June 2021 - CPU Build-Off Numero Uno

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In May I had an impromptu CPU Build-Off. During which about 10 people started building CPUs from near scratch with a timer of 3 hours to complete the build. Overage time was happily allowed, but all participants must keep track of how much they went over.

A number of CPUs were finished and even more got very far.

The rules during that build-off were as follows;

  1. You may select an ALU, Registers, and Program Counter in advance.
  2. You have 3 hours to complete the build; overage time allowed but must be tracked
  3. No winners, the only goal is to try and see how fast you can build a CPU. Complexity is only a bonus during this build.
  4. Use any ISA and build any type of CPU you’d like.

Starting this weekend, we will be hosting CPU Build-Offs every 3rd weekend of every month. This will make the 1st weekend of every month being Les’s competitions and the 3rd weekend being my CPU Build-Offs. The rules for these build-offs will be based on the impromptu rules listed above; with some changes.

  1. You may select an ALU, Registers, Program Counter, and ROM in advance
  2. You have 6 hours to complete the build; overage time is allowed but must be tracked
  3. Time tracking is trust-based. You start tracking your 6 hours of build time from the point in which you have gathered all the parts listed in Rule #1 and begin assembling them or begin design work.
  4. If you must sleep, go eat, do chores, go to work, or whatever during this time… you can pause your timer.
  5. Max team size of 2 players. Although you are free to ask basic questions or for assistance from anyone… The goal is to learn not to win some awards.
  6. No winners, the only goal is to try and see how fast you can build a CPU. Complexity is only a bonus during these builds.
  7. The start time of the build-off will be Fridays at Noon PST and will end Sundays at Noon PST.
  8. Every month a new twist will be introduced. All builds during that month’s build-off must use/incorporate the twist of the month. These can range from an awkward premade data loop of which you must make the best CPU you can… to an IS I provide and everyone must build their own CPU to run it.

This twist of this month will be;
A predefined ISA. I will be releasing a 2 operand IS google sheets at the start of the competition. Whatever system you build, must be able to run that Instruction Set.

We will be using the same competition server and plugin stuff for this competition. I will be looking into putting a 6hr timer in the floor of each competition plot with a top-down display. [will be made to minimize lag and not update all the time] This will allow easy time and overage tracking

Do /warp CPUcomp to get to where your final CPUs should be placed.

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