Connect 4 AI Project

This project aims to create the game "Connect 4", adding an AI as the opponent using minimax as it's basis.

Made and tested with Python 3.9.6 in VSCode.

You can find the link to the GitHub repo here, if you found this project otherwise.

Usage

Make sure you have the entire project extracted from the .zip you downloaded it from before continuing.

In any python compiler, run the Connect4.py file.

Personal Analysis

AI flaws

• Will drop into a space that cannot under any circumstance become a four in a row
  • If there is a space of 1 in between two pieces (to make a straight of 2, going to 3), then it will drop it if it is the best move, even if there are no other means of making a straight (going above 3) on either side
  • Example: [X] [0] [ ] [0] [X]
• Sometimes will just let the player win???
  • I really have no idea with this one on why it is happening.
• The evaluation is quite poor, right now these are the steps it takes:
  • For each column, find the following score:
    • Connected pieces of the same type in each direction
    • Allows skipping on empty spaces, but not player spaces
    • Combines the common cartesian (left-right, left-top-right-bottom, etc.)
    • Return the best score
  • Return the best score of those columns

Performance

Minimax takes around 1 second at a depth of 5, and around 7 seconds at a depth of 6.

File details

Below are short descriptions of the purpose of each file in this project.

• README.md
  • What you are reading now :)
• Connect4.py
  • The main file to run the code from.
  • Purpose: To have a simple to look at overview of what steps the code is taking from a user perspective.
• BoardManip.py
  • Stores the information and definitions required to run the game. Specifically, stores the board object and functions related to manipulating and delegating the information on it.
  • Purpose: To separate the main bulk of the heavy lifting to clean and organize the code.
• PVector.py
  • A new object meant to store move data.
  • What is a move?
    • A move is defined by location and the token that was used on that move.
  • Purpose: To simplify the tracking process between depths of minimax.