Issue No. 001·March 21, 2026·Seoul Edition
Back to home

TTF-DOOM

live

A raycaster running in TrueType font hinting

webApril 6, 2026
GamingTypography3D Graphics
What It Does

Details

TTF-DOOM implements a 3D raycasting engine inside TrueType font files. It uses TrueType bytecode to render walls based on a 16x16 tile map, while JavaScript handles movement, shooting, and drawing overlays like enemies and HUD. This is achieved through font variation settings and custom TrueType bytecode instructions.

Who It's For

Best fit users

  • developers
  • graphic designers
  • AI researchers
Why It Matters

Why this one made the cut

This project demonstrates the computational power of TrueType font hinting programs, which were not intended to run 3D graphics. It challenges assumptions about what can be done with font file structures and shows creative uses of legacy technology in modern development.

Differentiator

What makes it different

TTF-DOOM executes 3D raycasting directly in native TrueType bytecode within font files, rather than using font shaping systems or web technologies. It leverages the original 1991 Apple TrueType hinting virtual machine instead of more modern solutions.

Sources

Where we found it

Sources

GLOBAL · Hacker NewsENApr 6, 2026Visit

First discovered Apr 6, 2026 · Hacker News