Hand-Optimizing VLIW Assembly Language as a Game

       Hand-Optimizing VLIW Assembly Language as a Game

HOVALAAG is a small, free, lightweight Zachlike for Windows
(and Linux and Mac using WINE). You edit your assembly-language
programs using your editor of choice, run your program through
the command-line game, and debug it by browsing HTML-formatted
execution traces in a web browser.

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Download HOVALAAG for Windows
Windows 32-bit command-line program in a .zip file.
Works in Linux and Mac under WINE.

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Features:
  -  retro 12-bit VLIW CPU with 9 independently-controlled units
  -  13 programming problems

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THE PROCESSOR

The game uses a fictional retro Very Long Instruction Word (VLIW)
processor, inspired in part by the MOS Technology 6502 (1970) and
the J1 Forth CPU (2010). The processor features 5 12-bit data 
registers, a 1-bit flag, and an 8-bit program counter, each of
which can be independently controlled. In addition there is a
12-bit ALU which can perform one of 13 operations each cycle.

Between a counted loop instruction and the ability to branch in
every instruction, there is little need to unroll loops, making
programs smaller. A write buffer register increases flexibility,
and it is possible to perform both input and output in the same
cycle.

Documentation of the processor.

THE ENVIRONMENT

Programs are written in an abstract environment in which 12-bit
inputs are received on one of two input streams, and 12-bit
outputs are written to one of two output streams. No memory or
long-term storage is available to the processor.

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Another fine product of Silver Spaceship Software.
Inspired by Zachtronics TIS-100.

from Hacker News https://ift.tt/3cgLmPQ