Fixing the Rock, Paper, Scissors Game: A Simple JavaScript Guide

Learn how to troubleshoot and improve your JavaScript `Rock, Paper, Scissors` game with this clear, step-by-step guide!
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Fixing the Rock, Paper, Scissors Game: A Simple JavaScript Guide

Creating a simple game like Rock, Paper, Scissors can be a fun project for new JavaScript developers. However, as with any coding endeavor, you may run into issues that can be frustrating, especially when it seems that the game isn't functioning correctly. In this post, we'll explore a common problem encountered by many beginners and provide solutions to ensure your game runs smoothly.

The Problem

Recently, a developer encountered issues with their Rock, Paper, Scissors game where the results didn't always match expected outcomes. The game uses conditional statements to determine the winner, but inconsistencies in results led to confusion and frustration. Here’s a brief overview of the symptoms they experienced:

The game would sometimes declare a tie when it shouldn't, and vice versa.

Incorrect outputs were generated for various combinations, leading to confusion about the underlying logic.

Understanding the Code

The developer’s implementation included two main functions: getComputerChoice and checkWinner. Let’s break down what each of these functions does:

1. getComputerChoice

This function randomly selects one option from the choices: Rock, Paper, or Scissors:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

2. checkWinner

This function determines the outcome based on the inputs from the computer and the player:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

The Solution

The key issue in the developer's code stemmed from how the computer's choice was being handled. When the getComputerChoice function was called multiple times, it generated a new random choice instead of maintaining the initial selection for comparison. Here’s how to resolve it:

Step 1: Retain Computer's Choice

To fix mismatched results, you need to store the computer's choice and use it for both comparisons and logging:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 2: Simplify the Winner Check

You can streamline the winner-checking logic even further. Instead of checking for each individual case, you can use a more efficient approach:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Final Thoughts

By retaining the computer's initial choice and simplifying conditional checks, the developer can ensure the Rock, Paper, Scissors game operates correctly and efficiently. Implementing these improvements will lead to consistent and reliable results every time the game is played.

With just a few adjustments, your game can go from flawed to flawless! Always remember to test your code thoroughly to catch any potential issues before deploying your program or sharing it with others.

Happy coding!