Stealth Mini-Games inside VS Code — Play Chess & Connect 4 (Group 4) right in your terminal or disguised editor tab with built-in AI, live chat, and real-time LAN multiplayer.
🕹️ Included Stealth Games
♟️ Stealth Chess: Full chess engine with legal move target dots (•), capture highlights, material scoring, and AI bot.
🔴 Connect 4 (Group 4): Classic 7x6 strategy disc-dropping game with gravity physics, 4-in-a-row detection, and Minimax AI bot.
✨ Features
🥷 Stealth Presentation Modes:
Integrated Terminal (TUI): Disguised as background terminal processes like node --watch index.js or pytest.
Disguised Webview Tab: Renders inside an editor tab disguised as a TypeScript file (app_controller.ts / stream_controller.ts).
🤖 Minimax AI Opponents: Built-in strategy bots with Easy, Medium, and Hard difficulty levels.
🌐 Real-Time LAN Multiplayer: Host or join local room servers with instant board state synchronization and live chat.
🛡️ Boss Key (Ctrl+Alt+B / Cmd+Alt+B): Instantly toggle a realistic code execution disguise overlay to hide any game in one keystroke.
🚀 Quick Start
Open the Command Palette in VS Code:
Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Shift + P
macOS: Cmd + Shift + P
Type DevArcade and select a game launcher:
DevArcade: Chess in Integrated Terminal (TUI)
DevArcade: Chess in Disguised Webview Tab
DevArcade: Connect 4 in Integrated Terminal (TUI)
DevArcade: Connect 4 in Disguised Webview Tab
🎮 In-Game Controls & Commands
Action / Command
Description
Mouse Click
Click directly on terminal or webview board to select & move pieces or drop discs
Arrow Keys + Space / Enter
Keyboard cursor navigation & selection
Numbers 1-7
Drop disc into column 1-7 directly in Connect 4
Algebraic Moves
Type chess moves directly (e.g. e4, Nf3, e2e4, O-O)
Ctrl + Alt + B (or boss)
Toggle Boss Key stealth code disguise
/c <message>
Send a live chat message
easy / medium / hard
Change AI difficulty mid-game
reset / rematch
Restart/Rematch the match in the current room without needing to re-host/re-join
resign / giveup / ff
Give up / Resign current match in single-player or LAN multiplayer
🛠️ Extension Commands
Command ID
Command Title
Description
devarcade.startTerminalGame
DevArcade: Chess in Integrated Terminal (TUI)
Launches terminal-based stealth chess
devarcade.startWebviewGame
DevArcade: Chess in Disguised Webview Tab
Launches graphical webview chess
devarcade.startConnect4Terminal
DevArcade: Connect 4 in Integrated Terminal (TUI)
Launches terminal-based Connect 4
devarcade.startConnect4Webview
DevArcade: Connect 4 in Disguised Webview Tab
Launches graphical webview Connect 4
devarcade.hostLanGame
DevArcade: Host Multiplayer Game
Starts a local multiplayer room server
devarcade.joinLanGame
DevArcade: Join Multiplayer Game
Connects to a colleague's room
devarcade.bossKey
DevArcade: Boss Key (Hide/Disguise)
Instantly toggles stealth code disguise
🔑 Default Keybindings
Boss Key (Hide / Restore): Ctrl + Alt + B (macOS: Cmd + Alt + B)
