Thread: [HELP] MONSTER DUPLICATE ATTACK

Not sure why you started a new topic, but I'll leave it for now.

Code without comments is very difficult to read and understand, doubly difficult when variable names are either nonsensical or in a foreign language.

Further, your questions don't make sense:

1. The count of monsters is okay, but the numbers in the monster is wrong. Can you please explain what's right and what's wrong?

2. Write a program that works or a formula to determine the number of Monster objects after day N that can be calculated with pencil and paper to see how large of an array is required. An alternative is to use an ArrayList or a collection of your own making that grows as needed.

3. This is not a question but a statement that recognizes the program doesn't do what you'd like it to. This is actually the more interesting point, because it suggests your program design either 1) did not consider the requirements, or 2) isn't done yet.

To develop the requirements, consider the required output:

Days -1
================================
BLACK monster 1 <> into BLACK monster 1
BLACK monster 1 <> into WHITE monster 1
WHITE monster 1 <> into BLACK monster 2
WHITE monster 1 <> into WHITE monster 2
WHITE monster 1 <> into WHITE monster 3

and then:

Total
================================
BLACK monster: 5
WHITE monster: 8
TOTAL: 13

This shows that for each day, the program must:

1. have access to the Monster objects created the previous day and existing before then
2. know the color of each existing Monster object
3. know the number of each existing Monster object
4. number Black and White Monster objects separately (a requirement I question)
5. follow the game's rules to create new Monster objects for the current day
6. know the next available number for each color Monster object

and for all days in a single run:

7. keep track of the number of White Monster objects created
8. keep track of the number of Black Monster objects created
9. keep track of the total number of Monster objects created

and then for the next day

10. store all existing Monster objects in a collection for retrieval

Plus maybe a few others I missed. The value of a Monster class is that it can be used to store each Monster object's characteristics or attributes. The Monster objects can then be stored in a collection and then for each day (roughly):

1. retrieved,
2. cloned,
3. existing and new stored in a collection,
4. counted, and
5. reported.

This problem is very difficult without a Monster class, somewhat less difficult with a Monster class using a Monster[] array, less difficult still using a Monster class stored in an ArrayList<Monster>. Even at the least difficult, it's still a challenging problem for a beginner who didn't know how to write a loop two days ago.

That you've come this far in such a short amount of time is a good thing. You're doing well, but you're attempting to accomplish tasks that require learning to use new tools out of order and without structure and sufficient basis for understanding. I recommend that you slow down. Get a book and start at the beginning, work each chapter in order completing every sample and every exercise in each chapter. Depending on how much free time you have and how hard you work, you can expect to breeze through a problem like this using the tools I've described in roughly 6 months.

Okay. Keep us posted, and good luck.

How are your studies going? Have you been working this problem? I've coded my own solution, because it is an interesting simulation and use of queues. If you'd like to discuss my approach, let me know.

Here's an example of a 5-day output. (I didn't agree with (or like) some of the interpretations of the rules, so I modified them a bit):

========= Day 0 =========
BLACK monster number 1
 
Total monsters by color: 
White = 0
Black = 1
 
========= Day 1 =========
BLACK monster number 1
BLACK monster number 1 --> BLACK monster number 2
BLACK monster number 1 --> WHITE monster number 1
 
Total monsters by color: 
White = 1
Black = 2
 
========= Day 2 =========
BLACK monster number 1
BLACK monster number 1 --> BLACK monster number 3
BLACK monster number 1 --> WHITE monster number 2
BLACK monster number 2
BLACK monster number 2 --> BLACK monster number 4
BLACK monster number 2 --> WHITE monster number 3
WHITE monster number 1
WHITE monster number 1 --> BLACK monster number 5
WHITE monster number 1 --> WHITE monster number 4
WHITE monster number 1 --> WHITE monster number 5
 
