// Free Projection Mapping + Open-Source VJ SoftwareAGPL-3.0 · Mac · Win · Linux · v1.9.7
Visuals for the next
generation of artists.
The complete projection mapping, live visual, and content creation studio. 316+ GPU shaders, 200+ chainable effects, dual-deck VJ + crossfader, macros, snapshots, MIDI clock, iPad / phone companion, recording, Spout/Syphon, AI generation. Free and open source under AGPL-3.0 — every feature for everyone.
From the gallery to the festival.
Ship your first show tonight
Pick a shader. Point your projector. You are live. No tutorials, no code, no setup wizards. The interface disappears so you can focus on creating.
Replace your entire toolchain
Shaders, media, 3D, mapping, VJ mode, effects, MIDI, mobile control, AI generation, and recording. One app. One workflow. Free and open source.
Pro power at zero cost
16-channel VJ mode, mesh warping, 200+ GPU effects, Spout/Syphon output, gaussian splats, FluidGen, 3D Particles. Features that rival tools at thousands of dollars — yours for free, AGPL-3.0.
250+ GPU shaders. Free, downloadable, AGPL-3.0.
Every shader bundled with Ghost Arcade is open-source. Preview them live in your browser, tweak parameters in real time, and download the raw.fsfiles to use in any ISF v2 host — Resolume, MadMapper, VDMX, OBS, your own GLSL project. Built by working visual artists, released under AGPL-3.0 so the next generation has somewhere serious to start.
Free to learn, free to perform
No watermark on the shaders themselves. Use them in your shows, your installations, your client work. Just keep the credit block intact and you're set.
See before you download
Every shader runs in real-time on this page via WebGL. Tweak speed, color, complexity — find the one that fits your set before you ever open a download.
ISF v2, runs anywhere
Shaders ship as standard ISF .fs files — the open VJ shader format. Drop them into Resolume, MadMapper, VDMX, OBS Lua, or any custom GLSL host. No lock-in.
Five-stage visual pipeline
Content flows through a GPU-accelerated pipeline. Each stage runs independently for maximum performance. From shader to projector in under one frame.
Everything for visual performance
10 content layer types. 89+ chainable effects. 23 blend modes. AI generation. MIDI, audio, and mobile control. Mesh warping. 4K output. All in one app.
316+ GPU Shader Engine
Pick from 316+ ready-to-use visual effects. Fractals, particles, kaleidoscopes, voronoi, plasma, sacred geometry, geometric primitives. Every shader has real-time sliders so you can make it yours.
Video & Image Mixing
Drop in MP4, MOV, GIF, PNG, JPG, or WebM. Control playback speed, loop modes, and chromakey. Stack 200+ effects on every layer.
Full 3D Pipeline
Import GLTF, GLB, and FBX models with skeletal animation. 16 material types, 15 deformations, echo/instancing patterns. Full camera and lighting control.
Point Cloud Rendering
Render gaussian splats and point clouds from PLY and .splat files. 12 animation types, physics simulation, mouse interaction, and 100+ parameters.
Line Drawing & Mapping
Draw freehand or point-click lines with 15 stroke effects: glow, neon, snake, laser, pipe. Animated draw-on for PVC pipe mapping and stage line work.
Advanced Light Painting
WebGL2-accelerated brush engine with 12 procedural brushes — glow, neon, flame, electric, ribbon, smoke, sparkles, plasma, more. Per-stroke trail decay, additive bloom, post-process FX (chromatic aberration, motion blur). Apple Pencil pressure-sensitive on iPad over the mobile bridge.
Animated Vector Graphics
Import SVG files with 7 fill modes and 15+ effects. Edge particles, energy pulses, lightning, plasma. Gradient, shimmer, and liquid fills.
Animated Typography
18 animation modes: typewriter, wave, glitch, rainbow, matrix rain, elastic, spiral, explode. 3D extrusion with depth, lighting, and bevel.
Live Screen Input
Capture any screen, window, or application as a live layer. System audio loopback on Windows. Perfect for incorporating other software into your visual mix.
Layer Organization
Group layers into folders. Apply effects, blend modes, and opacity to the entire group. Organize complex compositions and toggle visibility instantly.
