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Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

Drugwars for the TI-82/83/83 Calculators (2011)

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

Three dominant themes

Theme Core idea Supporting quotations
Retro calculator gaming Long‑time nostalgia for titles such as Drugwars and related BBS/DOS games. > "This game is a really big deal for me! I was addicted to it in high school..." — jckahn
> "I LOVED the TI calc forums." — jasonjayr
Early programming education Calculators were the first platform where many learned BASIC/assembly, built link‑cables, and experimented with hex input. > "First experiences around programming were on an 83, I’ll never forget those choose‑your‑own‑adventure games..." — mrhyyyyde
> "I had to type random hex pairs ...C063" — TimTheTinker
Collecting & modern revivals Discussions of eBay prices, scarce serial cables, and newer web/emulation ports that let the games live on. > "New TI graphing calculators are sold today for the same price as they were in 1999." — Dwedit
> "I’m having so much fun...I asked claude to make an html version..." — egeozcan

Briefly: The thread revolves around cherished memories of playing calculator games, the formative coding experiences they sparked, and the ongoing effort to preserve these relics in today’s internet‑driven landscape.

🚀 Project Ideas

DrugWars WebEmulator

Summary

  • Play the classic Drugwars game directly in a modern browser without needing a physical TI‑83/84 calculator.
  • Recreates the original UI and mechanics while adding save states, leaderboards, and one‑click sharing of custom game files.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Retro computing fans, former TI‑83/84 users, teachers wanting a fun demo
Core Feature Browser‑based TI‑83 emulator with pre‑loaded Drugwars and upload support for .8xp files
Tech Stack React front‑end, WebAssembly ti84emu, Node.js backend for file storage
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: Freemium with $2/mo premium tier

Notes

  • HN users repeatedly expressed frustration about missing cables and lost games – this removes that barrier.
  • Sparks discussion on preserving vintage software and could inspire similar archives for other calculators.

RetroCalc CodeHub#Summary

  • A searchable, community‑driven archive of TI‑Basic and assembly source code for nostalgic calculator games.
  • One‑click launch of each game via an embedded emulator, letting users explore and remix code instantly.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Hackers, educators, retro developers, preservationists
Core Feature Git‑backed code repository with hosted WASM emulator and version history
Tech Stack Django + PostgreSQL backend, React UI, ti84emu compiled to WASM
Difficulty High
Monetization Revenue-ready: Sponsorship model with $5/mo patron perks

Notes

  • Directly answers the “Can someone please compile this to wasm?” request seen in the thread.
  • Generates buzz by reviving classic code, encouraging contributions and scholarly discussion.

Calculator Coding Academy

Summary

  • Interactive browser‑based IDE that teaches TI‑Basic programming by building miniature calculator games like Drugwars.
  • Provides step‑by‑step tutorials, instant sandboxed execution, and community challenges.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Students, self‑learners, nostalgic programmers seeking skill building
Core Feature Guided lesson modules with auto‑graded exercises and live emulator feedback
Tech Stack Next.js, React, ti84emu WASM, Prisma database
Difficulty Low
Monetization Revenue-ready: Subscription $9/mo for premium content

Notes

  • Addresses the educational pain point: users wanted to learn programming but lacked resources or hardware.
  • Likely to spark discussion on modernizing retro programming education and could attract school district adoption.

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