Pixwar

A multiplayer Qix-inspired territory capture game for the terminal.

Overview

Pixwar is a fast-paced multiplayer game where players compete to capture territory on a shared board. Leave trails as you move, close them off to claim territory, but watch out - if another player crosses your trail, you're eliminated!

Features

• Multiplayer: 1-8 players over TCP/IP
• Terminal UI: Runs in any terminal with color support
• Simple controls: Arrow keys or WASD to move
• Qix-style gameplay: Capture territory by enclosing areas with your trail

Installation

go install github.com/diegok/pixwar/cmd/pixwar@latest

Or build from source:

git clone https://github.com/diegok/pixwar.git
cd pixwar
go build -o pixwar ./cmd/pixwar

How to Play

Start a Server

pixwar --server --name YourName

The server will display IP addresses that other players can use to connect.

Join a Game

pixwar --join <server-ip> --name YourName

Controls

Key	Action
Arrow keys / WASD	Move
Enter	Start game (host only)
Tab	Cycle players (spectator mode)
Q / Escape	Quit

Game Rules

1. Movement: Your player moves continuously in the current direction
2. Trails: When outside your territory, you leave a vulnerable trail
3. Capture: Close your trail by returning to your territory or a board edge
4. Elimination: If another player crosses your trail, you're out
5. Winning: Game ends when time runs out, one player remains, or someone captures 95% of the board

Server Options

pixwar --server [options]

Options:
  --port <port>       Server port (default: 7777)
  --time <minutes>    Game duration (default: 5)
  --threshold <pct>   Territory % to win (default: 95)
  --powerups          Enable power-ups
  --name <name>       Your player name

Architecture

• Single binary: Same executable runs as server or client
• Authoritative server: Server handles all game logic at 20 ticks/sec
• TCP networking: Reliable message delivery with gob encoding
• TUI: Built with tcell for cross-platform terminal support

License

MIT