Bulls & Cows Console Game Slides

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These are the slides that accompany the Complete Unreal Developer Course.

See me develop the slides as I write the course…

● Right click or Insert > Comment to comment, especially if you see a typo
● A PDF version will be attached inside the Unreal course.
● The slides will update immediately as I change things.

Enjoy your stay!

Ben Tristem
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Intro, Notes & Assets

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● Welcome to the first actual coding video.
● Why we’re doing this in the IDE only.
● What you’ll be building, see resources.
● You’ll learn types, loops, routines, classes.
● We’ll follow Unreal’s coding style, and re-use.
● Notes and resources are attached.

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Game Design Document (GDD)
@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● How much planning should we do?
● Define the emotional problem the game solves*
● Chose concept, rules & requirements.
● Start to think about the architecture.
● Copy as much as possible into the code!
● Document now what may change later.
* McConnell, Steve. Code Complete. Microsoft Press 2004. Chapter 3.3

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The Problem
● I want a mental challenge.
● I want to feel smart / prove myself.
● I miss word puzzles.
● I want to prove myself.
● I want to challenge (feel superior to) someone!
● Etc

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Concept & Rules
● This is a “guess the isogram” game.
● An isogram is a word with no repeating letters.
● The user has a limited number of guesses.
● After each guess the computer outputs…
○ Bull = right letter in the right place.
○ Cow = right letter in the wrong place.
● You win by guessing the word within max tries.

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Write Up The Requirements

● What will the inputs be? In what format?
● What will the outputs be?
● What tasks will the user be asked to do?
● Any performance limits worth mentioning?
● What assets (art, sound, story text) do we need?

Requirements
● Plain text instructions for all interactions.
● Code to help the player make a valid guess (e.g. all
lowercase, an isogram, right length).
● Code to check the number of Bulls and Cows in
the guess, compared the hidden word.
● Code to keep track of the number of valid
guesses.

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Possible Future Ideas (The NO List)
● Give feedback on every key press.
● Have a large dictionary of hidden words.
● User selectable word length, and difficulty.
● Checking the user’s guess is a dictionary isogram.
● Providing a time limit for the guesses.
● A hint system, spend a turn for a hint.

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How Solutions & Projects Relate

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● How projects and solutions relate.
● Setting up a new command line project.
● An overview of the structure of our solution.
● (Adding main.cpp to our project).

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How Projects & Solutions Relate
SOLUTION

PROJECT 1 PROJECT 2

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Creating the project in Xcode

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Setup Your Project

You want to end up with…
● UnrealCourse > Section_02 <= section / solution
● Section_02 > BullCowGame <= project folder
● BullCowGame > BullCowGame.vcxproj
● BullCowGame > main.cpp
C++ Function Syntax
@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● The difference between an engine and a library.
● How this relates to this console application.
● What is building / compiling code?
● How the console knows where to find our code.
● The syntax of a function in C++.
● Write the minimal C++ program to remove error.
● Testing our application runs without error.

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Building (running) in Xcode

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The syntax of a function in C++
int DoubleMe(int number)
{
return number*2;
}

<return_type> <name> (<parameters>)

{
<statements>
}
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Write the minimal C++ program

● Return type is int (short for integer).
● Function name is main (lowercase m).
● Takes no parameters.
● Extra credit: make it return 0.
● Test by running and see if the error goes away.

Using, #include and Namespaces

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● # represents a “preprocessor directive”.
● #include copies-and-pastes other code.
● The idea of using library code.
● Use <> for standard libraries.
● Use “ “ for files you have created yourself.
● Notice the namespace icon in autocomplete.
● Import iostream library and use std namespace.

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Using cout vs printf()

● There are pros and cons.
● You’ll see both in other people’s code.
● Read more at the link below.

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2872543/printf-vs-cout-in-c

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Use the std namespace

● Make appropriate use of the using statement.
● Test by removing std:: prefix from your cout.
● Explain the risk in the discussions.
Magic Numbers and Constants
@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● What a “magic number” is.
● Why it’s a good idea to avoid them.
● constexpr means “evaluated at compile time”.
● Introduce coding standards*.
● Use a constant for the word length.
*https://docs.unrealengine.
com/latest/INT/Programming/Development/CodingStandard/index.html

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Include word length in intro

● Include the WORD_LENGTH in the intro text.
● Make sure it prints with spaces properly.
Variables and cin for Input
@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● The difference between \n and endl
● Introducing pseudocode programming
● Why we need to #import <string>
● Getting input using cin
● Discovering woes with our input buffer.

