Info about MHRD:

Official game description:
**Welcome to Microhard**  
\- Become a hardware engineer  
\- Join the hardware startup Microhard  
\- Immerse yourself in the technology of the 80's  
\- Disrupt the tech industry  
**Build your own CPU**  
\- Design hardware circuits with the integrated hardware development environment  
\- Write your designs in the MHRD hardware design language  
\- Create hardware designs based on more than 20 specifications (e.g. multiplexer, adder, ALU, RAM, etc.)  
\- Simulate and verify your designs  
\- Read the included manual to get started on your career as a hardware engineer  
\- Reuse completed hardware designs to build more complex ones  
\- Design a fully functional CPU and get your mind blown!

Release date: Jan 5, 2017

Categories: Electronics Simulation, Educational Simulation, Puzzle Solving, Programming Logic, Circuit Design, Hardware Engineering


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $7.00 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that users find the game enjoyable and educational, particularly for those interested in hardware design. However, multiple reviews indicate that the game is best purchased at a discount due to its short length and niche appeal. The general sentiment is that the game is worth around $10, but should ideally be bought on sale. This suggests that the fair price range is slightly below the current base price of $9.99, with a maximum price that users would consider fair being around $10.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 3.5h
  - Story completion: 3.5h
  - Session length: 2.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provided includes several direct statements about the time it took players to complete the game. These statements are used to estimate the typical playtime metrics. The `gameCompletion` and `storyCompletion` times are derived from multiple users reporting their total playtime to finish the game, which ranges around 3.5 hours. The `sessionLength` is inferred from the context of the reviews, suggesting that players might spend a few hours in a single session. There is no strong evidence provided for `endgame` content, hence it is marked as `null`.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game initially presents friction due to minimal tutorials but becomes enjoyable after completing the tutorial and understanding the mechanics. Fun starts post-tutorial, with automation features aiding in reducing tedium.
  - Stance: Fun after tutorial
  - Anchor: Completing the tutorial
  - Time to anchor: 0h 30m
  - Friction: Minimal tutorial information; Tedious tasks; Repetitive tasks
  - Unlock drivers: Tinkering with the game mechanics; Helpful automation by intern 'Ted'
  - Conditions: Completing the tutorial; Understanding the game mechanics; Using automation features
- Player Archetypes:
  - Educational Engineer (buy)
    - Motivation: Educational value and real-world application.
    - Playstyle: Strategic and methodical, focusing on learning and applying real-world skills.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Software Engineer; Hardware Enthusiast
    - Reference games: SpaceChem; InfiniFactory; TIS-100; Shenzhen I/O
  - Curious Learner (sale)
    - Motivation: Learning and curiosity about hardware design and programming.
    - Playstyle: Exploratory and patient, taking tasks one at a time.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Learner; Programming Enthusiast
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Casual Gamer (no buy)
    - Motivation: Entertainment and leisure.
    - Playstyle: Casual and recreational, looking for enjoyable pastimes.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: Casual Player
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Educational for logic gates (weight 0.76): The game is highly recommended for those interested in learning about logic gates and digital logic. It teaches the fundamentals and design of logic gates, making it a great educational tool for computer enthusiasts and students.
- Enjoyable and rewarding gameplay (weight 0.59): Players find the gameplay enjoyable and rewarding. The game offers a fun experience with challenging puzzles that are satisfying to solve.
- Recommended for computer science background (weight 0.55): The game is particularly beneficial for those with a background in computer science or digital electronics. It guides players through designing digital circuits and understanding hardware, making it a valuable tool for electronics students and professionals.
- Learning computer construction (weight 0.43): The game provides a basic understanding of computer construction and how computers work. It is instructive for those interested in learning about building computers from the ground up.
- Challenging puzzle game (weight 0.35): The game is a fun and challenging puzzle game that appeals to those who enjoy problem-solving and logical thinking. It is great for puzzle game enthusiasts.
- Suitable for beginners (weight 0.34): The game is accessible to non-experts and suitable for beginners. It offers a decent starting point for those new to digital logic and hardware design.
- Good for HDL learning (weight 0.2): The game is beneficial for those familiar with or interested in learning Hardware Description Languages (HDLs). It provides a good learning tool for HDLs.
- Minimalist and simple design (weight 0.19): The game features a minimalist interface and simple structure. It uses a simple and elegant visual language, making it easy to understand and navigate.

