I'm working on building a wooden and 3D-printed Clue board, and I was thinking about adding lights that would activate when players enter different rooms. However, that's becoming pretty time-consuming, so I'm considering a simpler on/off switch for the whole board since I'm just getting back into electronics after high school.
While brainstorming my next project, I came across a video about the Prisoner's Dilemma and thought it would be awesome to create a physical version of the game! I'm imagining a box with two buttons on opposite sides and a display in the center to keep track of points. It seems like it could be a quick and fun travel game, similar to Tic Tac Toe or Connect 4.
My main concern is that I've never programmed anything before. I get the basics of coding, but I'm unsure how difficult it would be for a beginner like me to tackle this. Given my situation, do you think this would be a good first project, or should I put it on hold for now? I have an Elegoo UNO R3 super starter kit that I haven't had the chance to use yet. Can I accomplish this project with it, or would you suggest something else? Also, are there existing resources or software on GitHub that could help me out, even though I'd prefer to code it myself?
4 Answers
It doesn't seem too complicated if you stay motivated! From a coding perspective, this could be a great first project. Just make sure you also have some basic knowledge about circuits for the lights. It might get a bit tricky, but you can totally manage it!
Everyone starts from zero at some point! Whether you code something or not is really up to you. Just dive in and give it a shot!
There are two main parts to consider here:
1. **Difficulty:** You could create a physical board game fairly easily with basic components. It's about the level of what you’d do in an intro to robotics class. Adding some art to make it look nice will be the real challenge.
2. **Fun Factor:** The essence of the Prisoner's Dilemma changes in a competitive setting. You might want to think about how you’ll make the game playable because a traditional 1v1 might lose its Dilemma aspect. Maybe consider making it a 4-player game with rotating partners to spice things up!
Yeah, this sounds pretty simple! At the core, you need to register input from the two buttons and light up some LEDs. Your starter kit should have everything: a breadboard, buttons, LEDs, resistors, and jumper wires. Check out these basic examples on the Arduino site:
- BlinkWithoutDelay
- Button
- Debounce
Check out the game show "Golden Balls". It’s based on the Prisoner's Dilemma and might give you some ideas on how to make it competitive and fun!