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Take and repeat back the guess

● Ask the user for their guess.
● Use cin to take guess on the same line.
● On the next line, repeat back the guess.
Using getline()
@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● Re-cap the problem we have.
● Why getline() is useful here.
● Where to find C++ documentation.
● A word on non-obvious solutions.

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Why getline() is useful here

● It will read through any spaces by default.
● It will discard the input stream once it reaches the
new-line character.
● Read about it by searching for getline at www.
cplusplus.com.
● Find out about this sort of thing by

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Fix the input problem
● Replace both cin lines.
● Test that donkey kong is accepted as a guess.

Simplifying With Functions

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● Programming is all about managing complexity.
● We want to think about a few things at a time.
● The idea of abstraction and encapsulation.
● How functions help us simplify.
● Write and call your first functions.
● A warning about “side-effects” of functions.
● Always use return at the end of your functions.

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Abstraction and encapsulation
● A major goal in writing software is to manage
complexity.
● Abstraction is a technique for managing
complexity, by considering things at a higher level.
● Encapsulation is a way of making sure your
abstractions are adhered to.

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return in a void functions - pros

● Makes you think about where you leave the
function.
● It's consistent with code Visual Studio creates for
you.
● You can return earlier than the end (for example an
error check fails).

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return in a void functions - cons

● It's extra code, and less code is generally better.
● Somebody may write statements below it later,
which never get executed.

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Write string GetGuess()
● Save your code so you can go back.
● Write a function to get the Guess
● return it as a string.
● Restore your code to its former working glory.

Iterating With For & While Loops

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● Why we need loops.
● When to use for vs while.
● The syntax of a for loop.
● Think carefully about the first & last loop.
● Write a for loop to repeat the game.

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When to use for vs while
● Pick a standard to keep yourself sane, e.g.

● “Know what you’re in for” - you know at compile

time how many times it will loop.
● “May be looping for a while” - you’re not sure
how many times it will loop.

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The syntax of a for loop

for (initialization; condition; increase)
statement;

for (int count = 1; count <= limit; count++)

{
<the code you want to repeat>
}

http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/control
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/b80153d8.aspx

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Make the game take 5 guesses

● Use what you’ve learnt so far to make the game
take 5 guesses in a row.
● GetGuess() should appear as a function call only
once inside a for loop.
● Bonus: remember what I said about magic
numbers.
Clarity is Worth Fighting For
@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● More about levels of abstraction.
● A word on being clever.
● Using Visual Studio’s Extract “Extract Function”
● What a header file (.h) is.
● What’s refactoring, and why we do it.
● Removing side-effects.
● Where to find the course code on GitHub.

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An aviation quote...

“Truly superior pilots are those who use their superior

judgment to avoid those situations where they might
have to use their superior skills.”

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Remove the side-effect
● Rename the GetGuessAndPrintBack().
● Move the offending code.
● Test it all still works.
● Are you very happy with how your code reads?

booleans and comparisons

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● What a boolean is, and how to use it.
● Only use when completely clear what you mean.
● Use == for comparison.
● Use && for logical AND.
● Use || for logical OR.
● Use [n] to access a string, starting at n=0.
● Use ‘ ‘ for characters, and “ “ for strings.

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Write rest of AskToPlayAgain()
● Allow for ‘y’ or ‘Y’ as the first letter.
● You can ignore the rest of the letters.
● Return true for for yes, false for no*

* This is on the limit of what’s “obvious”.

Using do and while in C++

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● What a do while loop is.
● How it executes code one or more times.
● Making our game play multiple times.

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The syntax of a do while loop
do {
<the code you want to repeat>
}
while (condition);

The code gets executed once before the check.

http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/control
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/b0kk5few.aspx
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Make the game play multiple times

● Put a do while loop in main.
● Refer to example on previous slide for syntax.
● Test you can play as many times as you like.

Introducing Classes
@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● Lookup the Turing machine.
● A quick overview of the MVC pattern.
● User defined types (classes).
● About working at an interface level (black box).
● An overview of class FBullCowGame

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Read around the topic

Read around these topics…

● Model View Controller (MVC) pattern.

● Turing machines (e.g. Computerphile on YouTube).

Using Header Files as Contracts

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● Introducing .h header files in C++.
● Why the added complexity is worth it.
● Defining the interface to our class.
● Writing our first draft of FBullCowGame.h

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Write all the methods you can

● Write as many simple signatures as you can
● Don’t worry about getting it “right”
● There is no right anyway, the point is to think
● Enjoy working at a higher level.

