Week 3: Expanding Tron to Two Players

Welcome to Week 3 of our Tron game development! This week, we'll be expanding our single-player Tron game into a two-player version. We'll modify our existing codebase to accommodate two players, update the collision detection, and implement separate controls for each player.

Your Mission This Week

1. Modify the GameBoard class to support two players.

2. Update the Player class to distinguish between two players.

3. Implement two-player controls and game logic in the main game loop.

4. Refine collision detection for two players.

Let's break these down into specific steps for each file.

1. Modifying the GameBoard class (game_board.py)

Update the GameBoard class to support two players:

1. In the draw method, add logic to use different colors for each player's trail. Think about how you can represent different players in your grid (e.g. using different numbers).

2. Consider if any changes are needed in the is_collision method to accommodate two players.

2. Updating the Player class (player.py)

Modify the Player class to accommodate two players:

1. Add a player_id parameter to the __init__ method. How can you use this to differentiate between players?

2. Update the initial direction based on the player_id. For example, player 1 could start moving right, and player 2 could start moving left.

3. Consider if any changes are needed in the draw method to use the player's unique color.

3 . Implementing Two-Player Game Logic (tron_game.py)

1. Modify the handle_events function to accept two players and implement seperate controls. Think about which keys each player should use.

2. Update the update_game_state function to handle both players. Consider the following:

   • How will you move both players?

   • How will you check for collisions for both players?

   • What should happen if both players collide simultaneously?

3. Modify the draw_game function to draw both players.

4. Update the main function to create and manage two players.

4 . Refining Collision Detection

The current collision detection might allow players to move through each other. To fix this consider the following.

1. In the update_game_state function, think about the order of operations:

   • Should you move the players first, then check for collisions?

   • Or should you check where the players are about to move, then update it if it's safe?

2. Consider adding a check for head-on collisions where both players move into the same cell.

Testing Your Implementation

After implementing these changes, test your game thoroughly. Verify that:

1. Two players appear on the screen with different colors.

2. Each player can be controlled independently with different keys.

3. Collisions are detected correctly for both players.

4. The game ends appropriately when one or both players collide.

Bringing It All Together

Your task this week is to implement these changes and create a functional two-player version of Tron. Here's a general flow of how your updated game should work:

1. Initialize the game (create window, game board, and two players).

2. Enter the game loop:

   • Handle events (input for both players).

   • Update the game state (move both players, check for collisions).

   • Draw the game (board and both players).

   • Control the game speed.

3. End the game when a collision is detected, announcing the winner or a draw.

Remember to test thoroughly and ensure that both players can control their characters independently.

Bonus Challenges

If you finish early or want to push yourself:

1. Implement a score system that keeps track of wins for each player across multiple rounds.

2. Add power-ups that temporarily change game mechanics (e.g. speed boost, ability to pass through walls, etc).

Next week, we'll start thinking about how to integrate AI into our Tron game. Keep up the excellent work and make sure to ask questions in the discord if you get stuck!