecting. Maybe I can find a used Hackintosh somewhere…

jacquesm 3y ago

Hah, neat. I love esoteric programming languages and minimalist architectures. I'm going to have a very hard time pretending that I don't know this exists but I can't spare the three months long rabbit hole that I would get sucked into if I admitted that it does ;) Good luck with this!

kazinator 3y ago

If every instruction is subleq <a> <b> [<c>] why does the mnemonic "subleq" have to appear? All it is saying is "do the one and only instruction on operands A, B and possibly C". Thus: <a> <b> [<c>] would be a better assembly language format.

schemescape 3y ago
You are correct that it’s strictly unnecessary as long as there’s some way to detect when the third address was omitted, e.g. by requiring a newline. I left the requirement in to make it look more like typical assembly language and also as a reminder of what it’s doing (and making the distinction between “.data” a little more obvious). I also thought the tedium of typing “subleq” fit nicely into the theme of the game. So I guess it was more of an aesthetic decision.

schemescape 3y ago

This is a "zachlike" programming game revolving around a fictional 8-bit, single-instruction (subleq) computer [0]. If you're familiar with TIS-100, it's like that, but using a subleq-based assembly language (and only one node). I shared this previously when I added a Steam version [1] with achievements, music, etc. (the Steam version is also free). Most recently, I added native Linux support to the Steam version, due to feedback from players wanting friend leaderboards on Linux. The source code is on GitHub [2], in case anyone is curious (but note that it's not Open Source--I'm still deciding how to license it). Let me know if you enjoy it! [0] subleq is "subtract, and branch if <= 0" [1] https://store.steampowered.com/app/2124440/SIC1/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/2124440/SIC1/ [2] https://github.com/jaredkrinke/sic1 https://github.com/jaredkrinke/sic1

smcl 3y ago
Oh god you just reminded me I am about 5 problems away from "completing" TIS-100. I can't recall specifically which one I was on but I ended up spending way too much time on the game overall and needed to step back and do other things :) Neatening up little sections, trying to shave a few cycles off my run-time, trying to use fewer nodes. Ridiculously addictive, I highly recommend it. I also bought Opus Magnum because it looked fun too and was on sale, but I fear it'll grab me the same way. Luckily it's summer so I'm not inclined to play much, and when I do I'm just throwing myself repeatedly at Malenia in Elden Ring (a strategy which isn't working out v well) :-D
- js8 3y ago
  Many years ago, I almost completed Spacechem (only didn't do the sillicon optional level). But I can't really come back to it, because I don't have the problem-solving chops I got during the playthrough anymore. Puzzle games (although it's true for other games as well) are hard to return to.
  - smcl 3y ago
    Yeah a friend of mine was into spacechem and tbh it sounded tougher than TIS-100 from how he described it. I really like this kind of game, I just wish I had more time for them :)

Morendil 3y ago

Enjoying this a lot ! Possibly too much ;)