USCSS Nostromo - Alien Terminal Theme

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█   COMMERCIAL TOWING VEHICLE                                                                                        █
█   REGISTRATION: 180924609                                                                                          █
█   WEYLAND-YUTANI CORPORATION                                                                                       █
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"You still don't understand what you're dealing with, do you?"

Why is it so dark in here?

Because in deep space, your monitor is the only light between you and the void.

You've been assigned to the USCSS Nostromo (Registration: 180924609) as a programming crew member. Your terminal is a 1970s-era mainframe display with failing phosphor tubes, questionable life support diagnostics scrolling past, and error messages that literally glow blood-red because errors in space are life-threatening.

No gradients. No subtle pastels. No comfort. Just pure black (#000000) backgrounds with maximum-brightness phosphor text, because when something is hunting you through the ventilation shafts, you need to see every character on that screen.

What You're Getting Into

Three authentic terminal variants:

🟢 NOSTROMO GREEN - MOTHER Mainframe Interface

The primary ship computer. Green phosphor CRT display. What Dallas, Ripley, and the crew saw when accessing flight systems, navigation protocols, and that infamous Special Order 937. Pure #00FF00 on void black. Comments are bright enough to read. Variables are pure white. Errors are blood-red. Line numbers actually visible.

🟡 NOSTROMO AMBER - Maintenance Terminal

Amber monochrome. What you'd find in Engineering or in the hands of a Working Joe synthetic. Warmer on the eyes for those long sessions debugging hypersleep chamber malfunctions. Deteriorating phosphor adds character. Same maximum contrast, different wavelength.

⚪ SEVASTOPOL LINK - Seegson Emergency Display

Based on Alien: Isolation's "Sevastolink" personal terminals scattered throughout Sevastopol Station. Near-white on dark green. Maximum emergency visibility. When standard contrast isn't enough and you're trying to read sensor logs while the station falls apart around you.

Screenshots

NOSTROMO AMBER - Maintenance Mode

Amber phosphor display. Engineering terminal aesthetic. Warmer, still deadly serious.

NOSTROMO GREEN - The MOTHER Experience

Pure phosphor green on absolute black. MOTHER interface aesthetic from Alien (1979)

SEVASTOPOL LINK - Emergency Systems

Near-white emergency mode. Based on Alien: Isolation personal terminals.

Features That Keep You Alive

✅ MAXIMUM CONTRAST DESIGN

• Pure #000000 black backgrounds (the void of space)
• Ultra-bright phosphor text (#00FF00, #FFAA00, #CCFFCC)
• Pure white (#FFFFFF) for critical elements: variables, functions, classes
• Blood-red (#FF0000) errors that scream for attention
• No subtle mid-tones. No "comfortable" grays. Maximum readability or death.

✅ AUTHENTIC 1970S TERMINAL AESTHETICS

• Based on actual CRT phosphor colors (P1, P3, P31 phosphors)
• Monochrome display philosophy (one primary color + white for emphasis)
• Line numbers bright enough to actually use (#66FF66, #FFCC66, #AAFFAA)
• Comments visible but distinct (not dark gray you can't read)
• Matches the production design from Ron Cobb and Chris Foss

✅ COMPREHENSIVE SYNTAX SUPPORT

Every major language meticulously themed:

• JavaScript/TypeScript - Full ES6+ and React/JSX support
• Python - Decorators, f-strings, type hints all styled
• C/C++ - Preprocessor directives, pointers, headers
• HTML/CSS - Tags, attributes, selectors clearly distinguished
• JSON - Property names in pure white, values properly contrasted
• Markdown - Headings, code blocks, emphasis all themed
• Shell Scripts - Variables, commands, pipes clearly readable
• And dozens more languages using standard TextMate scopes

✅ FULLY THEMED UI

Not just the editor—everything:

• Sidebar matching phosphor theme
• Status bar with emergency mode when debugging (red background)
• Terminal output matching CRT colors
• Tab bars, breadcrumbs, search results all themed
• Activity bar, menu bars, buttons—total immersion
• Git decorations, error squiggles, selections all styled

