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Update if-journey.rst with hybrid interpreter progress

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Jared Miller 2026-02-09 20:20:06 -05:00
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docs/how/if-journey.rst
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@ -194,7 +194,11 @@ Things we haven't figured out yet. Update this as questions get answered.
1. V3 opcode footprint 1. V3 opcode footprint
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How many of the ~62 missing zvm opcodes are actually exercised by V3 games? V3 uses a smaller subset. If we target V3 first, the hybrid might need 30 ported, not 62. Research: run a V3 game through viola with opcode tracing, collect the set. How many of the ~62 missing zvm opcodes are actually exercised by V3 games? V3 uses a smaller subset. If we target V3 first, the hybrid might need 30 ported, not 62.
UPDATE: Opcode tracing (via ``scripts/trace_zmachine.py``) found Zork 1 uses 69 opcodes. zvm had 36 implemented. 33 were ported from viola. All 69 are now implemented in the hybrid interpreter (``src/mudlib/zmachine/``).
Remaining gaps: save/restore (QuetzalWriter needs completion) and sread tokenization.
2. zvm/viola memory layout compatibility 2. zvm/viola memory layout compatibility
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@ -232,11 +236,11 @@ what to do next
Concrete next steps, roughly ordered. Update as items get done. Concrete next steps, roughly ordered. Update as items get done.
- [ ] trace V3 opcode usage: run zork through viola with opcode logging, get the actual set of opcodes a real game uses. this tells us how much porting work the hybrid path actually requires. - [x] trace V3 opcode usage: run zork through viola with opcode logging, get the actual set of opcodes a real game uses. this tells us how much porting work the hybrid path actually requires. (done — found 69 opcodes, see ``scripts/trace_zmachine.py``)
- [ ] compare memory layouts: look at how viola and zvm represent z-machine memory, object tables, string tables. determine if opcode porting is mechanical translation or deeper adaptation. - [ ] compare memory layouts: look at how viola and zvm represent z-machine memory, object tables, string tables. determine if opcode porting is mechanical translation or deeper adaptation.
- [ ] prototype the hybrid: pick 5-10 common opcodes, port them from viola to zvm's architecture. see how the pattern feels. if it's smooth, the hybrid is viable. if every opcode is a battle, reconsider. - [x] prototype the hybrid: pick 5-10 common opcodes, port them from viola to zvm's architecture. see how the pattern feels. if it's smooth, the hybrid is viable. if every opcode is a battle, reconsider. (done — all 69 Zork 1 opcodes ported, hybrid interpreter lives in ``src/mudlib/zmachine/``)
- [x] build level 1 prototype: regardless of interpreter choice, implement the terminal object, IF mode, and subprocess dfrotz path. this proves the MUD-side architecture (mode stack, spectators, save/restore) independently of the interpreter question. (done — see ``docs/how/if-terminal.txt``) - [x] build level 1 prototype: regardless of interpreter choice, implement the terminal object, IF mode, and subprocess dfrotz path. this proves the MUD-side architecture (mode stack, spectators, save/restore) independently of the interpreter question. (done — see ``docs/how/if-terminal.txt``)