Generator Mapping
The Mapping tab controls how generator output (greyscale brightness values) is converted into ASCII art with characters, text colors, and background colors.
Overview
Generators produce frames where each cell has a brightness value from 0 (black) to 255 (white). The mapping system translates these values into:
- Characters - Which ASCII character appears in each cell
- Text Color - The foreground color of each character
- Background Color - The color behind each character
Changes in the Mapping tab update the preview in real-time, so you can see exactly how your settings affect the final appearance.
Preview Frame Scrubber
When frames have been generated, a frame scrubber appears at the top of the Mapping tab. Use this to preview different frames while adjusting mapping settings, ensuring your mapping looks good across the entire animation.
Character Mapping
Character mapping assigns ASCII characters based on brightness values.
How It Works
The generator output is greyscale—each cell has a brightness from dark (0) to light (255). The character mapping uses a character palette to assign characters:
- Dark values → Characters with less visual weight (
. - ') - Light values → Characters with more visual weight (
# @ █)
Character Palette
Select or create a character palette that defines which characters represent different brightness levels. Characters are ordered from darkest (least dense) to brightest (most dense).
For example, a simple ramp might be: .:-=+*#%@
Where space is darkest and @ is brightest.
Mapping Mode
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Direct | Brightness values map directly to character positions |
| Dithered | Adds noise to smooth transitions between characters |
Dithering creates more natural gradients by mixing adjacent characters at transition points.
Dither Strength
When using dithered mode, controls how much randomization is applied. Higher values create more visible dithering patterns.
Text Color Mapping
Text color mapping assigns foreground colors to characters based on brightness.
Enable Text Color Mapping
Toggle whether brightness values control text color, or whether a single color is used.
Color Palette
Select a color palette that defines the gradient from dark to light values:
- Dark values → Colors at the start of the palette
- Light values → Colors at the end of the palette
Mapping Mode
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Direct | Brightness maps directly to palette colors |
| Nearest | Snaps to the closest palette color |
| Dithered | Adds noise to smooth color transitions |
Dither Strength
When using dithered mode, controls the intensity of color dithering.
Background Color Mapping
Background color mapping works identically to text color mapping but controls the color behind each cell.
Enable Background Color Mapping
Toggle whether brightness values control background color.
Independent Control
Background and text color can use different palettes and mapping modes, allowing for creative combinations like:
- Dark text on bright backgrounds
- Complementary color schemes
- Gradient backgrounds with solid text
Mapping Workflow
Tips
Start Simple
Begin with just character mapping to understand how the generator output looks, then add colors.
Match Palettes
For cohesive results, use character and color palettes that complement each other—dense characters with bright colors, sparse characters with dark colors.
Preview Multiple Frames
Use the frame scrubber to check that your mapping looks good throughout the animation, not just on one frame.
Experiment with Dithering
Dithering modes can dramatically change the appearance, especially for generators with smooth gradients like Turbulent Noise.
Consider the Background
If you're placing generated art on a specific background, consider whether to enable background color mapping or leave backgrounds transparent.