Including Our Own Header File

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● NEVER use using namespace in a .h
● In fact, why use it at all?
● Create your .cpp files and #include
● Don’t create chains of includes.

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Finish writing blank definitions

● Write blank definitions for all methods.
● Ensure there are no warnings in the .h file.

Instantiating Your Class

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● Relax, they’re just user defined types!
● string FirstName; creates a string object
● FBullCowGame BCGame; works the same way
● These instances are initialised by “constructors”
● Instantiating means “creating an instance of”
● So we’re simply creating a game instance.

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Create a BCGame instance

● Make it the first line of PlayGame() for now
● Declare a new object called BCGame
● Make its type FBullCowGame
● Don’t worry about “initialising” it yet
● Make sure you code still runs.

Writing & Using Getter Methods

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● What is a getter method
● Why we never access variables directly
● How to call a method using the dot operator
● Pros and cons of initialising in at compile time
● Using “Rebuild Project” to make VS behave!

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Implement GetCurrentTry()
● Initialise the value to 1 in the header file (for now)
● Check it works by printing the try from GetGuess()
● For example: “Try 1. Enter your guess: “
● where 1 is the value of MyCurrentTry.

Introducing the const Keyword

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● const’s meaning depends on context
● Generally means “I promise not to change this”
● What this is depends on exactly where it appears
● At the end of a member function, for example int
GetCurrentTry() const; it prevents the
function from modifying any member variables
● This is a good safety feature.

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Apply const to all your getters

● Make all getter methods const
● Check it still runs
● Are any of the other functions we’ve written so far
candidates for the use of const? If so please
suggest which (if any) in the discussions.

Constructors For Initialisation

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● Default constructor called when object created
● Initialize in constructor when decided at runtime
● Initialize in declaration if known at compile time
● Constructor syntax simply: ClassName();
● Set the member variables in constructor
● Test this has worked.

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Write and test Reset()

● Initialise all the member variables
● Set the max tries to 8
● Use the appropriate constant for the magic #
● Check that it works by using cout as needed.

Pseudocode Programming
@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● More on Pseudocode Programming Practice (PPP)
● Reviewing our code and architecture
● Using // TODO as a comment prefix
● Introducing Visual Studio’s Task List
● Planning our next wave of coding.

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Write your own notes and TODOs

● Go through your code, make sure it makes sense
● Action any existing TODOs that you can
● Write any new TODOs for tasks that must be done
● Do NOT use code in these comments
● Give yourself the gift of working at a higher level.

Using using for Type Aliases

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● We’re substituting types to be “Unreal ready”
● The declaration is using <alias> = <type>;
● For example using int32 = int;
● Why Unreal uses int32 rather than int
● FText is for output, FString is “mutable”
● Where to use each type of string
● Map FText and FString to std::string

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Substitute the integer type

● Convert all integers to use the int32 alias
● Exclude int main() as this is called by the OS
● Explicitly substitute at top of file, not via include
● Test your code still runs and reads well.

Using struct for Simple Types

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● struct is almost identical to class
● It’s member variables (data) is public by default
● Ideal for simple value types like BullCowCount
● Outline BullCowCount SubmitGuess(FString)

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Pseudocode the function

● Write out the “algorithm” for the function.
● Make your best effort.
● Avoid the use of any code.
● Indent comments inside any loops.

Using if Statements in C++

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● Why we need conditionals (selection)
● Use if when it reads better (e.g. few conditions)
● Use switch for multiple, simple conditions
● (for loads of statements consider a table lookup)
● The syntax of an if statement
● Using if to write count bulls and cows.

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if syntax
if (condition1) {
statements;
} else if (condition2) {
statements;
} else {
statements;
}

Note this is slightly more compact than Unreal’s coding

standards.

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Finish SubmitGuess() and test

● Finish the function
● Test it works as expected
● Celebrate your coding ninja skills.
Debugging 101
@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● A very brief intro to Visual Studio’s debugger
● Set a break-point by clicking in margin
● Watch values by highlighting in debug mode
● Use “Continue” to cycle back to breakpoint.

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Squash the bug

● Fix the bug
● That’s it.
A Place for Everything
@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● Centralising the hidden word length
● Making this a property of the game class
● Writing a getter to access this value
● Updating our intro to vary with word length.

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A Place for Everything

● “A place for everything, everything in it’s place”
● Think carefully about what you store
● General bandwidth vs. storage
● Another example CPU vs. RAM
● For example store birthday not age
● Until proven otherwise, don’t store results*
http://gameprogrammingpatterns.com/data-locality.html

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Replace WORD_LENTGH
● Write GetHiddenWordLength() getter
● Make it read from the current word length
● Do not create another member variable
● Replace WORD_LENGTH in PrintIntro()
● Test with different hidden word lengths.

