Stack or Heap Private Data...?

I'm making a text-RPG. I have a Room class and Monster class (I'm sure you can tell what they are for.)

I would like a Monster object in every Room object as a private data member. My question is, should this be on the free store or just a regular member on the stack?

Code:

---

...
private:
  Monster mob;

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or

Code:

---

...
private:
  Monster * mob;

---

What are the advantages of using each? Am I being to vague*?

Well if you have exactly one monster, then
private:
Monster mob;
may be OK
But you also need
bool monsterIsAlive;

If you have
private:
Monster * mob;
Then you can 'kill' the monster with
delete mob; mob = NULL;

Perhaps a list of monsters (possibly empty) in each room would be better

Quote:

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Originally posted by Salem
Perhaps a list of monsters (possibly empty) in each room would be better

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That was my first thought. You are limiting your code by saying maximum one monster per room

Good idea. i'm not quite sure how to have a list of monsters in the room, though. all the rooms will be stored in an array on the heap, so they'll all have the same numbers/types of private data... how can i vary the number and types of monsters in each room? *cries*

oh, i have another quetions that is related to that.. let's say I have a the Room array on the heap, and i delclare a private data member .. is that private data member on the heap?? what if i make that private member a pointer to a heap variable...isn't that doing the same hting?

i suck at explaining!

> how can i vary the number and types of monsters in each room?
Well I would assume the type of the monster is stored somewhere inside the Monster class.

As for the number, you could try one of these

1. Simple array, allows a max number of monsters
Monster monsters[10];

Simple to do, but limits the max you can have, and perhaps wastes a lot of space.

2. A dynamic array, which you allocate using new
Monster *monsters;
monsters = new Monsters[10]; // or the number you need

Saves on the space compared to method 1, but care is needed when expanding and shrinking the array

3. A traditional linked list
Do a board search for linked lists

4. Use an STL container such as <list> or <vector>
I don't know much more than that

> is that private data member on the heap??
Yes
The privacy just tells you who is allowed to access that member of the class (not where it is stored).

> what if i make that private member a pointer to a heap variable...isn't that doing the same hting?
Mostly, though it might not be as private as you think. If you mistakenly return that pointer to a function outside the class, your data is no longer private.