Total monsters by color: 
White = 5
Black = 5
 
========= Day 3 =========
BLACK monster number 1
BLACK monster number 1 --> BLACK monster number 6
BLACK monster number 1 --> WHITE monster number 6
BLACK monster number 3
BLACK monster number 3 --> BLACK monster number 7
BLACK monster number 3 --> WHITE monster number 7
WHITE monster number 2
WHITE monster number 2 --> BLACK monster number 8
WHITE monster number 2 --> WHITE monster number 8
WHITE monster number 2 --> WHITE monster number 9
BLACK monster number 2
BLACK monster number 2 --> BLACK monster number 9
BLACK monster number 2 --> WHITE monster number 10
BLACK monster number 4
BLACK monster number 4 --> BLACK monster number 10
BLACK monster number 4 --> WHITE monster number 11
WHITE monster number 3
WHITE monster number 3 --> BLACK monster number 11
WHITE monster number 3 --> WHITE monster number 12
WHITE monster number 3 --> WHITE monster number 13
WHITE monster number 1
WHITE monster number 1 --> BLACK monster number 12
WHITE monster number 1 --> WHITE monster number 14
WHITE monster number 1 --> WHITE monster number 15
BLACK monster number 5
BLACK monster number 5 --> BLACK monster number 13
BLACK monster number 5 --> WHITE monster number 16
WHITE monster number 4
WHITE monster number 4 --> BLACK monster number 14
WHITE monster number 4 --> WHITE monster number 17
WHITE monster number 4 --> WHITE monster number 18
WHITE monster number 5
WHITE monster number 5 --> BLACK monster number 15
WHITE monster number 5 --> WHITE monster number 19
WHITE monster number 5 --> WHITE monster number 20
 
Total monsters by color: 
White = 20
Black = 15
 
========= Day 4 =========
BLACK monster number 1
BLACK monster number 1 --> BLACK monster number 16
BLACK monster number 1 --> WHITE monster number 21
BLACK monster number 6
BLACK monster number 6 --> BLACK monster number 17
BLACK monster number 6 --> WHITE monster number 22
WHITE monster number 6
WHITE monster number 6 --> BLACK monster number 18
WHITE monster number 6 --> WHITE monster number 23
WHITE monster number 6 --> WHITE monster number 24
BLACK monster number 3
BLACK monster number 3 --> BLACK monster number 19
BLACK monster number 3 --> WHITE monster number 25
BLACK monster number 7
BLACK monster number 7 --> BLACK monster number 20
BLACK monster number 7 --> WHITE monster number 26
WHITE monster number 7
WHITE monster number 7 --> BLACK monster number 21
WHITE monster number 7 --> WHITE monster number 27
WHITE monster number 7 --> WHITE monster number 28
WHITE monster number 2
WHITE monster number 2 --> BLACK monster number 22
WHITE monster number 2 --> WHITE monster number 29
WHITE monster number 2 --> WHITE monster number 30
BLACK monster number 8
BLACK monster number 8 --> BLACK monster number 23
BLACK monster number 8 --> WHITE monster number 31
WHITE monster number 8
WHITE monster number 8 --> BLACK monster number 24
WHITE monster number 8 --> WHITE monster number 32
WHITE monster number 8 --> WHITE monster number 33
WHITE monster number 9
WHITE monster number 9 --> BLACK monster number 25
WHITE monster number 9 --> WHITE monster number 34
WHITE monster number 9 --> WHITE monster number 35
BLACK monster number 2
BLACK monster number 2 --> BLACK monster number 26
BLACK monster number 2 --> WHITE monster number 36
BLACK monster number 9
BLACK monster number 9 --> BLACK monster number 27
BLACK monster number 9 --> WHITE monster number 37
WHITE monster number 10
WHITE monster number 10 --> BLACK monster number 28
WHITE monster number 10 --> WHITE monster number 38
WHITE monster number 10 --> WHITE monster number 39
BLACK monster number 4
BLACK monster number 4 --> BLACK monster number 29
BLACK monster number 4 --> WHITE monster number 40
BLACK monster number 10
BLACK monster number 10 --> BLACK monster number 30
BLACK monster number 10 --> WHITE monster number 41
WHITE monster number 11
WHITE monster number 11 --> BLACK monster number 31
WHITE monster number 11 --> WHITE monster number 42
WHITE monster number 11 --> WHITE monster number 43
WHITE monster number 3
WHITE monster number 3 --> BLACK monster number 32
WHITE monster number 3 --> WHITE monster number 44
WHITE monster number 3 --> WHITE monster number 45
BLACK monster number 11
BLACK monster number 11 --> BLACK monster number 33
BLACK monster number 11 --> WHITE monster number 46
WHITE monster number 12
WHITE monster number 12 --> BLACK monster number 34
WHITE monster number 12 --> WHITE monster number 47
WHITE monster number 12 --> WHITE monster number 48
WHITE monster number 13
WHITE monster number 13 --> BLACK monster number 35
WHITE monster number 13 --> WHITE monster number 49
WHITE monster number 13 --> WHITE monster number 50
WHITE monster number 1
WHITE monster number 1 --> BLACK monster number 36
WHITE monster number 1 --> WHITE monster number 51
WHITE monster number 1 --> WHITE monster number 52
BLACK monster number 12
BLACK monster number 12 --> BLACK monster number 37
BLACK monster number 12 --> WHITE monster number 53
WHITE monster number 14
WHITE monster number 14 --> BLACK monster number 38
WHITE monster number 14 --> WHITE monster number 54
WHITE monster number 14 --> WHITE monster number 55
WHITE monster number 15
WHITE monster number 15 --> BLACK monster number 39
WHITE monster number 15 --> WHITE monster number 56
WHITE monster number 15 --> WHITE monster number 57
BLACK monster number 5
BLACK monster number 5 --> BLACK monster number 40
BLACK monster number 5 --> WHITE monster number 58
BLACK monster number 13
BLACK monster number 13 --> BLACK monster number 41
BLACK monster number 13 --> WHITE monster number 59
WHITE monster number 16
WHITE monster number 16 --> BLACK monster number 42
WHITE monster number 16 --> WHITE monster number 60
WHITE monster number 16 --> WHITE monster number 61
WHITE monster number 4
WHITE monster number 4 --> BLACK monster number 43
WHITE monster number 4 --> WHITE monster number 62
WHITE monster number 4 --> WHITE monster number 63
BLACK monster number 14
BLACK monster number 14 --> BLACK monster number 44
BLACK monster number 14 --> WHITE monster number 64
WHITE monster number 17
WHITE monster number 17 --> BLACK monster number 45
WHITE monster number 17 --> WHITE monster number 65
WHITE monster number 17 --> WHITE monster number 66
WHITE monster number 18
WHITE monster number 18 --> BLACK monster number 46
WHITE monster number 18 --> WHITE monster number 67
WHITE monster number 18 --> WHITE monster number 68
WHITE monster number 5
WHITE monster number 5 --> BLACK monster number 47
WHITE monster number 5 --> WHITE monster number 69
WHITE monster number 5 --> WHITE monster number 70
BLACK monster number 15
BLACK monster number 15 --> BLACK monster number 48
BLACK monster number 15 --> WHITE monster number 71
WHITE monster number 19
WHITE monster number 19 --> BLACK monster number 49
WHITE monster number 19 --> WHITE monster number 72
WHITE monster number 19 --> WHITE monster number 73
WHITE monster number 20
WHITE monster number 20 --> BLACK monster number 50
WHITE monster number 20 --> WHITE monster number 74
WHITE monster number 20 --> WHITE monster number 75
 