Common complaints:
- Game length too short (weight 0.4): Many players feel the game is too short and can be completed in just a few hours, making it feel incomplete and not worth the full price.
- Poor documentation (weight 0.28): The documentation is either lacking, poorly accessible, or overwhelming, making it difficult for players to find the information they need.
- Incomplete CPU functionality (weight 0.21): Players are disappointed with the lack of CPU programming and the inability to run their own programs on the CPU.
- Lack of debugging features (weight 0.21): The game lacks proper debugging and visualization functionality, making it difficult for players to troubleshoot their designs.
- Performance issues (weight 0.19): The game suffers from frequent lag spikes and occasional freezes, affecting the overall gameplay experience.
- Limited tasks (weight 0.19): There are not enough tasks in the game, leading to a lack of content and repetitive gameplay.
- Clunky interface (weight 0.18): The user interface is deliberately clunky and difficult to navigate, detracting from the overall experience.
- Lack of custom modules (weight 0.18): Players are unable to design custom modules, limiting their creativity and freedom in hardware design.
- NAND gate issues (weight 0.16): Players find it hard to achieve the lowest NAND count and there is a lack of visibility for NAND gate counts, which is crucial for designing efficient circuits.
- Circuit design difficulties (weight 0.16): Designing simplified circuits is difficult and there is a lack of further complex chips to work with.
- Unclear test cases (weight 0.11): Test cases are undecipherable, making it difficult for players to understand and debug their designs.
- Low initial difficulty (weight 0.11): The initial difficulty of the game is perceived as too low, making it less engaging for experienced players.
- Limited code space (weight 0.11): Players are limited by the amount of code they can write on a single screen, restricting the complexity of their designs.
- Syntax limitations (weight 0.1): The syntax used in the game is limited, which can be restrictive for players trying to create complex designs.
- Compatibility issues (weight 0.1): The game has compatibility issues with JRE, which can be frustrating for players trying to run the game.
- Lack of explanations (weight 0.09): The game lacks detailed explanations for binary arithmetic and other concepts, making it difficult for players to understand.
- Repetitive component creation (weight 0.09): The game assumes simple repetition for creating multi-bit components, which can be tedious and lacks the ability to select sub-components to avoid redundancy.
- Lack of depth in teaching (weight 0.09): The game lacks depth in teaching and some information, making it less educational and engaging.
- No sandbox mode (weight 0.09): There is no open sandbox mode for players to freely design and experiment with their creations.
- Lack of realism (weight 0.08): The game lacks real-world implementation and is not realistic enough, affecting the immersion and educational value.
- Lack of clock signal (weight 0.08): There is no mention of a clock signal in memory circuits, which is a crucial aspect of hardware design.

Gameplay feedback:
- Building CPU from NAND gates (weight 0.92): The game involves constructing a CPU starting from basic NAND gates and progressing to more complex components like logic gates, adders, and registers. This process includes designing digital circuits and understanding their functionalities.
- Hardware design using HDL (weight 0.72): Players use Hardware Description Language (HDL) to design and specify hardware components and their wiring. This involves creating digital device designs and translating them into HDL.
- Text-based circuit design (weight 0.43): The game features a text-based interface for designing circuits using HDL or HDL-like languages. Players transcribe textual descriptions into HDL to create logic circuits.
- Educational content on digital logic (weight 0.38): The game provides educational content about digital logic, computer organization principles, and binary systems. It requires knowledge of boolean logic and visualization skills.
- Puzzle-solving and problem-solving focus (weight 0.34): The game includes various puzzles and tasks that require logical thinking and problem-solving skills. Players solve binary logic puzzles and engineering challenges.
- Designing and building custom parts (weight 0.32): Players design and build custom parts and circuits, which can be used to create more complex components. This involves planning and thinking about the structure of the circuits.
- Optimizing and competing in CPU design (weight 0.18): Players can optimize their CPU designs and compare their solutions with others via a leaderboard. This adds a competitive aspect to the game.
- Interface and accessibility issues (weight 0.17): The game has some interface and accessibility issues, such as a keyboard-driven interface, no way to visualize schematics, and cumbersome writing of solutions.
- Minimal hand-holding and challenges (weight 0.15): The game combines the structure of problems with minimal hand-holding, providing challenges that require players to think and solve problems independently.
- Debugging and visualization limitations (weight 0.12): There are limitations in debugging and visualization, such as no state inspection and imprecise specifications, which can make problem-solving more challenging.

