Blackjack
The process of creating blackjack was a lengthy one. First, the group created a pseudo code algorithm to understand how the program itself would be made. This helped to figure out what methods would be needed to perform what actions. It was then decided that the game would be made using separate functions instead of one lengthy main method. For instance, a method for dealing the cards, one for determining the values of their cards, etc. That way, if a mistake was made, it could easily be fixed in its own method without affecting the rest of the code. Additionally, it was easier to collaborate when working with separate methods, as each group member could work individually on a method and then put them together for testing, which is what the group ended up doing. Some of the harder parts of finishing this program were determining what the total amount of the cards was, since an ace could either be a one or an eleven. Additionally, displaying the player and the dealer’s hands proved to be tricky. However, the group was eventually able to accomplish these tasks. Overall, development on Blackjack went very smoothly.
Connect 4
Connect 4 began development 2 days prior to testing day. It initially was begun earlier, but many ideas on how to program the game led to dead ends, until an idea came up to create a matrix to keep track of the pieces separate from the board. Once this idea was brought up, development went into full throttle. The methods needed for Connect 4 were very straight forward; one for checking if a column a player chose to drop their piece into had room, and one to determine a win. The hardest part ended up being determining a winner. Initially, there were going to be four separate methods; vertical, horizontal, and two diagonal win methods. However, once work began on diagonal wins, the method ended up determining wins in any direction, and so only one was needed. This made Connect 4 a rather short and simple code, as well as efficient.