Thread: Need help creating an array method.

I need help creating an array method for my monster class. The monster is going to have multiple weapons and I need to figure out how to get attack and damage from all of them.

/**
 * Write a description of class Monster here.
 * 
 * @author (your name) 
 * @version (a version number or a date)
 */
import java.util.Random;
public class Monster
{
String name;
Backpack pack;
public int initiative;
public int hitPoints;
Purse treasure;
Weapon[] monsterWeapons;
Armor monsterArmor;
 
public Monster(String name, Backpack pack, int initiative, int hitPoints, Purse treasure,
Weapon[] monsterWeapon, Armor monsterArmor){
    this.pack=pack;
    this.initiative=initiative;
    this.hitPoints=hitPoints;
    this.treasure=treasure;
    this.monsterWeapons=monsterWeapons;
    this.monsterArmor=monsterArmor;
}
public int rollForInitiative(){
int total=0;
Random rand= new Random ();
total+=rand.nextInt(20)+1;
return total;
}
public int[] rollWeaponAttacks(){
int total=0;
Random rand= new Random ();
total+=rand.nextInt(20)+1;
return total;
}
public int[] rollWeaponDamage(){
int total=0;
Random rand= new Random ();
total+=rand.nextInt(20)+1;
return total;
}
public int takeDamage(int hitPoints){
int total=0;
Random rand= new Random ();
total+=rand.nextInt(20)+1;
return total;
}
}

What is "an array method"? What does it do? What help do you need creating it?

Originally Posted by GregBrannon

What is "an array method"? What does it do? What help do you need creating it?

Basically I'm supposed to get a random number between 1-20 but I need it for multiple weapons. One could get 5, another 13, and a third could get 17, etc.

Originally Posted by Norm

Before adding any new code to what is posted, you should compile it and fix the errors.

Yeah, I compiled and apparently it's incompatible. But that's the problem. I first need to figure out how to make it compatible.

It highlight "total" under the WeaponAttack and WeaponDamage methods and says "incompatible types".

Sorry, I'm still pretty new at this. ^^; But...that's all it says. It just highlight "total" under those two and says "compatible types". I think it's because of the [] I added on those ints.

Anyway, in this case, the monster is going to have two weapons. When I call the method "rollWeaponDamage" and "rollWeaponAttack", I'm going to need a integer between 1-20 for BOTH weapons, which I will display on a MonsterTest class. And I need to do this using an array.

Originally Posted by DarkestLord

Sorry, I'm still pretty new at this. ^^; But...that's all it says. It just highlight "total" under those two and says "compatible types". I think it's because of the [] I added on those ints.

And by doing this you changed the method signatures. An int is not the same as an array of ints. Look at the signature, which is where the method promises to return an array of ints. Now look at what you are returning.

The caller can be changed to take an array of ints, or the callee can be changed to return an int. The calling code can save values from a method returning an int in a local array, if that is what you want to do.

e.g., "someArrayOfInts[1] = methodThatReturnsAnInt()"

My advice is to not use raw array types unless you know their sizes in advance, and your constructors or initializers make sure all array values are filled out. You can use a Collection like an ArrayList to manage dynamic array-like entries.

Originally Posted by DarkestLord

Anyway, in this case, the monster is going to have two weapons. When I call the method "rollWeaponDamage" and "rollWeaponAttack", I'm going to need a integer between 1-20 for BOTH weapons, which I will display on a MonsterTest class. And I need to do this using an array.

Well, why not call the method twice when initializing a weapon state. Weapon should be a class, right? And it needs to be constructed such that it is "complete", since a Weapon instance should not have a damage without an attack value.

So call methods that generate your (weighted or not) values for all the properties of the Weapon (or Race, or Armor, or ...) until those properties are set and the object is complete.

Yeah, calling it twice would be the simple solution but...this is an assignment and it asks for me to make an array method that allows me to use as many weapons as the user wants. The test would just require two.