Developer snipedbywifi has released Terminactory, a terminal-native idle factory game built in Rust and the ratatui library to provide a 'cozy' experience for users waiting on long-running AI agent tasks. The game is specifically designed to occupy a split terminal window, allowing players to manage a factory while receiving automated 'telegrams' from active agents.
Core Concept and Design
The developer, snipedbywifi, reports that Terminactory was created to solve the problem of 'doomscrolling' while waiting for AI agents to complete tasks. It functions as an idle factory game where players can build and delete structures, measure earnings, and use selection tools.
The game's aesthetic is inspired by classic titles like Dwarf Fortress and Cataclysm, utilizing ASCII art to maintain a terminal-native feel. It also includes 'unexpected' features such as a fake in-game browser, forums, and a research graph to visualize progress toward new unlocks.
“Please try it out if you'd like to play a cozy factory game while waiting for long agent tasks to finish!”
— Show HN: A terminal-native idle factory game, written in Rust with ratatui
Agent Integration and 'Local Mail'
A central mechanism of the game is its ability to receive messages from AI agents. According to the poster, the game uses Claude code hooks to deliver 'telegrams'—the agent's responses—directly into the game UI so users can review progress without switching windows.
Commenters on Hacker News noted that this mirrors the 'local mail' technology found in the game NetHack, which has featured a 'mail demon' since 1985. The developer confirmed that Terminactory uses an optional 'tfac msg' command to minimize token usage while maintaining this communication loop.
Technical Implementation and Feedback
Terminactory is built using Rust and the ratatui library for its terminal-native interface. The developer noted that while the base of the game was generated with help from Claude models, they manually implemented the specific hooks and lore elements.
During the Hacker News discussion, users suggested adding support for Nerd Font icons to supplement the plain ASCII art. The developer responded that they intend to add this as an opt-in feature in a future update.
Limitations and Scope
The game is currently hosted on GitLab and is presented as a project in active development. While the developer has added several quality-of-life features, the specific mechanics of the 'research graph' and the full extent of the 'hidden lore' remain details for players to discover through gameplay.
Pull Quote
Please try it out if you'd like to play a cozy factory game while waiting for long agent tasks to finish! (primary)