C++ Mini Projects: Hangman Game

Guys, I'm back with another cool project—the Hangman game! This one is going to be pretty interesting, and I want to warn you beforehand that it's not one of the easiest in the series. However, since we have built many projects by now, we should be able to tackle this one as well. Just focus on the project, and if there's anything you're confused about, feel free to ask. Let's go!

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The Code to Build the Project

cpp
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <vector>
#include <cstdlib>
#include <ctime>
#include <algorithm>

using namespace std;

// Function to display the current state of the word
void displayWord(const string& word, const vector<bool>& guessed) {
    for (size_t i = 0; i < word.size(); ++i) {
        if (guessed[i]) {
            cout << word[i] << " ";
        } else {
            cout << "_ ";
        }
    }
    cout << endl;
}

// Function to check if the player has won
bool hasWon(const vector<bool>& guessed) {
    for (bool letterGuessed : guessed) {
        if (!letterGuessed) return false;
    }
    return true;
}

int main() {
    // List of words for the game
    vector<string> wordList = {"programming", "hangman", "cplusplus", "developer", "project"};

    // Randomly select a word from the list
    srand(static_cast<unsigned int>(time(0)));
    string word = wordList[rand() % wordList.size()];

    // Vector to track which letters have been guessed correctly
    vector<bool> guessed(word.size(), false);

    // Variables to track the game state
    int lives = 6; // Number of incorrect guesses allowed
    vector<char> incorrectGuesses; // Store incorrect guesses

    cout << "Welcome to Hangman!" << endl;

    // Main game loop
    while (lives > 0 && !hasWon(guessed)) {
        cout << "\nCurrent word: ";
        displayWord(word, guessed);

        cout << "Lives remaining: " << lives << endl;
        if (!incorrectGuesses.empty()) {
            cout << "Incorrect guesses: ";
            for (char c : incorrectGuesses) {
                cout << c << " ";
            }
            cout << endl;
        }

        // Get the player's guess
        char guess;
        cout << "Enter a letter: ";
        cin >> guess;

        // Check if the guess is correct
        bool found = false;
        for (size_t i = 0; i < word.size(); ++i) {
            if (tolower(word[i]) == tolower(guess)) {
                guessed[i] = true;
                found = true;
            }
        }

        // Handle incorrect guesses
        if (!found) {
            if (find(incorrectGuesses.begin(), incorrectGuesses.end(), guess) == incorrectGuesses.end()) {
                incorrectGuesses.push_back(guess);
                --lives;
            } else {
                cout << "You already guessed that letter!" << endl;
            }
        }
    }

    // End of the game
    if (hasWon(guessed)) {
        cout << "\nCongratulations! You guessed the word: " << word << endl;
    } else {
        cout << "\nGame over! The word was: " << word << endl;
    }

    return 0;
}

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Explanation

Header Files

• <iostream>: For input and output functions.
• <string>: For handling words used in guessing.
• <vector>: For tracking the guessed letters and storing incorrect guesses.
• <cstdlib> & <ctime>: For generating random numbers.

Selection of Words

• A list of words is stored in a vector<string>:

  cpp
  vector<string> wordList = {"programming", "hangman", "cplusplus", "developer", "project"};
  

• The rand() function is used to randomly select a word from this list.

Tracking the Game State

• vector<bool> guessed: A vector initialized with false values to track whether each letter of the word has been guessed correctly.
• lives: An integer to track the number of incorrect guesses allowed.
• vector<char> incorrectGuesses: A vector to store all incorrect guesses.

Displaying the Word

• The function displayWord prints the word with correctly guessed letters shown and unknown letters represented as underscores.

Checking for a Win

• The function hasWon returns true if all letters have been guessed correctly; otherwise, it returns false.

Main Game Loop

• The loop:

  cpp
  while (lives > 0 && !hasWon(guessed)) { ... }
  

  runs as long as the player has lives remaining and has not yet guessed the word.

Guess Processing

• Each guess is compared against every letter in the word. If a guess is correct, the corresponding position in guessed is updated; if not, the guess is added to incorrectGuesses and lives are decremented.
• Duplicate incorrect guesses are checked to prevent redundant penalties.

Game End

• After the loop, a message is displayed indicating whether the player won (guessed the word) or lost (ran out of lives).

• Replayability is ensured through random selection of words, dynamic display of underscores and correctly guessed letters, and tracking of wrong guesses.

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Additional Content

Real World Examples

Educational Games in Schools
Schools use the Hangman game to teach young children spelling and vocabulary skills. A digital version of this game can serve as an engaging and interactive educational tool.

Apps for Learning Languages
This game is often integrated into language learning apps. It helps users practice spelling and improve their vocabulary in a fun and engaging way.

Word and Puzzle Game Apps
Many web and mobile-based puzzle games incorporate Hangman-style systems to enhance user engagement and provide entertaining ways to learn new words.

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In-Depth Case Studies

Case Study 1: Enhancement of Classroom Learning
A high school teacher integrated a C++ based Hangman game into English vocabulary lessons. As a result, students started competing to guess words and improve their spelling. The randomized selection of words made the activity highly engaging.

Case Study 2: Development of a Word Game App
A small startup developed an app for language learning that integrated the Hangman game. Users had the option to choose different difficulty levels and categories such as history, technology, or science. This approach improved both retention and engagement among users.

Case Study 3: Cognitive Training for Seniors
A research team developed a Hangman game as part of a cognitive training project for seniors. The game helped maintain mental agility by challenging participants' memory and word-recognition skills.

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Problem Solving Approaches

Handling Big Lists of Words Efficiently
Rather than hardcoding the words, using databases or external files can provide a larger variety of vocabulary, making the game more scalable.

Improving Search Functionality
Optimized search algorithms, such as trie-based word lookups, can extend the game's features—for example, by suggesting words from a dictionary.

Using Graphics for Enhanced User Experience
Incorporating graphical elements with libraries like SDL or SFML can make the Hangman game more engaging by visually representing the hangman figure and other game elements.

Multiplayer Mode
The game can be extended to support two players, where one player enters a word and the other guesses it. This feature would improve interactivity and add a social element to the game.

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I hope you enjoyed this project. See you next time with another cool C++ mini project!