[braunshedd]

How does one go about gaining the skills to do something like this? Love the demonstration of real low-level engineering and understanding.

[saagarjha]

A lot of reading. There's a couple of linked blog posts that this one relies on that you might find interesting as well.

[ubertoop]

A lot of adderal. Or a lucky brain.

[z3t4]

Could start with assembly programming. Then make an emulator.