whommart

babbage’s bits

The basic kit: build logic gates, memory, and simple devices.

£32.00
United States
Price is all-inclusive (shipping calculated at checkout). We cover all duties/import fees up front, with nothing extra to pay on delivery. more info
Free shipping on US orders over £150 GBP

Babbage’s Bits is the basic kit for trying out roons. It comes with a single disk, the core tileset, and everything you need to get started building circuits.

The kit is tailored for our upcoming roons2doom tutorial sequence. These assume no prior knowledge, and walk you through building a computer from the ground up. You’ll start with basic logic gates; then learn how to stitch them together into more complicated systems. Finally, we’ll design a fully-general computer, and explore how to get the video game running purely on marbles.

Please note that the exact tiles in the kit may differ slightly from the photos, as we optimise the tileset for working with the tutorials.

preorder

We’re currently fulfilling the original Kickstarter rewards. The estimated dispatch time for preorders is 7-8 weeks.

Each kit is manufactured in our workshop in Camden Town, London. We use lots of machines that make cool beeping sounds, and finish each kit by hand.

Kits will be dispatched in this order:

  • Kickstarter backers
  • Post-Kickstarter reservations (based on the date the reservation was made)
  • Preorders (based on the date of the preorder)
what can I build with it?
  • All basic logic gates, such as AND, OR, XOR, NAND, XNOR, etc
  • Devices to read/write memory
  • Arithmetical operators for performing addition, subtraction, comparing numbers, etc
  • Every component for a general-purpose computer that can run DOOM (in theory!)
what can't I build with it?

Generally, you'll only be able to build one device at a time. For instance, if you've built an XNOR gate, and you now want to build an Adder, you'll need to dismantle your XNOR so you can reuse the tiles and space.

You will sometimes be able to build a couple of small devices that work together. For example, you can build a block of memory and connect up its output to an adder.

is this the right kit for me?

The Babbage Box is a good entry point if you're curious about roons. If you're keen to build bigger devices right away, check out Turing's Revenge or Lovelace's Delight; or take a look at add-ons such as the Buffer peripheral.

All kits are interoperable, and can be used to extend each other — so don't worry too much about exactly which kit you get.

what does the kit contain?
Qty Item
1 disk (with detachable GRIB drive)
8 bars
1 encabulator (hand crank)
1 core tileset
1 marble pack

We're still tinkering with the exact best ratio of each type of tile for the tutorials. While the photos on this page should be reasonably representative, the exact tiles in your kit may differ. The tiles you receive will be optimised for following the roons2doom tutorials; we aim to update this page with a precise tile breakdown soon.

is this the same as the Kickstarter kit?

The Kickstarter had an early bird kit called "The Babbage Special". Letting just anyone buy it wouldn't make it very special.

Babbage's Bits combines the two bottom tiers of the Kickstarter (Boole's Basics and the Babbage Special). It's basically just the Babbage Special with some minor tweaks.

Kickstarter backers will also receive some additional materials (not listed here).

where's the shapez 2 themed version?

Currently unavailable, but it should be added to the store soon!

can it run DOOM?

Yes, in theory_ The tutorials will work through multiple designs for a computer that can run DOOM (or any other C program). However, these computers will be very large, very slow, and can't (yet) be connected up to a monitor or controller.

(We're cooking up solutions to all of these as we speak.)

A more realistic expectation: you'll be able to build every component of a computer that runs DOOM, and learn how to connect each component up. But unless you buy hundreds of kits, don't expect to be able to build a full computer all at the same time.

is it kid friendly?

roons is designed for ages 14+. Younger children can definitely learn how to build things with roons, but for safety purposes they should have adult supervision. Small pieces such as the individual tiles can be a choking hazard.

Kickstarter backers

If you’re a Kickstarter backer (thanks!), please be aware there may be small differences between the original reward tiers and the kits available here on whommart — make sure to check the product description.

consolidating orders

We may be able to bundle your order with your original Kickstarter reward — more info here.

related products