Introducing enumerations
@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● An enumerated type consists of named values
● Use instead of coded meaning
● Makes the code more readable and meaningful
● Only defined values can be used - more robust
● A benefit of C++ 11’s strongly typed enums
● Creating an enum class for error checking.

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Finish the error value list
● Write at least two more error values
● Think about what could break the game
● … or try weird input and see what DOES break

Writing Error Checking Code

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● Use else if for the first time
● Outline or CheckGuessValidity() method
● Write working code for checking guess length
● Use the debugger to test the return values.

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Write the word length check
● No need to call any “helper methods”
● Use != for “not equals”
● Call GetHiddenWordLength()
● Test the value using the debugger.

Using switch Statements

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● Use our error values to communicate with user
● All our user interaction is via GameManager.cpp
● We’ll use FText in this file, as it’s UI text
● We can “switch” what we say based on the error
● The syntax of a switch statement
● Remember your break keywords!

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switch statement syntax
switch (expression) // expression is what we switch based on
{
case constant1:
statement(s);
break;
case constant2:
statement(s);
break;
default:
statement(s);
}

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Write the rest of the errors

● Write a message to the user for each error
● Tell them how to get it right next time
● Remember your break statements!
● Test the console output for wrong word length.

Warm Fuzzy Feelings

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● Don’t get comfortable with compiler warnings
● Refactor GetValidGuess() to remove warning
● Rename SubmitGuess() to SubmitValidGuess()
● Improve readability of SubmitValidGuess()
● Get a warm fuzzy feeling!

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Try and remove the warning

● Try and remove the warning
● Check your code still runs
● Watch my suggested method.

Handling Game Win Condition

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● Change our PlayGame() loop to a while
● Implement our IsGameWon() function

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Finish IsGameWon()
● Define the appropriate getter method
● Create a private variable, prefixed with b
● Set the private variable in SubmitValidGuess()
● Test you can now win the game.

Win or Lose "Screen"

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● Write a method to print a game summary to the
screen once the game is over.

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Define PrintGameSummary()
● Arrange for a “You won / bad luck” message
● Decide where in the program it goes
● Write a function for it
● Test it works.

Introducing Big O Notation

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● Algorithm: the recipe for solving a problem
● or: 45th US Vice President’s dance style
● Introducing the complexity of algorithms
● A quick introduction to “Big O” notation
● Comparing three ways of checking for isograms.

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What order is IsIsogram() at best?

● Vote for O(n), O(n log n) or O(n^2)
● Share your vote in the discussions
● Explain why you think that’s as fast as possible
● Carry on watching.

Further reading
● http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9107516/sorting-characters-of-a-c-
string
● http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/algorithm/sort
● http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=n%5E2+vs+%28n+log+n%
29+vs+n%2C+n%3D2+to+17
● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorting_algorithm
● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_O_notation
● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isogram

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TMap and std::map Data Structure
@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● The importance of knowing your data types
● Introducing the std::map data type
● #define TMap std::map to keep it ‘Unreal’
● How we’ll be using the map
● Wiring-up and pseudocoding IsIsogram().

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How we’re using a map...

Using the word hApPy as an example...

Key Value Note

h true

a (translated from A) true

p true

p (translated from P) true return false;

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“Wire-up” IsIsogram()
● Create a private function
● Decide if it should be const or not
● Call it from CheckGuessValidity()*
● Simply return true for now inside IsIsogram()
Hint: you may need a not ! operator.

Pseudocode IsIsogram()
● Only write comments for now
● Indent the comments as necessary
● Avoid code in the comments, work at a high level
● Run through mentally with some examples.

Range-based for Loop

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● Introducing containers and iterators
● Using a range-based for loop in Unreal*
● Gently introducing the auto keyword
● Finishing our IsIsogram()
*https://www.unrealengine.com/blog/ranged-based-for-loops

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std::map syntax
● TMap<char, bool> LetterSeen; to declare
● Using LetterSeen[Letter] to access
● You can assign to the map element
● e.g. LetterSeen[Letter] = true;

std::unordered_set or Unreal TSet is a valid

alternative. Map is a more versatile.

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Finish IsIsogram()
● Finish the function
● Test it thoroughly
● Try entering just \0 as a guess
● Try a blank string
● Try mixed case e.g. Aa
● Share your implementation in the discussions.
Design a Helper Function
@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● Gain confidence with a multi-stage challenge
● A word on implicit dependencies.

