⚾ NumberBaseball

The NumberBaseball project is a simple number-guessing game developed as a Command Line Tool.

🗒️ Overview

The NumberBaseball project is a number-guessing game implemented as a Command Line Tool.
Players attempt to guess a secret number, with the game providing feedback through "strikes" (correct digits in the correct position) and "balls" (correct digits in the wrong position).
The objective is to guess the correct number within a set number of tries.
The project emphasizes clean code structure by separating core functionalities, such as validation and judgment logic, into different files.

📅 Project Scope

Developer	Links	Project Timeline
DoyleHWorks	GitHub Velog	2024-10-04 ~ 2024-10-08

🛠️ Tech Stack

• Programming Language: Swift 5
• Development Environment: Xcode 16.1
• Version Control: Git, GitHub
• Testing: Manual testing through Command Line Interface (CLI)

📂 Folder Organization

NumberBaseball/  
├── Core/  
│   ├── GameJudge  
│   ├── GameManager  
│   ├── Player  
│   └── TargetNumberGenerator  
├── Data/  
│   └── ValidTargetNumbers  
├── InterruptiblePrompts/  
│   ├── ExitPrompt  
│   ├── HelpPrompt  
│   ├── QuitGamePrompt
│   └── ShowRecordsPrompt
├── Protocols/  
│   └── InterruptiblePrompt  
└── main  

🖥️ Core Workflow Diagram

🏗️ Design and Implementation Insights

🛠️ Key Features

🎯 Random Target Number Generation

• TargetNumberGenerator struct generates a unique 3-digit number with no duplicate digits.
• Uses the array from ValidTargetNumbers to randomly select a valid target number.
• The target number is selected asynchronously, with a countdown displayed to enhance the user experience.

💡 Input Validation and Hint System

• Validates input using the set from ValidTargetNumbers for fast lookup.
• GameJudge provides feedback with strikes and balls to refine player guesses.

📝 Attempt Tracking and Game Records

• Tracks game data in the Player class:
  • records: Stores a history of results, including game outcomes and guesses.
  • currentGameNumber: Tracks the current game session number for organizing game records.
  • didWinTheGame: Indicates whether the player won the current game.
  • pitchCount: Counts the number of attempts made in the current game.
  • currentTargetNumber: Stores the secret target number for the current game.
• Results and stats can be displayed using showRecord() (for the current game) or showRecords() (for all games).

🔄 Game Flow Management

• The main loop offers a CLI menu to start a game, view stats, access help, or exit.
• GameManager ensures smooth transitions during gameplay.

❓ Help Command

• Displays game rules and valid inputs via HelpPrompt.
• Hints at the Game Cancel Command (quit) for exiting mid-game.

🚪 Game Cancel Command

• Players can type quit during gameplay.
• This invokes the QuitGamePrompt (blue block), prompting (Y/N) confirmation:
  • "Y": Exits to the main menu.
  • "N": Returns to the game.
• Even if the player exits mid-game, game records are saved unless no attempts (pitchCount = 0) were made.

🔚 Program Exit

• In the main menu, selecting Exit invokes the ExitPrompt.
  • "Y": Closes the program.
  • "N": Returns to the main menu.
• Before confirming, the program displays how many game records will be deleted upon exiting.

💾 Future Feature: Player Database

• Planned to extend Player class to store data persistently, allowing for detailed performance analysis and leaderboards.
• The initializer includes a setup for storing game records and tracking game progress.
• A convenience initializer hints at future expansion, allowing for streamlined data handling, such as loading past records or initializing player data for a comprehensive Player Database.

🤔 Considerations

⏳ Asynchronous Target Number Generation

• The process of generating the target number is handled asynchronously to enhance performance and maintain a smooth user experience.
• A background thread is used for number generation, preventing delays or blocking in the main game loop.
• During this time, a countdown animation is displayed, building anticipation and keeping the player engaged.
• This approach improves responsiveness and adds a layer of polish to the game’s interface.

🧮 ValidTargetNumbers: Array of All Valid Numbers

• Since the number of valid target numbers is limited, an array is used for scalability.
• [Int] is chosen over [String] due to its lighter memory footprint and easier handling in numerical operations.
• Initially planned to manage the data through a CSV file, but due to technical challenges, it was hardcoded. This approach is a temporary solution, with improvements planned for future iterations.

⏱️ Time Complexity: ValidTargetNumbers.array vs. ValidTargetNumbers.set

• ValidTargetNumbers.array: An array containing all valid numbers.
• ValidTargetNumbers.set: A set derived from ValidTargetNumbers.array.
  • Random access: Array is O(1), Set is O(n).
  • Membership check (contains()): Array is O(n), Set is O(1).
• The data structure is selected based on the specific operation's efficiency.

⚖️ GameJudge - Scoring Method

• Explored various methods for scoring, including string, array, and mathematical approaches.
• Ultimately, an array-based approach was chosen for a balance between memory efficiency and complexity.

🚦 Effective Exception Handling

• Utilized HelpPrompt to provide concise, clear responses to invalid inputs.
• Messages were refined to ensure players can easily understand the provided guidance.

🎨 User Experience Enhancements

• Added a countdown with a slight delay for certain commands to increase engagement.
• Enabled players to proceed by pressing Enter when viewing help or game records.
• Adjusted message tone based on the context to enhance user friendliness.

📦 How to Install

1. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/DoyleHWorks/NumberBaseball.git