When you started the project did you consider using libtcod ( https://bitbucket.org/libtcod/libtcod , http://roguecentral.org/doryen/libtcod/ ) ?
Did you even know it at the time and if so why did you decide not to use it? I always thought libtcod was THE way to go for fancy ascii games. I would be very interested in your opinion on this.