CS 391 Selected Topics: Game AI Homework #1

Note: This work is to be done in assigned groups of 2.  Each group will email and demonstrate one assignment.  Although you may divide the work, both team members should be able to present/describe their partner's work upon request. 

Square Peg Solitaire Puzzle

Given:

• Initial state: A 4-by-4 grid filled with pegs except for one initial empty grid position
• Actions: Horizontal and vertical jump removals of pegs.  If a peg may jump over a single orthogonally (i.e. horizontally or vertically) adjacent peg into an empty space beyond, the peg jumped over is removed.
• Goal state: Any 4-by-4 grid with a single peg remaining.

Question:

• Which empty grid positions will yield an initial state that is solvable?  That is, for which initial states can we find a sequence of actions (jumps) leading to a goal state?

Deliverable:

• README file containing
  • Honor Pledge, student names, and respective ID numbers
  • Description of submitted files along with instructions for how they would be used to answer the above question
  • The answer to the question above
• All Java files necessary to demonstrate the answer to the above question
• An emailed .zip file containing the above items
• An in-person demonstration of the above software before the due date.  This may be during office hours or during an alternative meeting time scheduled in advance.