FastConIO

Unlock High-Speed Console IO for Text-Mode Applications

If you've ever tried creating a dynamic text-based application or game in the Windows Console, you've likely encountered the sluggish speeds and limited colorization options that make smooth, responsive graphics almost impossible to achieve. FastConIO is here to change that. This powerful library transforms the Windows console experience, making it feasible to run real-time, text-mode applications with high-speed frame rates, vibrant colors, and responsive controls.

Color Coding Support

FastConIO's support for inline color codes, and the textcolor/textbackground functions, opens up exciting new visual possibilities for console applications. This capability brings vibrant visuals to the screen without complex setup, making it possible to recreate graphics and animations with colored ASCII characters. Whether you're displaying gameplay elements like mazes, icons, or character animations, FastConIO simplifies the process, letting you colorize any text element on the fly for an engaging visual experience.

  Table-Top Online

Thalia the Rogue, uses her bonus action to Hide, aiming to dart behind a large rock to avoid beeing seen by the goblin archer. Rolling dexterity check results in:
        18 = Successfully hidden!

The Technology Behind Text-Pac

The FastConIO library's power is fully demonstrated in Text-Pac, a text-based version of the classic Pac-Man arcade game, designed to run seamlessly in the Windows Console. This proof-of-concept game demonstrates the ability to refresh the entire screen every frame, without any flickering, making it possible to enjoy smooth, engaging gameplay directly in the CMD. Text-Pac leverages FastConIO's speed, color and keyboard input capabilities to bring the iconic maze, ghosts, and pellets to life, displaying colorful animations and vivid gameplay–all using text.

Why FastConIO?

FastConIO is the perfect solution for developers working in the Windows Console environment who want to go beyond traditional static applications and experiment with real-time, interactive text-based graphics. With its unparalleled speed and flexibility, the library is ideal for:

• Interactive Scripts and Tools: Enhancing command-line tools with visually rich feedback and dynamic interfaces.
• Monitors and Logging: Displaying fast-updating, color-coded data for real-time monitoring or debugging in text-based formats.
• Game Development: Developing smooth, retro-style games or simulations that can run directly in the Windows Console.

Get Started with FastConIO

Whether you're devloping games or improving an application's debug output, FastConIO provides the perfect toolkit to unlock the Windows Console's potential. Download FastConIO and Text-Pac to see how high-speed, text-based applications can come alive given the right technology. With FastConIO, you can build applications that combine text-mode's simplicity with real-time responsiveness and visual appeal–transforming what's possible in the Windows Console, one character at a time.

Download FastConIO Library: [FastConIO.zip].

Free for personal, non-commercial use. Contact for enterprise licensing.