Question

Ex 2.6-The game of Nims/Stones.
Could someone please show me how they did this one. I just can't figure it all out..

Answer 1

Hi Peter
Check other messages. There was a thread sharing their nims code. At least 3 people did submit working examples.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Found it, thanks.
Typical, i'd not completed the while loops with the if else statements!

Answer 3

Clear objectives can aid in programming.
The game function objectives are:
there are n stones.(variable n is initiated)
there are k players, (k>2) (constant k is initiated)
players take turns.(there will be function take takes (k) to rotate turns)
players take 1/2/3/4/5 stones in one turn.(expect input from player to change n)
players play until there is a winner. (while loop until a condition)
player to take last stones win.(if-else condition, n==0 to break loop)

Answer 4

I used a while loop for each player, both inside a bigger while loop. But i got mixed up with the logic flow and wasn't getting the ordering quite right! Thanks to looking at others programs i tidied the ends of the loops OK ! I've deliberately held myself back quite a bit, practicing different loops! (I instinctively found 'if, elif, else' , and working with string slices quite easy...But not loops!)

Answer 5

lol yeah, it's tough to understand them, but a general rule is to avoid loops unless you really need to go through the process repetitively. It took me sometime to remember a loop always need a breaking statement.
Good luck with your other projects!

Answer 6

Cheers for the tip! :0)

Answer 7

def ask(numStones, num, player):
ques = False
while ques == False:
if player == 1:
ans = input("Player1 enter number of stones to take from pile. ")
if ans >= 1 and ans <= num:
ques = True
else:continue
if ans > numStones:
return numStones
else:
ans = input("Player2 enter number of stones to take from pile. ")
if ans >= 1 and ans <= num:
ques = True
else:continue
if ans > numStones:
return numStones
return numStones - ans

def play_nims(pile, max_stones):
'''
An interactive two-person game; also known as Stones.

@param pile: the number of stones in the pile to start
@param max_stones: the maximum number of stones you can take on one turn
'''
while pile != 0:
while True:
pile = ask(pile, max_stones, 1)

if pile == 0:
print "player1 WINS!"
break
pile = ask(pile, max_stones, 2)

if pile == 0:
print "player2 WINS!"
break
else:continue

def play():
print "This is the game of stones. It is a 2 person game."
print
while True:
reply = raw_input("Please enter an N for a new game or a . to exit the game. ")
print
if reply == 'N' or reply == 'n':
reply1 = input("Please enter the number of stones to put in the pile. ")
reply2 = input("Please enter the maximum number of stones to remove during a turn. ")
print
play_nims(reply1, reply2)
continue
else: break

Answer 8

A lot more comprehensive than mine!...Well done!