✅ ACCESSIBILITY WITHOUT COMPROMISE

• Meets WCAG high contrast guidelines
• Ultra-readable for extended coding sessions
• Bright line numbers for navigation
• Clear token differentiation for colorblind users
• No eye strain from low contrast

Installation - Boarding Procedures

Method 1: VS Code Marketplace (Once Published)

1. Open VS Code
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+X (or Cmd+Shift+X on Mac)
3. Search for: USCSS Nostromo or Alien Terminal
4. Click Install
5. Press Ctrl+K Ctrl+T to open theme selector
6. Choose your variant:
   • Alien Terminal (Nostromo Green) - MOTHER interface
   • Alien Terminal (Nostromo Amber) - Maintenance terminal
   • Alien Terminal (Sevastopol Link) - Emergency systems

Method 2: Manual Installation (For Testing)

1. Clone or download this repository
2. Copy to your VS Code extensions folder:
   • Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.vscode\extensions\uscss-nostromo-theme
   • macOS/Linux: ~/.vscode/extensions/uscss-nostromo-theme
3. Reload VS Code (Ctrl+R or Cmd+R)
4. Select theme from color theme picker

Configuration - MOTHER System Setup

Recommended Settings

For maximum authenticity, add this to your settings.json:

{
  // Theme selection
  "workbench.colorTheme": "Alien Terminal (Nostromo Green)",

  // Authentic CRT fonts (install separately)
  "editor.fontFamily": "'Courier Prime', 'PT Mono', 'Courier New', monospace",
  "editor.fontSize": 14,
  "editor.lineHeight": 1.5,
  "editor.fontLigatures": false,
  "editor.letterSpacing": 0.5,

  // Block cursor like old terminals
  "editor.cursorStyle": "block",
  "editor.cursorBlinking": "solid",

  // Disable modern features for authenticity
  "editor.minimap.enabled": false,
  "editor.smoothScrolling": false,

  // Custom window title
  "window.title": "${rootName} - USCSS NOSTROMO TERMINAL",

  // Terminal matching theme
  "terminal.integrated.fontFamily": "'Courier Prime', 'PT Mono', monospace",
  "terminal.integrated.fontSize": 14,
  "terminal.integrated.cursorStyle": "block",
  "terminal.integrated.cursorBlinking": true
}

Recommended Fonts

These fonts complete the 1970s terminal experience:

1. Courier Prime ⭐ BEST CHOICE

   • Free, designed for screenplays
   • Perfect monospace, extremely readable
   • Available for Windows/Mac/Linux

2. Glass TTY VT220

   • Authentic VT220 terminal recreation
   • Includes period-accurate character shapes

3. IBM VGA

   • Classic DOS/VGA appearance
   • Pixelated retro aesthetic

4. PT Mono - Usually pre-installed, excellent fallback

5. Courier New - Universal fallback on all systems

MOTHER Terminal Integration

Want your shell to match the aesthetic?

See MOTHER-TERMINAL-SETUP.md for complete bash/zsh configuration:

• System initialization messages on login
• MOTHER-style prompts with ship registration
• Slow command execution delays (simulating 1970s computer response)
• System status displays (life support, navigation, crew status)
• Emergency warning modes
• Special Order 937 easter eggs
• Complete .bashrc examples

Transform your terminal into an authentic USCSS Nostromo interface.

