Added notes, photos and code for the first step: driving the displays using basic multiplexing

NerfStatTrek.ino

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+const int PinBottom = 2;
+const int PinTop = 5;
+
+const int PinDigit3 = 3;
+const int PinDigit2 = 4;
+
+
+void setup() 
+{
+  pinMode(PinTop, OUTPUT);
+  pinMode(PinBottom, OUTPUT);
+  pinMode(PinDigit3, OUTPUT);
+  pinMode(PinDigit2, OUTPUT);
+
+  digitalWrite(PinTop, LOW);
+  digitalWrite(PinBottom, LOW);
+}
+
+int lastTime = 0;
+bool top = true;
+
+void loop() 
+{
+  int currentTime = millis();
+  if (currentTime - lastTime > 1000)
+  {
+    top = !top;
+    lastTime = currentTime;
+  }
+
+  // Digit 3 (right) - switch between top and bottom
+  digitalWrite(PinDigit3, HIGH);
+
+  if (top)
+  {
+    digitalWrite(PinTop, HIGH);
+    delay(1);
+    digitalWrite(PinTop, LOW);
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    digitalWrite(PinBottom, HIGH);
+    delay(1);
+    digitalWrite(PinBottom, LOW);    
+  }
+  digitalWrite(PinDigit3, LOW);
+
+
+  // Digit 2 (middle) - always bottom
+  digitalWrite(PinDigit2, HIGH);
+  digitalWrite(PinBottom, HIGH);
+  delay(1);
+  digitalWrite(PinBottom, LOW);    
+  digitalWrite(PinDigit2, LOW);
+}

guide/notes.txt

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+00 - Planning and getting parts
+-------------------------------
+
+Since most tutorials favored a 9V battery as a power source I opted for this route.
+Later I discovered it's about the worst thing you can get and will only power the
+Arduino for a day while wasting half the battery's potential. Oh well. For now it'll
+do. I decided to get some cheap power switches instead so I can turn it off manually.
+This means we definitely need to store the values in EEPROM, neat!
+
+
+01 - Basic multiplexing test
+----------------------------
+
+Since the 5V regulator, shift registers and DIP transistors weren't in yet I started
+off using the regular NPN transistors, powering the Arduino from the USB connection
+and the display using two AA batteries. Using 4 transistors will allow switching between
+two digits and two segments, to get a feel for how it'll work in the end.
+
+I didn't want to solder the Arduino just yet but the pins were making aweful connections,
+so I lifted it up and stretched the connectors to reach the next row. Similarly, the
+batteries are simply stuck together using electrical tape. This whole thing's a bodge at
+the moment, but it works!

reference/SMA410363 - 3-digit 7-segment display.txt

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+Pin   Assignment
+
+1     E (Bottom Left)
+2     D (Bottom)
+3     Dot
+4     C (Bottom Right)
+5     G (Middle)
+6     B (Top Right)
+7     Digit 3 anode (Right)
+8     Digit 2 anode (Middle)
+9     F (Top Left)
+10    A (Top)
+11    Digit 1 anode (Left)