Visuals.md

Visuals

This page describes the visual outputs of MicroChess, which displays the chess board and game state in two ways: an 8x8 LED strip (using the FastLED library) and the Arduino Serial Monitor. These visualizations, implemented in led_strip.cpp and MicroChess.ino, enhance user interaction and make the game accessible on resource-constrained Arduino boards (less than 2K RAM).

Overview

MicroChess provides two primary methods to visualize the game:

• LED Strip: An 8x8 grid of LEDs displays the chess board, with pieces represented by colors.
• Serial Console: The Arduino Serial Monitor prints the board as text, along with move history and prompts for user input. These outputs reflect the current board state and update in real-time as moves are made, either by the engine or the user.

LED Strip Display

The LED strip display is managed by led_strip.cpp, using the FastLED library to control an 8x8 matrix of LEDs (e.g., WS2812B LEDs).

Features

• Board Representation:
  • The 8x8 grid corresponds to the chess board (a1 to h8).
  • Each square’s LED shows a piece’s presence, type, and color using distinct colors.
• Color Mapping:
  • White pieces: Light colors (e.g., white for king, light blue for pawns).
  • Black pieces: Darker colors (e.g., red for king, dark green for pawns).
  • Empty squares: Off or a neutral color (e.g., dim gray).
  • Exact colors are defined in led_strip.cpp and depend on the LED hardware.
• Real-Time Updates:
  • The display refreshes after each move, reflecting the updated board_t state.
  • Smooth transitions ensure a visually appealing experience.

Setup

• Requires an 8x8 LED matrix or strip connected to the Arduino (e.g., data pin 6).
• The FastLED library must be installed (see Installation).
• Configuration details (e.g., pin number, LED type) are in led_strip.cpp.

Visual Demo

• See MicroChessSmall.gif for a demonstration of the LED strip displaying the board during a game.

Serial Console Output

The Serial Monitor output is handled by MicroChess.ino, printing the board and game information as text.

Features

• Board Display:
  • Prints an 8x8 grid representing the board, with ranks (1-8) and files (a-h).
  • Pieces are shown as letters:
    • White: Uppercase (e.g., P=pawn, N=knight, B=bishop, R=rook, Q=queen, K=king).
    • Black: Lowercase (e.g., p=pawn, n=knight).
    • Empty squares: Dots (.).
  • Example:

    r n b q k b n r
    p p p p p p p p
    . . . . . . . .
    . . . . . . . .
    . . . . . . . .
    . . . . . . . .
    P P P P P P P P
    R N B Q K B N R
    

• Move History:
  • Displays each move in algebraic notation (e.g., "e2e4", "g8f6").
  • Shows whose turn it is (e.g., "Enter move for White:").
• Prompts and Feedback:
  • Prompts for user input in interactive mode.
  • Reports errors (e.g., "Illegal move") for invalid inputs.
• Game State:
  • Indicates check, checkmate, stalemate, or draw when applicable.

Setup

• Open the Serial Monitor in the Arduino IDE (Tools > Serial Monitor, baud rate: 9600).
• No additional hardware is required beyond the Arduino and USB connection.

Visual Demo

• See MicroChessConsole2.gif for a demonstration of the Serial Monitor output, showing the board and move interactions.

Integration with Other Components

The visual outputs rely on:

• Board Representation (board.h/cpp): Provides the board_t state to map pieces to LEDs or text.
• Game Logic (game.h/cpp): Triggers updates after each move or game state change.
• Move Generation (move.h/cpp): Supplies move data for display in the Serial Monitor.
• Search Algorithm (MicroChess.ino): Determines moves that are visualized.

Usage

• LED Strip: Automatically displays the board when the Arduino is powered on, if connected. No user action is needed unless customizing colors in led_strip.cpp.
• Serial Monitor: Open the Serial Monitor to view the board and interact with the game (see Usage for details on entering moves).

Troubleshooting

• LED Strip Not Displaying:
  • Verify the FastLED library is installed and the LED matrix is connected correctly.
  • Check led_strip.cpp for correct pin and LED type settings.
• Serial Monitor Blank:
  • Ensure the baud rate is 9600 and the correct port is selected.
  • Confirm the Arduino is powered and the sketch is uploaded.

Next Steps

• Explore Options to customize display settings (e.g., verbosity).
• See Usage for interacting with the visual outputs.
• Check Code Structure for an overview of all files.

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