ConsoleGameEngine

C# Graphics Library for drawing graphics in Windows Command Prompt

Olle Logdahl, 24 November 2018

ConsoleGameEngine is a C# library that wraps around the System.Console class, adding enhanced functionality for displaying graphics. Implements a new ConsoleGame abstract, a custom buffer, custom color palette, fullscreen capabilites, input handling and more.

Installation / Getting Started

Download Lastest Build
Clone git repo and build yourself

git clone https://github.com/ollelogdahl/ConsoleGameEngine.git

After installing you'll have to:

Import ConsoleGameEngine.dll to project.
Reference the namespace using ConsoleGameEngine;

Why?

I created this Library to make graphics more available for beginners and hobbyists alike. The first programs you create are usually made in the console, but when users want to migrate to actual graphics there is a steep learning curve. My ambition with this library is to depricate the need for psuedo-graphics in the console, usually done by moving the cursor, writing a short string and clearing the actual screen. Not only is that solution unintuitive in the long run, but also highly inefficient.

Uses

retro-styled games and applications intended to run in Console Windows
easy-to-use graphics library for basic graphics in games and applications
~~Creating heavy 3D graphics running in 4K~~

Does the last apply to you? Then sorry, this is not the library you are looking for.

Usage / Features

Library contains two main classes, ConsoleEngine and ConsoleGame

Custom screen buffer, allows clearing and blitting to console window
Console colors with full rgb capabilities
Custom & premade Palettes, used for changing console window palette
Accessing and setting pixels individually
Functions to draw basic shapes and primitives (Triangles, Rectangles, Lines etc.)
Writing characters to screen using plain-text and FIGlet fonts
Multiple game loops, including fixed framerate and deltatime settings
Point and Vector class, for int and float positions
Setting console window settings, changing window size and running console borderless
Input handling

ConsoleEngine

Is used to draw to the screen, replacement for the System.Console class (kind of)

using ConsoleGameEngine;
...
Engine = new ConsoleEngine(windowWidth, windowHeight, fontWidth, fontHeight);

Engine.SetPixel(new Point(8, 8), ConsoleCharacter.Full, 15);

ConsoleGame

Keeps an instance of the ConsoleEngine and implements game loops.

Note Not neccessary, you could use the ConsoleEngine as is

using ConsoleGameEngine;
...

new AppName.Construct(windowWidth, windowHeight, fontWidth, fontHeight, FramerateMode.Unlimited);
class AppName : ConsoleGame {
  public override void Create() {
  }
  
  public override void Update() {
  }
  
  public override void Render() {
  }
}

Notes

Color palette limited to 16 colors in a single session (this is an internal limitation, see MDSN)
Only ONE reference to a ConsoleEngine is allowed per session
Press Delete Key to close application if running in borderless

Licensing

This project, and all code it contains, is licensed under The Unlicense and can be read here.

aadfPT/ConsoleGameEngine