How can I display real-time in-game statistics on the same line in a Python console application?

Displaying Real-Time In-Game Statistics in Python Console

Displaying real-time statistics in a Python console application requires dynamic updating of the console output where new stats refresh on the same line. Using built-in libraries, you can easily achieve this.

Using the sys and time Modules

Python’s sys module, combined with the ability to manipulate standard output, allows you to overwrite lines in the console. Here is a basic implementation:

Play and win now!

import sys
import time

# Function to display stats
stats = {'score': 0, 'lives': 3}

while stats['lives'] > 0:
    sys.stdout.write(f"Score: {stats['score']} Lives: {stats['lives']}\r")
    sys.stdout.flush()
    stats['score'] += 10
    time.sleep(1)  # Simulating time delay for each update
    if stats['score'] % 50 == 0:
        stats['lives'] -= 1
print("Game Over")

The \r character returns the carriage to the start of the line, allowing the subsequent write operation to overwrite the same line.

Considerations for Real-Time Performance

• Buffering: Frequent calls to sys.stdout.flush() ensure that the statistics are output in real-time without waiting for the buffer to fill.
• Threading: If your application involves heavy computations simultaneously, consider using Python’s threading or asyncio for non-blocking updates.

Enhancing Console Display

For a more dynamic or styled display, third-party libraries like curses in UNIX-like systems can be explored, though it introduces complexity and potential platform dependency.

Example with Curses

Here is how you might implement a basic stats display with curses:

import curses

# Initialize curses and create a window
stdscr = curses.initscr()
curses.noecho()
curses.cbreak()

try:
    stats = {'score': 0, 'lives': 3}
    while stats['lives'] > 0:
        stdscr.addstr(0, 0, f"Score: {stats['score']} Lives: {stats['lives']}")
        stdscr.refresh()
        time.sleep(1)
        stats['score'] += 10
        if stats['score'] % 50 == 0:
            stats['lives'] -= 1
    stdscr.addstr(2, 0, "Game Over")
    stdscr.refresh()
finally:
    curses.echo()
    curses.nocbreak()
    curses.endwin()

Remember to handle cleanup operations correctly to restore terminal settings in case of exceptions.