WebGPU Compute Layer
New layer type that runs WebGPU compute shaders directly — zero-copy from compute output to the compositor. Use for bespoke generative pipelines, particle simulations, fluid sims, or any heavy GPU work that the WebGL effect chain can't express. Auto-hides on devices without WebGPU.
200+ Chainable Effects
Drag-and-drop effect chains per layer. 17 categories: color grading, stylize, blur, light, distort, glitch, feedback, trails, atmosphere, text & pattern, advanced 3D, advanced depth, and more. Every effect has presets, ParamMeta, and audio-reactive parameter modulation.
30+ Premium Effects (v1.0)
Hero-grade rewrites and new additions across Color, Stylize, Light, Distort, Glitch — Pixel Sand, Point Cloud Dissolve, Strobe Sequencer, BPM-synced patterns, dual-band glitch, datamosh, and more. Each ships with full parameter wiring and 4+ presets so you can drop them in mid-show.
10 SDF-Raymarched Effects
String Orb, Sphere Wireframe, Voxel Cube Cluster, Mobius Lattice, Crystal Shard Field, Tube Lattice, Disco Mirror Ball, Lissajous Knot, Helix Particle Stream, Donut Constellation. True 3D surface extrusion driven by source luma — not a flat texture-shift fake. Resolume-grade premium effects, all included.
23 Compositing Modes
Professional blend modes: add, multiply, screen, overlay, soft light, hard light, color dodge, color burn, difference, exclusion, luminosity, and more.
16-Channel Clip Launcher
4 layers x 8 columns clip grid. Instant triggering, crossfades, compositions, and stage presets. Load any layer type into slots. Built for live shows.
Bank A / Bank B Decks
Split the launcher into two complete, independent banks. Per-bank clip grids, layer states, solos, mutes. Stage-mode + crossfader works per-screen so different physical outputs fade independently.
10 Transitions × 9 Blend Modes
Vertical performance crossfader with 10 GLSL transition shaders (dissolve, glitch, shatter, halftone, liquid, slide, cube, RGB-split, strobe, wipe) and 9 output blend modes that combine: pick "glitch + multiply" for multiplied scattered shards, "dissolve + screen" for screen-blended noise.
8 Effect-Bank Knobs
8 user-assignable wet/dry knobs. Each macro is a bundle of effects with an expandable per-effect param editor. Auto-pulse on a beat grid (1/4, 1/2, 1bar, 2bar) for hands-free build-ups. MIDI-mappable.
16-Slot Scene Bank
Capture the full live state — layer opacities, blend modes, solos, both decks, crossfader, quantization, master, macros — into any of 16 slots. Click to recall. Right-click to rename / overwrite. MIDI-mappable for instant scene jumps.
Beat-Snap Clip Triggering
Schedule clip triggers on a beat boundary instead of firing instantly. 1/4 / 1/2 / 1bar / 2bar / 4bar grids. Anchored to detected audio beats; falls back to BPM clock when audio is off. STOP ALL flushes the queue.
36-Key Visual Instrument
Map any visual to keyboard keys. 4 rows, 36 slots. Save and recall presets. Full-screen performance mode. Your keyboard becomes a visual synthesizer.
Beat-Synced Automation
Timeline-based layer sequencer synced to BPM. Automate layer visibility and transitions on the beat. Configurable time signatures.
Instant Scene Switching
Save complete multi-layer setups as presets. One click changes your entire visual environment. Perfect for scene transitions during live sets.
AI-Powered Content
Describe what you want in plain English. Claude generates custom GLSL shader code and Luma generates video clips in seconds. Bring your own API keys. No coding required.
Full MIDI Mapping
Learn mode for any MIDI controller. Map CC, notes, and pitch bend to any parameter. Multi-device support. Hardware control for every knob and fader.
Sync To / From Your DAW
Receive 24 PPQN MIDI clock from Ableton, drum machines, or any external sequencer to flow into the master BPM. Or send clock out to drive slaved gear. Manual tap tempo overrides when active.
