CoRecursive: Coding Stories - Episode Summary

Title: Story: Hateris - Obsession, Friendship, and World Records
Host: Adam Gordon Bell
Release Date: March 3, 2025

Introduction to Hatrus

In this episode of CoRecursive: Coding Stories, Adam Gordon Bell delves into the intriguing tale of two friends, David Fribert and Felipe, who became engrossed in a seemingly simple JavaScript game called Hatrus. Originally released in 2010 as a novelty by science fiction writer Sam Hughes, Hatrus is a challenging Tetris clone that quickly became more than just a game for these enthusiasts.

Adam Gordon Bell [00:56]: "The game is called Hatrus. If you've played Tetris... that's Hatrus. It's a hard, hard game."

The Genesis of Obsession

David, a materials science PhD, introduced himself as deeply obsessed with Hatrus, while Felipe, a software engineer at HubSpot, found himself reluctantly drawn into the challenge.

David Fribert [00:34]: "I am very, very obsessed with a JavaScript game that came out in 2010."

Their friendship, rooted in high school camaraderie, became the foundation for tackling the complexities of Hatrus, leading them to pour months into deciphering its mechanics and striving to break its high score barrier.

Early Challenges and Setbacks

Initially, David and Felipe underestimated the difficulty of surpassing the existing high score of 30 points, held by a Japanese Slashdot commenter named Dsuke. Their first attempts involved building an emulator in Mathematica, which proved to be sluggish and inefficient.

Felipe [06:10]: "We only lost most of a project due to not keeping any backups and not using version control."

Despite setbacks, including frustrations with programming languages and optimization hurdles, their dedication remained unwavering. Felipe often had to mediate between David's ambitious ideas and practical implementation concerns.

A Turning Point with Newjade

In June 2021, a significant breakthrough occurred when a Japanese computational Tetris expert, Newjade, surpassed the existing high score by achieving 32 points. This unexpected achievement ignited a renewed sense of possibility for David and Felipe.

Felipe [16:35]: "He posted a gist that included his entire approach in Japanese... it was a really good write-up job on his part."

Inspired by Newjade's approach, they shifted their strategy from neural networks to heuristic-based methods, incorporating insights from Newjade's documentation. This collaboration and knowledge exchange propelled them closer to their goal.

Breaking the Record

After extensive development and multiple iterations, David and Felipe successfully pushed the high score to 86 points, marking a significant milestone in Hatrus history. Their journey was fraught with challenges, including budget constraints and technical bugs, but their perseverance paid off.

David Fribert [24:41]: "Our current approach, holding the world record is based on Newjade's approach. Newjade's is based on Tim's, Tim's is based on ours."

They meticulously recorded each step, shared their progress within the community, and celebrated their achievement by confirming the legitimacy of their record with Sam Hughes, the creator of Hatrus.

Community and Collaboration

The success of David and Felipe's endeavor highlights the power of community and collaboration in tackling complex problems. Their interactions with Newjade and others in computational Tetris forums fostered an environment of shared knowledge and mutual support, driving continuous improvement and innovation.

Felipe [43:19]: "People who care about projects are happy to share their knowledge and if you just seek them out, they will share it with you freely."

Insights and Reflections

Throughout the episode, David and Felipe reflect on the nature of obsession, friendship, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. They emphasize the importance of community engagement, continuous learning, and the willingness to pivot strategies in the face of challenges.

David Fribert [31:30]: "It's not all about flashy thousand word blog posts. It's just about coming up with some idea, implementing the idea, and then telling people if it worked or not."

Their journey with Hatrus serves as a testament to the human spirit's capacity for curiosity, resilience, and the joy of overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Conclusion

Adam Gordon Bell wraps up the episode by highlighting the profound bond and collaborative spirit between David and Felipe. Their story exemplifies how passion projects, even those centered around niche interests like a JavaScript game, can lead to remarkable achievements and personal growth.

Adam Gordon Bell [45:07]: "It's exciting to see these ideas sparking off one another. Sharing leads to learning and everyone's growing from each other's insights."

For more insights into their journey and ongoing projects, listeners are encouraged to visit hallofimpossibledreams.org.

Notable Quotes:

• David Fribert [00:34]: "I am very, very obsessed with a JavaScript game that came out in 2010."
• Felipe [06:10]: "We only lost most of a project due to not keeping any backups and not using version control."
• Felipe [16:35]: "He posted a gist that included his entire approach in Japanese... it was a really good write-up job on his part."
• David Fribert [24:41]: "Our current approach, holding the world record is based on Newjade's approach. Newjade's is based on Tim's, Tim's is based on ours."
• Felipe [43:19]: "People who care about projects are happy to share their knowledge and if you just seek them out, they will share it with you freely."

This detailed summary encapsulates the journey of David and Felipe as they navigate the complexities of Hatrus, highlighting their challenges, breakthroughs, and the collaborative spirit that drove them to set new world records.