Background

According to Wikipedia Connect 4 is, “a two-player connection game in which the players first choose a color and then take turns dropping one colored disc from the top into a seven-column, six-row vertically suspended grid. The pieces fall straight down, occupying the lowest available space within the column. The objective of the game is to be the first to form a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line of four of one’s own discs.”

Objectives

By completing this assignment, students should be able to:

• Write graphical programs using buttons and labels from JavaFX
• Explain how to build programs using JavaFX along with inheritance and/or interfaces

Assignment

This week, you will work to create a simple two player version of Connect 4. Your game should be able to determine a winner or if the game results in a tie. You must also have a button that will reset the game so it can be played again.

Statement.txt (5 points)

As with all assignments, please make sure to submit a completed statement.txt.

Design

1. What are five classes from JavaFX you will need to complete this assignment? What do you expect to use each class for?
2. We have to be able to track whether a spot is marked as Red, Black, or unmarked so we can figure out when someone wins or if there is a tie. How might we do this without having to do lots of string comparisons?
3. Is there a way we could perhaps use inheritance or interfaces when designing our board spaces to make determining a winner easier? If so, explain it. If not, explain why not.
4. Write an English language algorithm for resetting the board. Be sure to explain what you have to do (and in what order) in order to reset the board.

Implementation

Write a program that will let two users sitting right next to each other play a game of Connect 4 that meets the following criterion:

• The game should be able to be reset so it can be played multiple times.
• The game ends when one person has won or there is a tie.
• The winner should be printed to the command line.
• The user should be able to select a column and have their token (red or black) occupy the lowest available space on the column. (Note: This doesn’t have to be be fancy, a button at the top of the row is fine.)

Style

As with all assignments, ten points of your grade are connected to how well you follow the style guidelines detailed on Canvas.

Notes

• A sample layout (minus the reset button) for tic-tac-toe can be found on page 806 of your book. You do not have to use their X and O images to get a good grade on this assignment. Your reset button can be wherever you want it to be, but it must be visible to the user as to where this button is.
• Red should go first.
• Unlike past assignments, I am fine with the main class being the board, but the board class must be called java.
• Once a space is taken, you have to make sure that it cannot be claimed by the other player. For example, if Red picks a spot Black cannot come in and take it.