Project Overview
A fun Python project that creates a 3D spinning donut animation in the terminal using ASCII characters and mathematical transformations. Inspired by a YouTube video I saw once, this project demonstrates 3D rotation, perspective projection, and real-time terminal graphics using basic Python libraries.
Key Features
- 3D donut shape rendered in ASCII characters
- Smooth rotation animation around multiple axes
- Real-time perspective projection calculations
- Dynamic lighting effects using different ASCII characters
- Configurable rotation speed and donut parameters
- Cross-platform terminal compatibility
Project Demo
Technical Implementation
The project uses mathematical transformations to convert 3D coordinates to 2D screen coordinates. Key technical concepts include:
- 3D rotation matrices for donut rotation
- Perspective projection for depth perception
- ASCII character mapping based on surface normal vectors
- Real-time animation using loops and screen clearing
- Mathematical functions for donut surface generation
Learning Outcomes
This project taught me about 3D graphics mathematics, perspective projection, and creative programming. It's a great example of how complex mathematical concepts can be visualized using simple tools and ASCII characters.