webtiles

WebTiles refers to a browser-based tile rendering front-end and accompanying protocol used primarily to play roguelike games, most notably NetHack, in a web browser. It replaces the traditional ASCII interface with a grid of graphical tiles, color, and optional tilesets to present the dungeon, items, monsters, and UI elements.

The core idea of WebTiles is a client–server architecture. A game engine or server runs the game logic and maintains the current state, while a web-based client renders the visible map and handles user input. The client and server communicate through a defined protocol, typically over WebSockets, exchanging compact messages that describe tile updates, messages, inventory changes, and player actions. The client loads a tileset and maps tile codes to images or sprites, allowing flexible visual styles without changing game logic.

Historically, WebTiles emerged from the NetHack community as a way to offer a consistent, accessible experience across platforms via modern browsers. The official NetHack web servers and many community projects use WebTiles to deliver a live, multiplayer-friendly interface, though the same approach can be applied to other tile-based roguelikes. The project emphasizes extensibility, supporting multiple tilesets, optional lighting, Unicode support, and accessibility considerations.

Benefits include cross-platform accessibility, lower barrier to entry for new players, and a visually rich presentation that can be updated independently of the game engine. Limitations involve reliance on network connectivity and server availability, as well as potential latency between client actions and server responses.

See also NetHack, roguelikes, tile-based rendering, web-based gaming.