Total monsters by color: 
White = 75
Black = 50

Stack is last in, first out (LIFO). New items are pushed onto the top of the stack and items removed from the stack are popped off the top.

Queue is first in, first out (FIFO). New items are added to the back of the collection or onto the end, and items removed from the queue are taken from the head of the line and all items left in the line move forward, towards the head of the line.

The reason a queue works well for this problem is that each monster is added to the queue as it is created, each monster is removed from the queue in the order it was created and added to another queue, just ahead of all monsters that are spawned from it. The order of the monsters is always preserved.

Predicting the size of the array required would require a formula that calculates the number of monsters on for a given number of simulated invasion days. My simulation doesn't agree with the numbers you're getting, but I'll use mine as an example:

Day 0: 1
Day 1: 3
Day 2: 10
Day 3: 35
Day 4: 125
Day 5: 450
Day 6: 1,625
Day 7: 5,875
Day 8: 21,250
Day 9: 76,875
Day 10: 278,125

I think there's a progression there that can be generalized with an equation, but I'll leave that to you for your own numbers. An estimate of the number of monsters existing that is just bigger than the actual number of monsters at the end of a certain number of days would be good enough.

If you don't know ArrayList, now would be a good time to learn it. An ArrayList will grow in size as needed. If you are unable to learn/use ArrayList, then you can create your own 'adjustable' array that increases in size as needed. It's not that hard and would be a good exercise.

I like the concept of 'adjustable' array, you said. I'll try to figure it out. And I'll study about ArrayList after it.
Yes, now I understand Stack, because I use it for my college project.
I'll mark this post to SOLVED then, thank you for your help, and wish me luck for my next project, hahahaha.

Hey Greg! Now I understand the stack/queue and ArrayList too
And if you don't mind please guide me again at this thread. Thanks!
http://www.javaprogrammingforums.com...tml#post148102