From: Matt Harrison <iwasinnamuknow@...>
Date: 2008-11-01T07:46:48+09:00
Subject: Re: Ruby Mastermind Game

--------------000608010508070301040906
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Brian Candler wrote:
> Lloyd Linklater wrote:
>> Well, you know how to get the random number, so that is easy enough. 
>> You just store the last guess and if the new guess is closer to correct 
>> than the last one, you are warmer.  Continue until they get it right. 
>> Going to 10k should be guessed in no more than 14 tries.
> 
> I think he was asking about the Mastermind program.
> 
> However it's pretty much the same:
> 
> - make a 4-digit random number between 0000 and 9999
> - in a loop:
>   - ask for a guess
>   - finish if the guess is completely right
>   - count how many digits are correct and in the right place
>   - count how many digits are correct but in the wrong place
>   - print the counts
> 
> You have a choice of ways to store the correct number. For example it 
> could be a 4-digit string: "1234". Then str[0,1] will extract the first 
> character, and str[3,1] will extract the last character, so you can 
> iterate easily enough to compare the characters.
> 
> You may find it easier to create a 4-element Array where each element is 
> an integer from 0 to 9. This is easy to manipulate. However the guess 
> that the user enters has to be converted into this form too.
> 
> I suggest you code it as far as you can, and put comments in (or dummy 
> method calls) for the bits where you are stuck.

Just out of interest I have created a mastermind game. I'm still 
learning Ruby (I come from C++ and Perl), so I would love if one of you 
experts could take a peek and maybe show me how to make it more 
"Rubyesque". I'm always ready to learn and I'm sure there's vast room 
for improvement.

It might also help the OP, show him how *not* to do it ;)

Thanks

Matt

--------------000608010508070301040906
Content-Type: application/octet-stream;
 name="rastermind.tar.bz2"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64
Content-Disposition: attachment;
 filename="rastermind.tar.bz2"
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--------------000608010508070301040906--