ScreenPlink turns a monitor into a laser shooting range
ScreenPlink uses a webcam, a matte monitor and a laser trainer to turn a PC display into an open-source shooting range built with Claude Code.
ScreenPlink turns a matte monitor, a side-mounted webcam and a laser trainer into a playable shooting range, without needing a console, projector or dedicated sensor bar. Its creator says the project was built with Claude Code over roughly two weeks and is available as open-source software for Windows.12
How ScreenPlink works
The setup is deliberately simple, although it has one important requirement: the monitor must have a matte, anti-glare surface. A webcam running at 60 frames per second watches the display from beside the screen, while a visible red laser from a training pistol or cartridge marks the player's shots. The software works out which pixel the laser hit, draws a bullet hole at that point and handles the target, score and ammunition feedback.12
The project is designed around dry-fire practice, so there should be no live ammunition anywhere near the setup. The creator says the software can detect two laser impacts in the same camera frame, allowing two-player sessions on one display. It also includes calibration, letting the programme photograph markers on the screen and determine how the camera sees the panel before a game begins.2
ScreenPlink currently offers nine drills, including static targets, moving or bouncing targets, reaction exercises and a soldier that takes hits before falling. The repository says there are 15 target figures, a 17-round magazine and separate scoring for two players sharing the same screen.2
Built with Claude Code, but not dependent on it
The project is an example of what AI-assisted development can produce when it is paired with a very specific physical idea. Claude Code is part of the story because the creator says it helped build ScreenPlink, but the finished game is not presented as a Claude-only service. The repository contains the source code, a downloadable Windows release and instructions for checking the camera and hardware before playing.12
That distinction matters: anyone can run the software without an account or subscription, while developers can inspect or modify the code under its Apache-2.0 licence. The repository separately notes that some bundled sound, image and voice assets come with their own terms, so the open-source licence should not be treated as a blanket licence for every packaged asset.2
The official trailer shows the game running across a monitor with two laser trainers aimed at on-screen targets. It is linked directly from the ScreenPlink repository and demonstrates the intended arrangement more clearly than a conventional product screenshot.23
Our opinion
ScreenPlink is a proper news story because it is a concrete, working project rather than another vague promise about AI making games. The interesting part is the combination of ordinary hardware and computer vision: a webcam watches the screen, the software turns a light spot into an input and the monitor becomes both display and target.
It is also refreshingly honest about its limitations. The creator says a matte panel is essential, camera performance affects the result and lighting matters. That makes this less of a plug-and-play replacement for a light gun and more of a clever experiment that becomes useful if you already own the right equipment. The Claude Code angle is notable, but ScreenPlink itself is the reason to pay attention: it is a free, open-source game that turns a familiar monitor into something much stranger.