Technique of all board-like games?

[Nutshell]

Hi,

FOr console text based games like tic tac toe, connect four, battleship, maze and etc etc, often the squares in between the board or a grid needs to be updated. How is that done? Do you have to redraw the whole board every time an update is to be done? Or do you go back and edit whatever's needed. But how do you do that if this is the case?

thnx in advance

[lostminds]

i use gotoxy()

[Dual-Catfish]

I just have a draw function which reads the array, clears the screen and updates it with the new info...

Here's my draw function from a tictactoe game I did like 6 months ago..

void table(void)
{
	cout << "\n\n\tCurrent Table\n";
	cout << "\t" << (char) 201 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (203) << (char) 205 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << (char) 205 << (char) 203 << (char) 205 << char (205) << (char) 205 << char (205) << char (205) << char (187) << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "  " <<board[0][0]<<"  " << (char) 186 << "  " << board[0][1] << "  " << (char) 186 << "  " <<board[0][2]<<"  " << (char) 186 << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 204 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << (char) 206 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << (char) 206 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (185) << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "  " <<board[1][0]<<"  " << (char) 186 << "  " << board[1][1]<<"  " << (char) 186 << "  " <<board[1][2]<<"  " << (char) 186 << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << endl;	
	cout << "\t" << (char) 204 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << (char) 206 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << (char) 206 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (185) << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "  " <<board[2][0]<<"  " << (char) 186 << "  " << board[2][1] << "  " << (char) 186 << "  " << board[2][2] << "  " << (char) 186 << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 200 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (202) << (char) 205 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << (char) 205 << (char) 202 << (char) 205 << char (205) << (char) 205 << char (205) << char (205) << char (188) << endl;
	cout << "\n";
}

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by Dual-Catfish
I just have a draw function which reads the array, clears the screen and updates it with the new info...

Here's my draw function from a tictactoe game I did like 6 months ago..

void table(void)
{
	cout << "\n\n\tCurrent Table\n";
	cout << "\t" << (char) 201 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (203) << (char) 205 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << (char) 205 << (char) 203 << (char) 205 << char (205) << (char) 205 << char (205) << char (205) << char (187) << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "  " <<board[0][0]<<"  " << (char) 186 << "  " << board[0][1] << "  " << (char) 186 << "  " <<board[0][2]<<"  " << (char) 186 << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 204 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << (char) 206 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << (char) 206 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (185) << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "  " <<board[1][0]<<"  " << (char) 186 << "  " << board[1][1]<<"  " << (char) 186 << "  " <<board[1][2]<<"  " << (char) 186 << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << endl;	
	cout << "\t" << (char) 204 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << (char) 206 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << (char) 206 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (185) << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "  " <<board[2][0]<<"  " << (char) 186 << "  " << board[2][1] << "  " << (char) 186 << "  " << board[2][2] << "  " << (char) 186 << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << "     " << (char) 186 << endl;
	cout << "\t" << (char) 200 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << char (202) << (char) 205 << char (205) << char (205) << char (205) << (char) 205 << (char) 202 << (char) 205 << char (205) << (char) 205 << char (205) << char (205) << char (188) << endl;
	cout << "\n";
}

wow, did you know c++ has loops? :P

[TechWins]

wow, did you know c++ has loops? :P

Are you being sarcastic?

To elaborate on what DC said: Make a 2 dimensional array with the appropriate characters in each side of the array. For example, with Tic-Tac-Toe the whole array would be blank to start off with. To create the 9 square wtih 3 rows and 3 columns effect just display " | "s and " - " in between the appropriate spaces of the array, just like DC did. To insert the X or O into the array just go grid[x][x] = 'X'. Lets say you want there to be an X in the very middle square then you would go grid[1][1] = 'X'. Easy enough, right? Then clear the square and redisplay the grid and you should now have an X in the very middle square.

[Nutshell]

Yea. But what if you have stuff, for example, text below the grid or something? I'll need to rewrite that too if i clear the screen everytime right? Is gotoxy() better though?

[TechWins]

Yea. But what if you have stuff, for example, text below the grid or something? I'll need to rewrite that too if i clear the screen everytime right?

Yes, you will have to rewrite the stuff on the screen everytime after clearing the screen but that's where functions and loops come into play. If you aren't familiar with functions, then you better do some more reading before you decide to start creating a game.

Is gotoxy() better though?

It very well could be, I'm not sure. However, I'm pretty confident that most people create a tic-tac-toe game the way I explained it.

[Nutshell]

Is there any C examples demonstrating the use of gotoxy?

What do you mean am i familiar with functions or not? Are functions basic stuff???

[Unregistered]

Yes they are. It's one of the first things I was taught in C++.

