Draw Ascii character above rectangle with pygame

Question

I'm trying to make a rogue like using pygame.

Actually i have no problem to draw the first grid which represent the background of game (using mapLoaded which contain the original map and drawMap() function which return a list of Case Object).

I love rectangle but for future i want to draw on top of this rectangle the ascii Character stored into Case object.

Using this method for overriding rect by char, i can create later Object like player "@" which is also draw on top of this background rectangle or character.

My question is related in this image, how can i draw (and later move) an ascii character (here the player @) on top center of the pygame.draw.rect() function used to draw each cell of the background (using character attribute defined in Case).

My init code :

import os
import drawRogue as draw

mapLoaded = [[1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,1,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,0,0,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,1,1,1,1,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,1,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,1,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,0,0,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],
             [1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1]]

class Object:
    def __init__(self,x,y,char,color):
        self.x = x
        self.y = y
        self.char = char
        self.color = color

        def move(self,dx,dy):
            if not map[self.x + dx][self.y + dy].blocked:
                self.x = self.x + dx
                self.y = self.y + dy

class Case:
    #a tile of the map and its properties
    def __init__(self, char, blocked):
        self.blocked = blocked
        self.char =  char


#Afficher seulement une partie du monde... tres vaste comme vous le voyez...        
def drawMap(mymap):
    tileMap = []
    for line in mymap:
        tileLine = []
        for value in line:
            if value == 1:
                tileLine.append(Case("#",False))
            else:
                tileLine.append(Case(".",True))
        tileMap.append(tileLine)
    return tileMap

clear = lambda: os.system('clear')

if __name__ == "__main__":

    clear()
    tileMap = drawMap(mapLoaded)
    draw.drawInit()
    draw.addColorRules("#",(255,255,255))
    draw.addColorRules(".",(0,0,0))
    draw.drawScreen(tileMap,40)
    while True:
        draw.drawScreen(tileMap, 40)
        draw.events()

My actual code for drawing background into drawRogue.py :

import sys, pygame

colorRules = {}

def drawInit():
    pygame.init()

def drawScreen(t_view,speed):

    grid_size = grid_rows, grid_cols = len(t_view), len(t_view)
    square_pixels = 15
    base_offset = 30
    size = width, height = (2*base_offset)+(grid_cols*square_pixels), (2*base_offset)+(grid_rows*square_pixels)

    screen = pygame.display.set_mode(size)
    clock = pygame.time.Clock()

    render_steps = True
    screen.fill((0,0,0))

    for event in pygame.event.get():
        if event.type == pygame.QUIT: sys.exit()

    for row in xrange(grid_rows):
        for col in xrange(grid_cols):
            for char in colorRules.keys():
                if (t_view[row][col].char == char):
                    FillSquare(screen, base_offset, square_pixels,(row, col), colorRules[char])

    #draw the outer border
    border_rect = (base_offset, base_offset, (grid_cols*square_pixels), (grid_rows*square_pixels))
    pygame.draw.rect(screen, (150,150,0), border_rect, 2)
    pygame.display.flip()
    clock.tick(speed)

def FillSquare(screen, base_offset, square_pixels, loc, color):
    row = loc[0]
    col = loc[1]
    off_x = base_offset + col * square_pixels
    off_y = base_offset + row * square_pixels
    rect = (off_x+4, off_y+4,  square_pixels - 6, square_pixels - 6)
    pygame.draw.rect(screen, color, rect)

def addColorRules(char, color):
    colorRules[char] = color

def events():
    for event in pygame.event.get():
        if event.type == pygame.QUIT: sys.exit()

You can dowload and test the two python files here :

File1

File2

Answer 1

As was mentioned already, pygame.font.Font contains methods to draw ASCII characters. Here is an example of render being used to draw a character in a maze.

import pygame
from pygame.locals import *

grid = [[0, 0, 0, 0, 0],
        [1, 1, 0, 0, 0],
        [0, 1, 0, 1, 1],
        [0, 1, 0, 1, 0],
        [0, 1, 1, 1, 0]]
resolution = (160, 160)
cell_margin = 14
cell_colors = (255, 255, 255), (0, 0, 0)
player_character = "@"
player_color = (255, 0, 0)
player_size = 20
current_position = [0, 1]

def main():
    pygame.init()
    screen = pygame.display.set_mode(resolution)
    screen.fill(cell_colors[1])
    player = pygame.font.Font(None, player_size).render(player_character,
                                                        False, player_color)
    while True:
        for event in pygame.event.get():
            if event.type == KEYDOWN:
                key = event.key
                if key == K_UP:
                    move(0, -1)
                elif key == K_RIGHT:
                    move(1, 0)
                elif key == K_DOWN:
                    move(0, 1)
                elif key == K_LEFT:
                    move(-1, 0)
            elif event.type == QUIT:
                return
        draw_maze(screen)
        draw_player(player, screen)
        pygame.display.update()

def draw_maze(screen):
    for row in xrange(len(grid)):
        for column in xrange(len(grid[0])):
            screen.fill(cell_colors[grid[column][row]],
                        get_cell_rect((row, column), screen))

def get_cell_rect(coordinates, screen):
    row, column = coordinates
    cell_width = screen.get_width() / len(grid)
    adjusted_width = cell_width - cell_margin
    return pygame.Rect(row * cell_width + cell_margin / 2,
                       column * cell_width + cell_margin / 2,
                       adjusted_width, adjusted_width)

def draw_player(player, screen):
    rect = player.get_rect()
    rect.center = get_cell_rect(current_position, screen).center
    screen.blit(player, rect)

def move(dx, dy):
    x, y = current_position
    nx, ny = x + dx, y + dy
    if nx >= 0 and nx < len(grid) and ny >= 0 and ny < len(grid[0]) and \
       grid[ny][nx]:
        current_position[0] = nx
        current_position[1] = ny

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()
    pygame.quit()

I tried to limit the example to the bare essentials of what you're interested in learning. Basically, what's happening is the entire grid and the character are being redrawn every frame. The character's position is being modified by the direction keys. The cells and the character are being drawn according to the rects being returned by get_cell_rect. The character is an ordinary Surface created by pygame.font.Font at the initialization of the program.

The global variables can be redefined to change the layout, color, sizes, etc. There is also a downloadable version of the example.