AutoJack

a desktop windows app

Github: https://github.com/jaynguyen89/AutoJack

AutoJack is a simple Black Jack casino-styled game running on desktop Windows platform. This application is developed in Windows Forms using .NET framework with Object Oriented C#. I develop this game to learn about Windows Forms, and review as well as consolidate my knowledge of algorithms and design pattern. The game does not simulate exactly the same as real Black Jack casino game since I never played it before (I only read the rules while implementing the algorithms), but for the behaviors of the functions in the app itself, all logics with user interactions are validated to cope with the specific rules of the game.

Introduction: AutoJack allows players to select one of their saved game to play. While selecting a saved game, players can view its details and update player information, or delete a saved game. It is an offline application so data are saved and accessed locally. As a Black Jack game, AutoJack provides Stand, Hit, Double, Split hand options. Players get reward points if they win, loose points if they loose, and get nothing if it’s a draw. Players’ longest win streak and current win streak are recorded to provide a small statictic in player details. However, current win streak is taken into account when calculating reward points, the longer it get, the bigger the reward will be.

The below description gives more details on AutoJack’s features:

• When the app starts, an existing user can select a saved game from the list to continue playing.
• While selecting a saved game, a new user can create a new saved game with "zero" record and continue to play the first game.
• While selecting a saved game, users can edit user detail or delete a saved game.
• When the game starts, the deck is "sealed". After player clicks "Start Game" button, deck will be shuffled. Player then can place bet by setting it manually or letting the app to set bet automatically.
• Once bet has been placed, the game will deal cards to player's and the house's hand with 2 cards (1 set card, 1 up card).
• After cards are dealed, the game will determine which buttons to enable (Stand, Hit, Double, Split, Flip, Surrender) basing on player's hand and game state.
• Stand button will pass player turn, then the app simulates the machine round.
• Hit button will deal 1 set card to a hand selected by player (player can have 2 hands).
• Split button will split player's hand if hand contains 2 identical cards (or same value cards), then each hand will got 1 more set card. Player can then continue to select an appropriate button in their turn.
• Double button will double player's bet, then deal exactly 1 card to player's selected hand, then flip hand(s) and calculate rewards (or fines).
• At any stage of the game, if player clicks "Surrender" button, the game will discontinue and calculate fines.
• If player wins, their win streak increments by 1, they will be rewarded with the house's bet and wager. If player looses, their win streak resets to "0", they will be fined with their bet and wager. Reward and wager is calculated basing on game rules.
• During the game, at any time, there is a game log available for players to review the actions that occured in the game (for both house and player).

While developing this application, working with Windows Forms is not the challenging part since I have prior experience in Java Swing and AWT so customizing the views programmatically is quite straightforward. In fact, the most difficult part is to write the algorithms for the machine to deal with the real players. To develop such complex algorithms while also ensuring the proper level of coupling of the source code, the design pattern I have implemented is Mediator Pattern. I also utilize object oriented programming with Interface and Inheritance to make a clear structure and maintain cohesion for the source code.

With Mediator Pattern, I have a Callback class, which will execute the required functions based on user interaction events. To make the program behave more like real game, I develop both synchronous and asynchronous callback functions to visualize machine round more human-like. The GameController class is also implemented with a design pattern called Front Controller so whenever an user-interaction event is sent to GameController from GameView, the GameController will displatch this event and send it to an appropriate Callback to handle the event.

Please have a look at the Class Diagram in the attachment section to understand the design of AutoJack. By completing this application, I have learnt a lot about Windows Forms in .NET framework. I can also review my knowledge in software design and practice to consolidate my programming skills with algorithms and data structure in OO-C#. Beside that, by reflecting the designs with UML disagrams, I have reviewed the essential concepts and stages in documentation.

The next step in this application, I will extend it with the feature that allows 2 players to play with each other. I have prior knowledge and skills in Socket programming and Multithreading in Java when doing university assignments. However, with this application being a real game, I need to do some researches to connect players over the network. I already have in mind some ideas of how to implement this feature. I will update it soon with another post.

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