[Nutshell]

WOuld you be kind enough to post a couple of lines example here? I would prefer them to be in C, but i can manage to get the idea from C++ code.

[Sridhar]

Hi, you can see an example of gotoxy() in my website which contains the N-queens puzzle. I have done this game with graphical illustrations.

You can see the .c file in 'datastructures' link and under the topic 'stack'

An important note: I have used turbo-c++ compiler in windows. You have to make a little change in the code. You have the change the bgi path to your bgi path in the function
" initgraph(&gd,&gm," < here goes your .bgi file path > ) "

thats all

[TechWins]

Nushell, you can read tutorials on functions in the tutorials on this site. Also, if you are learning C instead of C++ because you feel C would be easier to learn, you should just learn C++. C++ is not that hard to learn, and I'd imagine has about the same complexity as C.

Here is an example of a function and using gotoxy() at the sametime. *I use DevC++_beta4.9.2 as my compiler currently*

#include <windows.h>  //this is for gotoxy()
#include <iostream.h>  //this is for cout
#include <conio.h> //this is for getch()

void Gotoxy(); //this is to show that a function is below 

void main()  //this is the main function and must always be done
{
Gotoxy();  //this is to activate the function //all functions must be activated in the main() to be run
}

void Gotoxy() //name of the function
{
   int x = 10; //this is to determine what location you want on the x-axis
   int y = 0;  //this is to determine what location you want on the y-axis
   COORD coord;  //this is for declaring a coordinate
   coord.X = x;  //this is declaring the x-axis as the the value of x
   coord.Y = y;  //this is declaring the y-axis as the the value of y
   SetConsoleCursorPosition(GetStdHandl (STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE), coord);  //this is positioning the cursor
   cout << "Hi";
   getch();  //waits for user to enter a key
}

The only reason why I did that for you is, because I was using that as a sample program in figuring out how to use gotoxy() (with the help of the FAQs of course, though). Point being that I shouldn't tell you certain things that can be figured out by a matter of reading and test coding. By the sounds of things I don't think you are ready to make a game...buy a book or go read some more tutorials. I'm not trying to offend you in anyway, yet, I'm trying to help you on what would be most beneficial for you.

EDIT: tried making the some of the lines in "code" go on one line, but to no avail I was not able to

[Nutshell]

Yes thnx for your response. THe reason i'm not doing it in C++ is that i havne' learnt it 'YET'. I learn C first because C++ originated FROM C, and also, C++ hides some of the data type complexities.

Also i don't plan to use any win32 api at the moment.

You said buy a book. Buy a book on games ? Did you mean that? Do you have any suggestions on a boook about game programming in C? I don't think there are any i think. And i'm still reading C Unleashed at the moment.

thnx again for all replies.

[TechWins]

Yes thnx for your response. THe reason i'm not doing it in C++ is that i havne' learnt it 'YET'. I learn C first because C++ originated FROM C, and also, C++ hides some of the data type complexities.

Well, I haven't learned or even looked at C, but from my little experience with programming I'd suggest to just go to C++ instead of learning C. I programmed in PASCAL for a few weeks back in November, then I stopped for unknown reasons (I don't remember why). Sometime later I started to learn C++, and I'm very glad I decided to stop learning PASCAL and started to learn C++. In my opinion, there doesn't seem to be much point in learning C when you are going to learn C++ anyways. That's just my opinion, and I'm sure others might disagree.

Also i don't plan to use any win32 api at the moment.

Oh yes, I figured that. Don't feel too bad...I'm not using win32 API either or any other API for that matter.

You said buy a book. Buy a book on games ? Did you mean that? Do you have any suggestions on a boook about game programming in C? I don't think there are any i think. And i'm still reading C Unleashed at the moment.

Well, I was implying for you to buy a book on C or C++ (as said before I recommend C++) or for you to go read some of the tutorials on this site. If you are unaware of how to use functions, then you are not ready to program a game yet...sorry to say that. I don't actually know your level experience, but it does appear that you may not be ready to create a game yet. A few basic things that you will need to know are functions, arrays, and other basic aspects of programming in order for you to make a game. While games such as, Tic-Tac-Toe, battleship, Connect Four, and others, may be considred 'easy' games to make they are still hard to make the first time around. You are in tough luck to make one of those games if you don't know the basics of programming.

thnx again for all replies.

No problem.

[Nutshell]

Techwins, i know ALL the basic stuff about C. So i plead you to consider me as an intermediate C programmer. The reason i'm asking all these questions is that i never programmed a game in C, and there are game techniques i havne 't encountered before. Also, my books didn't mention much about game programming.

And techwins, your example of gotoxy doesn't work. There are eerrors of undefined references and things like that. But doesn't matter, i used the gotoxy function in my conio.h. I use DEvC++ 4 as well.

thnx