A dedicated modder has successfully adapted the classic text adventure game Zork to run on the internal hardware of Valve's Steam Controller. The project required the creation of custom firmware and the emulation of an Intel 8080 CPU.
Owen Feldman, the developer behind the project, documented the process on their blog. To achieve this feat, an internal tool found within a Steam hardware updater was used to flash new firmware onto the controller. This process was not without its risks, as Feldman reported temporarily bricking the device.
Following the successful recovery of the controller, Feldman developed a custom program written in Rust. This program emulates the CP/M-80 operating system and the Intel 8080 CPU, allowing Zork to run directly on the Steam Controller's processor. Since the controller lacks a built-in screen or keyboard, its USB connection was utilized for input and output operations, streaming data to and from an external source.
A floppy disk version of Zork was loaded via an external drive, demonstrating the controller's surprising capabilities. Feldman described the development process as challenging, referring to the custom program as "1514 lines of pain." Despite the difficulties, the end result allows for a playable experience of the classic game.
However, Feldman cautions that this modification process carries a significant risk of permanently damaging the Steam Controller, a device that retails for $99. This makes the endeavor one best left to experienced hardware enthusiasts who are prepared for the potential consequences of flashing custom firmware.