Theme Variants - Technical Specifications

NOSTROMO GREEN - MOTHER Mainframe

> LOADING MOTHER INTERFACE v6.12.4
> SHIP: USCSS NOSTROMO (180924609)
> DISPLAY: P1 PHOSPHOR CRT (GREEN)
> STATUS: OPERATIONAL

Primary Colors:

• Background: #000000 (Absolute black)
• Text: #00FF00 (Pure P1 phosphor green)
• Variables: #FFFFFF (Pure white - critical data)
• Strings: #FFFF66 (Bright yellow-green)
• Comments: #66FF66 (Bright phosphor, readable)
• Functions/Classes: #FFFFFF (Maximum visibility)
• Numbers: #66FFFF (Cyan readout)
• Errors: #FF0000 (Blood red - life-threatening)
• Line Numbers: #66FF66 (Bright enough to use)

Best For: Primary development, main interface, general coding

NOSTROMO AMBER - Maintenance Terminal

> INITIALIZING MAINTENANCE SYSTEMS
> TERMINAL: WORKING JOE INTERFACE
> DISPLAY: P3 PHOSPHOR (AMBER)
> WARNING: PHOSPHOR DETERIORATION DETECTED

Primary Colors:

• Background: #000000 (Engineering black)
• Text: #FFAA00 (Amber phosphor)
• Variables: #FFFFFF (Pure white data)
• Strings: #00FF00 (Toxic green contrast)
• Comments: #FFCC66 (Faded amber)
• Functions/Classes: #FFFFFF (Critical systems)
• Numbers: #FFEE00 (Ultra-bright amber)
• Errors: #FF0000 (Critical failure red)
• Line Numbers: #FFCC66 (Amber reference)

Best For: Long coding sessions, warmer tone, maintenance/debugging work

SEVASTOPOL LINK - Emergency Display

> ACCESSING SEVASTOPOL STATION SYSTEMS
> TERMINAL: SEEGSON PERSONAL INTERFACE
> DISPLAY: EMERGENCY HIGH-VISIBILITY MODE
> APOLLO INTERFACE: ACTIVE

Primary Colors:

• Background: #001100 (Emergency dark green)
• Text: #CCFFCC (Near-white emergency)
• Variables: #FFFFFF (Pure white critical)
• Strings: #FFFFFF (Maximum contrast white)
• Comments: #AAFFAA (Bright green)
• Functions/Classes: #FFFFFF (Emergency functions)
• Cursor: #FFFFFF (Emergency beacon)
• Errors: #FF0000 (Life-threatening red)
• Line Numbers: #AAFFAA (High-vis reference)

Best For: Maximum readability, critical deadlines, accessibility needs

Language Support

This theme has been meticulously crafted for optimal syntax highlighting across:

Credits - Mission Personnel

Created by: Ericson Willians

Inspired by:

• Alien (1979) - Ridley Scott, 20th Century Studios
  • Production design: Ron Cobb, Chris Foss, H.R. Giger
  • MOTHER computer interface design
• Alien: Isolation (2014) - Creative Assembly, SEGA
  • Seegson Systems interface design
  • Working Joe terminals
  • Sevastopol Station aesthetic

Technical References:

• CRT phosphor specifications (P1, P3, P31 phosphors)
• DEC VT220 and VT100 terminal documentation
• 1970s mainframe terminal photographs

Contributing

Found a syntax highlighting issue? Have a suggestion?

• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Pull Requests: Welcome for bug fixes and language support improvements

Please Note: Requests to add colors, reduce contrast, or change the monochrome aesthetic will be declined. The design is intentional.

License

MIT License - Free to use, modify, and distribute.

This is a fan-made theme not affiliated with 20th Century Studios, Disney, Creative Assembly, or SEGA. All Alien franchise rights belong to their respective copyright holders.

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█                                                               █
█  TRANSMISSION ENDS                                            █
█                                                               █
█  "I can't lie to you about your chances,                      █
█   but... you have my sympathies."                             █
█                                                               █
█  — ASH, Science Officer                                       █
█  — USCSS Nostromo (Registration: 180924609)                   █
█                                                               █
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> TERMINAL SESSION ACTIVE
> AWAITING INPUT...
>

         ⚠ WARNING: IN SPACE, NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM ⚠
                (But they can see your code on this display)

Good luck, crew member. You're going to need it.

Remember: Crew Expendable. Code Essential. Readability Critical.

Install Now from VS Code Marketplace →