Performance notes:
- Frequent lag and freezing (weight 0.3): Many players report experiencing lag spikes and frequent freezing issues during gameplay. This includes general lag, simulated lag, and the game getting stuck for a few seconds.
- Game crashes and instability (weight 0.17): The game has been reported to crash randomly and occasionally freeze. Alt-tabbing away from the game also causes it to crash.
- UI and input issues (weight 0.12): Players have encountered problems with the user interface, such as the input window and autocomplete display overlapping. Additionally, the game freezes when typing or navigating the UI.
- Compatibility issues (weight 0.06): There are compatibility issues with JRE, which may affect the game's performance and stability.
- White screen problem (weight 0.06): Some players have reported encountering a white screen issue, which can disrupt gameplay.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for computer science enthusiasts (weight 0.62): The game is highly recommended for those interested in computer science, electronics, programming, and logic gates. It is also suitable for individuals with varying levels of knowledge in boolean algebra.
- Comparisons to other games (weight 0.37): The game is often compared to other popular games like Human Resource Machine, Shenzhen I/O, TIS-100, and Turing Complete. These comparisons are made to highlight similarities and appeal to fans of those games.
- Enhanced design and teaching (weight 0.34): Players request more detailed descriptions, better teaching, and additional puzzles. There is also a demand for more screen space for code and the ability to select sub-components to avoid redundancy.
- More levels and flexibility needed (weight 0.29): Players suggest adding more levels that allow programming of created hardware and providing more context and flexibility in memory design. Additionally, there is a demand for more challenging and complete CPU designs.
- Technical improvements needed (weight 0.21): There are several technical improvements needed, such as fixing text editor bugs, improving the interface for graphical design, and adding debugging tools. Players also suggest disabling sound if experiencing hanging or crashing.
- Save and reuse custom elements (weight 0.17): There is a need for the ability to create, save, and reuse custom elements in puzzles. Players also want to save multiple solution attempts for the same puzzle.
- Worth it during discounts (weight 0.15): Players suggest that the game is a good deal when purchased during a discount, especially if the style and idea behind it appeal to the buyer. Some mention it could be worth it in a big sale.
- Improved ending and test cases (weight 0.11): There is a need for a better ending and the ability to create custom test cases. These improvements would enhance the overall gaming experience.
- Support for external programs (weight 0.1): Players suggest adding support for selecting which monitor to fullscreen on and the possibility to copy/paste or save/load from/to external programs.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.25): Players are frustrated primarily due to the game's technical issues, such as crashing, freezing, and lack of debugging tools. The interface is often described as clunky and difficult to navigate, with vague descriptions and awkward mechanics adding to the frustration. Additionally, the game's lack of quality-of-life features and poor design choices contribute to a challenging and unsatisfying experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.19): Players find satisfaction in the game's educational value and the enjoyment of solving problems and learning about circuits. The game is praised for its balance, fun gameplay, and the rewarding nature of its puzzles. Many appreciate the game's simplicity, minimalism, and the clear presentation of its educational content.
- Disappointment (weight 0.14): Disappointment stems from the game's short length and lack of depth, with many players feeling it ends abruptly and lacks sufficient content. The absence of features such as a sandbox mode, additional tools, and better UX design contributes to this sentiment. Comparisons to other games and experiences also highlight the game's shortcomings.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.14): Enjoyment is derived from the game's educational aspects and the fun of solving puzzles and learning about computer hardware. Players appreciate the unique and engaging gameplay mechanics, minimalism, and the practical skills gained. Despite some flaws, the game is found to be interesting and enjoyable, especially for tech enthusiasts.
- Excitement (weight 0.05): Excitement comes from the educational journey of building a computer from basic principles and the real-world knowledge gained. Players are thrilled by the process of creating a processor and the challenging nature of the game.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.04): Nostalgia is evoked as the game reminds players of past experiences with hardware design and engineering courses. It brings back memories of student years and past knowledge in digital design.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.03): Enthusiasm is driven by the game's educational value and its innovative approach to teaching computer building. Players appreciate the rewarding nature of the game and its practical skills.
- Engagement (weight 0.02): Engagement arises from the game's challenging and applicable content related to logic, computers, and digital circuits. The gameplay is found to be engaging and interesting.
- Excitement (weight 0.02): Players are excited by the achievement of designing from scratch and breaking world records.
- Frustration (weight 0.02): Frustration is caused by the difficulty in designing minimal circuits and the lack of helpful indexes, making the game more challenging.
- Disappointment (weight 0.02): Disappointment is due to the low sense of achievement and the lack of content and polish in the game.
- Hopeful (weight 0.01): Players are hopeful for the addition of more units and content to the game in the future.
- Apprehension (weight 0.01): Apprehension is felt by players when faced with the task of reading the manual.
- Desire (weight 0.01): Players express a desire to run their own programs and create custom circuits within the game.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.01): Satisfaction comes from the immediate accessibility and the derivative designs in the game.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.01): Players feel a sense of fulfillment upon completing the puzzles in the game.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Gratitude is expressed towards the developers for their patient assistance.
- Respect (weight 0.01): Respect is given to the game's concept and its educational approach.
- Interest (weight 0.01): Interest is sparked by the game's educational value, particularly for students learning about computer construction.
- Curiosity (weight 0.01): Curiosity is piqued by the game's ability to provide a basic understanding of computer construction.}