JavaScript PDP-1 emulator running the original code of “Spacewar!” from 1962

If you look at spacewar.js you'll see the actual machine code in hexadecimal, I'd love to see this translated to PDP-1 assembly instructions, mnemonics and operands.

Edited: JonnieCache pointed out what I'm actually looking for: https://gist.github.com/4258114 This is really a lot of fun, I'm seeing a lot of exotic emulators in JS coming out recently.

Re: JavaScript PDP-1 emulator running the original code of “Spacewar!” from 1962

#6

Post by edstock » Tue, Dec 11, 2012, 5:13 PM UTC

Just spent 15min playing it with a colleague, it's still a fun game 50 years later.

Re: JavaScript PDP-1 emulator running the original code of “Spacewar!” from 1962

#7

Post by lisper » Tue, Dec 11, 2012, 5:20 PM UTC

sgt wrote: post #5

user24 wrote: post #2

It's not just a JS Spacewar - it's a JS PDP-1 running spacewar.

Yes thanks for pointing this out - I should have been more clear in the title! If you look at spacewar.js you'll see the actual machine code in hexadecimal, I'd love to see this translated to PDP-1 assembly instructions, mnemonics and operands. Edited: JonnieCache pointed out what I'm actually looking for: https://gist.github.com/4258114 This is really a lot of fun, I'm seeing a lot of exotic emulators in JS coming o…

More interesting-looking stuff here:

http://spacewar.oversigma.com/sources/

Re: JavaScript PDP-1 emulator running the original code of “Spacewar!” from 1962

#8

Post by ajross » Tue, Dec 11, 2012, 5:57 PM UTC

JonnieCache wrote: post #4

pan69 wrote: post #3

I'd interested to see the original source code somewhere.

https://gist.github.com/4258114

Mostly likely your PDP-1 assembly is a little rusty, so that may be hard to read in isolation. Refresh your memory with the original manual: http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/dec/pdp1/F1...

(Actually that just documents the hardware. Honestly I don't know if the assembler that built Spacewar still survives.)

Re: JavaScript PDP-1 emulator running the original code of “Spacewar!” from 1962

#9

Post by sgt » Tue, Dec 11, 2012, 6:19 PM UTC

ajross wrote: post #8

JonnieCache wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://gist.github.com/4258114

Mostly likely your PDP-1 assembly is a little rusty, so that may be hard to read in isolation. Refresh your memory with the original manual: http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/dec/pdp1/F1... (Actually that just documents the hardware. Honestly I don't know if the assembler that built Spacewar still survives.)

"Refresh your memory". I liked that one.

Seriously though, check the following out for the PDP-1 Macro Assembler manual: http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/dec/pdp1/PDP-1_Macro....

Re: JavaScript PDP-1 emulator running the original code of “Spacewar!” from 1962

#10

Post by WalterGR » Tue, Dec 11, 2012, 6:32 PM UTC

I wrote this comment for the IBM 362 submission (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4902345). Seems appropriate here.

The Computer History Museum in Mountain View spent 2 years fully restoring a DEC PDP-1. You can go see it - I don't even think you need to pay for admission to the museum.

During the presentation, they load Spacewar! from paper tape, and two members of the audience can battle it out.

It's pretty amazing to play one of the first graphical computer games ever, on a computer first released 50 years ago. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacewar!#Spacewar.21_today