From Notepad to RISC-V emulators, via arcade machines, a Game & Watch, and an unforgettable multi-monitor setup, Doom has achieved enormous things... but how does it fare with small things? The answer comes from James Brown, an enthusiast who left us speechless after installing an OLED screen on a Lego brick. This time, James managed to miniaturize a controller to play Doom directly on the brick, and all he needs is a battery.
After seeing Doom Eternal on the world's smallest monitor and the original Doom on a screen of just 1.3 inches, the question is: What's next? Is it possible to shrink Doom even further? Fortunately, today we can clear that up. The first step is to explore the projects of James Brown, also known as "Ancient" on YouTube. Previously, James melted our brains by installing an OLED screen on a Lego brick. Later, he added an animation of an X-Wing's fire control system... and finally he got to Doom. First via USB, then on a ring, and now... with the ability to control Doomguy.
Playing Doom on a Lego Brick
In relaxed terms, the Lego brick stopped being a 'simple' monitor and became an integrated system. Its brain is none other than a Raspberry Pi Pico (technically, the Raspberry Pi RP2040 chip) on a custom PCB miniaturized to the extreme. Although the screen's properties haven't changed (0.42 inches, 72x40, monochrome, with sub-frame application to simulate different gray levels), it's clear that the final frame rate is acceptable. Now, how does it control Doomguy? By using a second block, James found enough space to connect a battery and add an accelerometer to the setup.
We also shouldn't forget that the two anchors on top of the Lego work as touch controls, but James admits that the capacitive sensor doesn't have proper calibration. Luckily, the folks at Lego haven't fired any missiles at these projects, and I think the potential to turn the "Lego with OLED screen" into an official product is enormous...
James Brown on YouTube: Click here
