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Homework 6b - Grids

1. Grid Game

Grid game is the new, exciting, best-selling, award-winning game that follows the adventures of our protagonist, represented by @, as it tries to reach the treasure, represented by !.

At each step of the game, the player is presented with the current view of the map. For example:

@ . . . . .
* * . * * .
* * . * . .
! . . . . *

Then the player enters u (up), d (down), l (left) or r (right) to move the @ within the map.

The @ is not allowed to move out of bounds. Nor is the @ allowed to move onto spaced marked by *.

The core game-play engine of grid_game.py has already been written; only a few pieces remain:

Read the grid

Implement the read_grid function:

def read_grid(filename: str) -> list[list[str]]:
    """
    Read the file as a grid

    Each line becomes a row.
    Spaces delineate each value within a row.
    """

Implement the print_grid function:

def print_grid(grid: list[list[str]]):
    """
    Print the grid with spaces between each value and newlines between each row
    """

Update the grid

Implement the update_grid function:

def update_grid(grid: list[list[str]], old_row: int, old_col: int, new_row: int, new_col: int, empty=None):
    """
    Move the value at old_row, old_col to new_row, new_col

    Fill with cell at old_row, old_col with the empty value
    """

Check if blocked

Implement the is_blocked function:

def is_blocked(grid: list[list[str]], row: int, col: int, blocked_value: str) -> bool:
    """
    Return True if the value at row, col in the grid is the blocked_value

    Also return True if the row, col coordinate is out of bounds.
    """

With these four functions implemented correctly, grid_game.py will be ready for prime time!

Tests

Be sure you can pass the tests before you turn in the assignment. Review the guide on using pytest if you need to review using pytest and what to do if a test fails.

While the provided tests will tell you whether the program is working correctly or not, they may not be as helpful for debugging your program.

You should try playing grid_game.py on your own to verify that the pieces work correctly.

Here is an example play-through:

python grid_game.py small.txt
@ . * . .
. . . . *
. * * ! .
Action: l
@ . * . .
. . . . *
. * * ! .
Action: u
@ . * . .
. . . . *
. * * ! .
Action: d
. . * . .
@ . . . *
. * * ! .
Action: r
. . * . .
. @ . . *
. * * ! .
Action: r
. . * . .
. . @ . *
. * * ! .
Action: u
. . * . .
. . @ . *
. * * ! .
Action: d
. . * . .
. . @ . *
. * * ! .
Action: r
. . * . .
. . . @ *
. * * ! .
Action: r
. . * . .
. . . @ *
. * * ! .
Action: d
. . * . .
. . . . *
. * * @ .
You win!

Notice how the player tested invalid moves (like trying to move off the edge of the grid or onto a *).

You are welcome to use small.txt and world.txt to test your code. You can also make your own grid files to play with.

Grading

ActivityPoints
Grid game20

Manual grading will focus on fluency.

Even More Fun

If you are looking for an additional challenge, after you finish grid_game.py, make a copy and try some of the following:

  • Add other kinds of symbols to the map:
    • pits that take you back to the start
    • warps that take you to a corresponding symbol
    • items that must be retrieved before you can finish the game
    • items that move (in a random direction) after each player move
  • Make it a two-player game
    • provide a symbol for each player
    • prompt each player in turn for their move
    • decide what happens when players collide (or do you even allow collisions?)
    • figure out how to keep track of player positions, even when multiple players occupy the same space
  • Make it a multi-player game
    • at the beginning, enter a sequence of player symbols
    • then prompt each player in turn for their move

Have fun!

You might consider doing some of these for free coding next week.