Audio-Reactive Visuals
8-band FFT (sub/bass/lowMid/mid/highMid/treble/air/presence) with kick + snare onset events. Drive any parameter from audio. System audio capture on Windows.
iPad / Phone Touch Surface
Open http://lan-ip:9002 on any tablet over WiFi. Full clip launcher, crossfader, mixer, master, snapshots, macros, and tempo controls. Touch-optimized for warp + parameter control. Works with phone hotspot.
Precision Projection Mapping
Corner warp, mesh warp with adjustable density, per-element warping. Shape masks and soft edge blending for multi-projector setups.
Recording & Output
Screen capture in WebM/MP4 at any resolution. Spout/Syphon output for OBS, TouchDesigner, and LED controllers. 4K at 60fps to multiple displays and projectors.
Texture Sharing
Send the rendered output as a Spout (Windows) or Syphon (macOS) texture to OBS, TouchDesigner, Resolume, MadMapper, vMix, Notch, Touch, or any compatible host. Zero-copy, GPU-direct.
Two powerhouse plugins, in the box
FluidGen and 3D Particles ship with Ghost Arcade. GPU-accelerated generative engines with deep parameter control, mouse interaction, and audio reactivity.
FluidGen
Fluid Dynamics EngineReal-time GPU fluid dynamics simulation with 5 visual modes: Smoke, Fire, Ink, Neon, and Thermal. Mouse-interactive flows, optional camera feed input, and full color/glow control.
3D Particles
Particle World Engine3D particle system with 4 render modes, 5 PBR materials, mouse interaction, bloom, spotlights, connectors, and physics. Up to 10,000 particles with real-time control.
Control your show from anywhere
Walk around the venue, adjust mappings, trigger clips, and tweak parameters from your phone or tablet. Works over WiFi or hotspot. No internet required.
Distributed architecture
Your phone handles the controls. Your desktop handles the rendering. Low-latency WebSocket keeps everything in sync.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ghost Arcade free to use?
Yes — fully free and open source. AGPL-3.0. Every feature, every effect, every output is unlocked: projection mapping, 11 layer types, 200+ effects, dual-deck VJ launcher with A/B crossfader, macros, snapshots, MIDI control + clock, mobile companion (iPad/phone), recording, Spout/Syphon, AI shader generation. Source on GitHub. No signup, no watermark, no expiry.
How is it free? What is the catch?
AGPL-3.0 — if you fork it and run a modified version as a network service, you have to publish your changes back. Output you create with it (videos, livestreams, recordings) is yours, not subject to the license. You can use it commercially for paid gigs, installations, broadcasts — anything.
Do I need any coding experience?
No. Everything is visual and interactive. Pick shaders from the library, drag effects onto layers, and adjust parameters with sliders. The AI generator lets you describe what you want in plain English (bring your own Claude / Gemini / Luma key).
What projectors work with Ghost Arcade?
Any projector that connects to your computer via HDMI, DisplayPort, or USB-C. Ghost Arcade outputs to any display your operating system recognizes, including multiple projectors simultaneously.
Can I use it for live shows?
Absolutely. Ghost Arcade was built for live performance. The VJ clip launcher, Performer keyboard mode, beat sequencer, MIDI mapping, and wireless mobile control are all designed for real-time use on stage.
Does it work with MIDI controllers?
Yes. Any MIDI controller works out of the box. Use learn mode to map any knob, fader, button, or pad to any parameter in the software. Multi-device support with channel filtering.
Is there a Mac version?
Yes. Ghost Arcade runs on Windows 10+, macOS 12+, and Linux. Download the installer for your platform from the download page, or build from source.
Can I run it on multiple computers?
Yes — install on as many machines as you like. No activation, no machine limits.
What file formats are supported?
Videos: MP4, MOV, WebM, GIF. Images: PNG, JPG, WebP. 3D models: GLTF, GLB, FBX. Point clouds: PLY, .splat. Vector: SVG. Shaders: ISF/GLSL.
How do I get help?
Open an issue on GitHub at github.com/riskcapital/ghost-arcade, or use GitHub Discussions for usage questions and ideas. For commercial integrations or on-site support, email hello@ghostarcade.live.
Free, open source, and ready to ship.
Ghost Arcade is fully open source under AGPL-3.0 — no signup, no watermark, no expiry. Mac, Windows, Linux. Every effect, every layer, every output, included. Run a real show with it tonight.