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Get lowercase checking working

● Declare and define IsLowercase() helper
● Use a range-based for loop
● Use the auto keyword
● Handle strings of zero length, ‘\0’ and spaces
● Hint: a method called islower() may help
● Share your solution for discussion
● Succeed of F.A.I.L. - pat yourself on the back.
Avoid Implicit dependencies
Implicit: suggested though not directly expressed.
Dependent: reliant on something else.

An implicit dependency is when it’s not completely

clear that one thing depends on another. For example
the order of checks in CheckGuessValidity().

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Playtesting Your Game

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● Having someone else play test your game is vital
● Silently take notes, or record screen if possible
● Immediately go away and fix obvious bugs
● For improvements consider 2nd or 3rd opinion
● Repeat until the bug / issue rate plateaus.

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Playtest the game
● Find somebody else, Skype if needed
● Share the bugs / improvements in Discussions
● Make it clear which version you’re commenting on
● Also play-test my game, download from…
https://github.com/UnrealCourse/02_BullCowGame/archive/master.zip

My playtesting actions (thanks Lizzie)

● Remove new line before bull cow count
● Tell user how many guesses they have left
● All a bit “left brain”, needs some ASCII art
● Spelling error in “Better luck next time!”

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Difficulty & Play Tuning

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● About the flow channel*
● map word length to max tries
● Play test to determine correct difficulty.

* Read more in Sylvester, T. Designing Games - O’Reilly

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Map word length to max tries

● Populate your word length : max tries map
● Do more play testing to find the “sweet spot”
● Do this for at least 4-6 letter words
● Optionally: let user select word length.

Polishing & Packaging

@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com
In This Video...
● First impressions count (think reviews)
● Don’t ship a half-baked product, even if digital
● Check through your code (polish)
● Ship to your customers (package).

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Polish your game

● Comment with “why”, remove obvious comments
● Introduce your classes with block comments
● Use #pragma once at the top of each file
● Deal with or delete any TODO items
● Capture future ideas / improvements.

Ship your game

● Zip up source code (not .exe or .app) and share in
discussions via DropBox, Drive, YouSendIt etc
● Ensure code is in runnable state and archive
● Celebrate your success - seriously.
Section Wrap-Up
@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

In This Video...
● HUGE congratulations on your progress
● Over 6 hours of pure C++ learning
● Over 30 challenges you’ve completed
● The journey has only just begun
● Share your source code for others to play
● Here are some suggested improvements
● Next we take the game logic into Unreal :-)

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Suggested improvements
● Easy, medium, hard which changes max tries
● Explain what an isogram is in the text*
● Define bulls and cows to the user*
● Explain the rules of the game more fully*

* consider only doing these on the 1st play

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Further Reading
@UnrealCourse :: www.UnrealCourse.com

Symbols In Your IDE

Meaning of symbol in autocomplete VS 20151 Xcode2

Class or Struct

Property or Field

Method or Function

Namespace

Macro e.g. UPROPERTY() or #include

1. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/y47ychfe.aspx
2. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6662395/xcode-intellisense-meaning-of-letters-in-colored-
boxes-like-f-t-c-m-p-c-k-etc

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Streams & Flushing

std::cout << std::endl; // Equivalent to...
std::cout << '\n' << std::flush;

http://www.cprogramming.com/tutorial/c++-iostreams.html
http://www.cprogramming.com/tutorial/c++-iostreams.html

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Parameter vs. Argument
● They are two sides of the same coin
● They often get used interchangeably, but strictly...
● You define parameters
● You call with argument(s)

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/156767/whats-the-difference-between-an-
argument-and-a-parameter

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Unreal Coding Standards

● We will use a slightly different { } strategy.
● This is to save vertical space on the screen.
● Otherwise we’ll generally stick to these*

*https://docs.unrealengine.
com/latest/INT/Programming/Development/CodingStandard/index.html

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Unreal’s TSet & std::unordered_set

“Unordered sets are containers that store unique
elements in no particular order, and which allow for
fast retrieval of individual elements based on their
value.”

This is ideal alternative for our SeenLetters

container. Thanks to Daniel for bringing this up.

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Braced Initializers
● int32 AgeInYears {24}; initialisation syntax
● Prevents “narrowing conversions” e.g.
● int32 AgeInYears {24.3}; ⇐ error
● int32 AgeInYears = 24.3; ⇐ narrows to 24
● Defaults to the right empty value
● e.g. char PreviousChar {}
● Compatible with lists and other containers.

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