{"rewrite":{"id":"r_19ce4b61f2ac25dd03746584","clusterId":"c_6237816d5b9f7705e378f426","slug":"open-world-rpg-swaggerfall-runs-entirely-on-a-terminal","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Open-World RPG Swaggerfall Runs Entirely on a Terminal","summary":"Developer holonaut announced Swaggerfall on August 24, an open-world RPG for PC that runs on a terminal. The game renders a 3D fantasy world using ASCII characters, with a procedurally generated map said to extend infinitely. Players gain experience from actions like jumping, mining, and cooking, and combat is turn-based with a QTE element. A demo is planned for itch.io.","whyItMatters":"The announcement stands out because holonaut built the entire open-world RPG with a self-made engine in Rust, running on a terminal as a deliberate aesthetic and technical choice.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eSwaggerfall is a first-person open-world RPG, but it never leaves the terminal. The graphics are 3D, processed in the background and then rendered as ASCII characters, with the world expressed through letters and symbols.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe game uses a procedurally generated map that is said to extend infinitely. NPC dialogue is also generated, letting players hear rumors or ask for directions, though some lines are currently nonsensical. Experience points come from everyday actions like jumping, dashing, mining, cooking, and eating.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eholonaut built the engine with AI assistance in Rust. Since processing and rendering both use the CPU, there are performance challenges. A playable demo is expected on itch.io soon, and the developer has not yet decided on a Steam release.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Open-world RPG Swaggerfall runs on a terminal, renders a 3D fantasy world in ASCII, and is built in Rust with a self-made engine. Procedural map, generated NPC rumors, turn-based combat with a QTE. Demo coming to itch.io.","twitterPost":"Swaggerfall is an open-world RPG that runs entirely on a terminal, rendering a 3D fantasy world in ASCII characters. Built in Rust with a self-made engine. Procedural map, generated NPCs, turn-based combat. Demo planned for itch.io.","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"Developer holonaut announced Swaggerfall, an open-world RPG that runs on a terminal and renders its 3D fantasy world in ASCII characters. The game features a procedurally generated map, generated NPC dialogue, and turn-based combat. A demo is planned for itch.io.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Automaton\",\"url\":\"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260825-462514/\",\"title\":\"Open-World RPG 'Swaggerfall' Running on a Terminal Unveiled: A Romantic Adventure in an 'ASCII Character'-Rendered 3D Fantasy World\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":4426,"outputTokens":591,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1787951394,"createdAt":"2026-08-28T21:02:14.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-08-28T21:06:44.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-28T21:02:14.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_6237816d5b9f7705e378f426","canonicalTitle":"“ターミナル上で動く”オープンワールドRPG『Swaggerfall』お披露目。「ASCII文字」製3Dファンタジー世界、打鍵が紡ぐロマンな冒険","representativeArticleId":"a_6634d1feaf0967bd3b8c3f06","sourceCount":1,"writtenSourceCount":1,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":true,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Swaggerfall\"],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[\"holonaut\"],\"type\":\"announcement\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-08-25T06:29:33.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-08-25T06:29:33.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-28T21:06:45.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Automaton","url":"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260825-462514/","title":"“ターミナル上で動く”オープンワールドRPG『Swaggerfall』お披露目。「ASCII文字」製3Dファンタジー世界、打鍵が紡ぐロマンな冒険"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Swaggerfall"],"studios":[],"people":["holonaut"],"type":"announcement","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":null}