Tracking Flags in Minesweeper

Tracking the number of flags placed in Minesweeper is an important gameplay feature that serves multiple purposes. Let's explore why it's beneficial:

Player Strategy

The flag counter helps players strategize. In Minesweeper, the goal is to identify all the mines without detonating any. By tracking the number of flags placed, players can compare this to the total number of mines in the game.

This information is crucial for making informed decisions about which cells to reveal next.

Game Completion

The flag counter can be used as a condition for game completion. While it's not strictly necessary to flag all mines to win (you just need to reveal all non-mine cells), many implementations use the flag count as an additional win condition.

When the number of flags placed equals the total number of mines, and all non-mine cells are revealed, the game is won.

UI Feedback

Providing visual feedback about the number of flags placed improves the user experience. It gives players a sense of progress and helps them keep track of their actions without having to manually count flags on the board.

Here's an example of how we might implement a flag counter in our Minesweeper game:

1#include <iostream>
2#include <string>
3
4class FlagCounter {
5public:
6  FlagCounter(int totalMines)
7    : totalMines{ totalMines }
8      , flagsPlaced{ 0 } {}
9
10  void IncrementFlags() {
11    if (flagsPlaced < totalMines) {
12      ++flagsPlaced;
13      UpdateDisplay();
14    }
15  }
16
17  void DecrementFlags() {
18    if (flagsPlaced > 0) {
19      --flagsPlaced;
20      UpdateDisplay();
21    }
22  }
23
24  bool AllFlagsPlaced() const {
25    return flagsPlaced == totalMines;
26  }
27
28private:
29  int totalMines;
30  int flagsPlaced;
31
32  void UpdateDisplay() const {
33    std::cout << "Flags: " << flagsPlaced
34      << " / " << totalMines << "\n";
35  }
36};
37
38int main() {
39  FlagCounter counter{
40    10
41  }; // 10 total mines in the game
42
43  counter.IncrementFlags();
44  counter.IncrementFlags();
45  counter.DecrementFlags();
46
47  if (counter.AllFlagsPlaced()) {
48    std::cout << "All mines flagged!\n";
49  } else {
50    std::cout
51      << "Keep searching for mines...\n";
52  }
53}

1Flags: 1 / 10
2Flags: 2 / 10
3Flags: 1 / 10
4Keep searching for mines...

In this example, we've created a FlagCounter class that keeps track of the total number of mines and the number of flags placed. The IncrementFlags() and DecrementFlags() methods update the count and provide feedback to the player. The AllFlagsPlaced() method can be used to check if all mines have been flagged, which could be part of a win condition check.

By integrating this counter into our Minesweeper game, we enhance the gameplay experience and provide valuable information to the player, making the game more engaging and strategic.