https://github.com/potatoinfinity/ascii-projects
A collection of ASCII art projects. Consists of two major components: a retro arcade games console featuring 12 terminal games, and a native macOS real-time screen-to-ASCII filter application.
https://github.com/potatoinfinity/ascii-projects
Last synced: 11 days ago
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A collection of ASCII art projects. Consists of two major components: a retro arcade games console featuring 12 terminal games, and a native macOS real-time screen-to-ASCII filter application.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/potatoinfinity/ascii-projects
- Owner: PotatoInfinity
- License: mit
- Created: 2026-05-21T09:19:50.000Z (about 1 month ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2026-05-21T09:25:50.000Z (about 1 month ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-05-21T17:17:01.838Z (about 1 month ago)
- Language: Python
- Size: 102 KB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 0
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
# ASCII Retro Games & Real-time Filters
This repository is a collection of projects centered around ASCII art. It consists of two major components: a retro arcade games console featuring 12 terminal games, and a native macOS real-time screen-to-ASCII filter application.
---
## Repository Structure
The repository is organized into two primary subdirectories:
```
root/
├── ASCII Games/ # Python Curses retro games suite & C++ Pacman
│ ├── main.py # Main interactive arcade launcher (Python)
│ ├── pa2-pacman-master/ # Pacman game
│ └── *.py # Core game files (Doom, Tetris, Mario, etc.)
│
└── ASCII filter/ # Real-time macOS screen-to-ASCII filter app
├── build.sh # Shell compilation script
└── *.swift # Native Swift and Metal Shader sources
```
Pacman game by [Vojtech Cahlik](https://github.com/vcahlik/pa2-pacman)
---
## Projects Overview
### 1. ASCII Arcade Suite
An interactive retro arcade cabinet that runs directly inside your command-line terminal. It includes 12 classic retro games using ASCII graphics.
To launch the Python Arcade:
> ```bash
> cd "ASCII Games"
> python3 main.py
> ```
---
### 2. ASCII-Lens (ASCII filter)
A native Swift macOS application designed to transform your entire screen—or any target window—into real-time, interactive ASCII art.
Uses Apple's `ScreenCaptureKit` API for ultra-low latency desktop capturing, `CoreVideo`/`CoreMedia` pipelines, and a customized **Metal-accelerated fragment shader** that translates pixel luminance values into dynamic ASCII glyph selections. Features a customizable controller panel to modify scale, contrast, and color modes in real-time.
To compile and run the macOS ASCII Filter:
> ```bash
> cd "ASCII filter"
> chmod +x build.sh
> ./build.sh
> open ASCII-Lens.app
> ```
* Requires macOS 13.0 (Ventura) or later.
---
## Global Requirements
`Swift Compiler (`swiftc`), CMake, C++ Compiler, and Python 3.`