Run Doom on Earbuds: A Step-by-Step Guide
Innovative gaming has reached a new milestone with the ability to run Doom on earbuds. This adventurous project showcases how technology has evolved, demonstrating that even small devices can host a classic video game.
About the Project
The project became possible through the use of PineBuds, which initially presented some challenges. Doom’s full game data is 4.2MB, while PineBuds can only accommodate 4MB of flash memory.
Technical Challenges
To fit Doom onto the earbuds, a specialized “squashware” version was developed. This 1.7MB build reduces the game’s content by omitting certain animation frames and shortening music tracks.
- Full Doom Game Size: 4.2MB
- PineBuds Flash Memory: 4MB
- Squashware Build Size: 1.7MB
- Available RAM on Earbuds: Under 1MB
Given the limited resources of the earbuds, the game had to be rewritten to maximize efficiency. Developers employed several optimization strategies:
- Pre-generating lookup tables
- Making variables constant
- Reading constant variables from flash memory
- Disabling Doom’s caching system
- Removing unnecessary variables
Interactive Experience
For players interested in trying this ingenious concept without their own PineBuds, Sarkisan has launched an interactive Twitch stream. Users can join and control the game for 45-second sessions at doombuds.com.
Conclusion
This project illustrates the leap in technology that allows a set of $70 earbuds to run a game that once required an advanced, $1,000-plus computer system. It sparks curiosity and interest among both gamers and tech enthusiasts.
