This 8-bit Processor Built in Minecraft can Run its Own Games
Computer chips have become so small and intricate that it's difficult to recall the real physical principles that drive them. They're not just a collection or numbers. For a practical (well virtual) example, check out the most recent version of a computer processor built exclusively inside the Minecraft game engine.
Minecraft builder "Sammyuri" spent seven months building what they call the Chungus 2, an enormously complex computer processor that is within the Minecraft game engine. This isn't the first time a computer processor has been virtually rebuilt within Minecraft however the Chungus 2 (Computation Humongous Unconventional Number and Graphics Unit) might very well be the largest and most complex, as it simulates an 8-bit processor that has a one hertz clock speed and 256 bytes of RAM.
Minecraft processors make use of the physics engine used in the game to recreate the design of real processors on a large scale using materials such as redstone dust, torchers, pistons, repeaters and other basic machines. To give you a sense of the size of the block, each one in Minecraft is a virtual meter across. This means that it would be roughly the same size as an airplane or a skyscraper if this build could be replicated in the real world.
When connected to an in-game 32x32 "screen" and "controller" (manipulated by the Minecraft avatar player jumping around on buttons of the size of blocks) Chungus 2 Chungus 2 can play interchangeable 2D games such as Tetris, Snake, or even a graphing calculator. Some programs need the Minecraft server to be artificially sped up in order to make the processor fast enough to use. Every program is developed virtually in Minecraft connecting to the computer like a game cartridge the size of an entire freight train.
This project is an amazing example of computer science in action. It's executed in a manner that makes its principles immediately and visually. The video showcasing the Chungus 2 is impressive enough. However, if you'd like to see the project in action, you can download it and run it on your server at mc.openredstone.org. If we hold off for a few years, we may obtain a Minecraft CPU that is capable enough to run Minecraft and at that point the universe will probably collapse.