c++artificial-intelligenceminimaxalpha-beta-pruning

Modular Connect4 game with minimax and alpha-beta pruning seg fault


I am working on makingthis connect 4 game to be modular with different grid sizes from 3x3 up to a 10x10 as well as a modular amount of winning "pucks". The program below works by passing 3 arguments which is the grid size (grid is square), the continuous amount of pucks needed to win, and who starts first (not implemented yet). So the command to run it would be connectM 6 5 1 for example.

On the code below you will see that attempt. The program works well when you use 4 as the second argument but anything above it and I am getting a segmentation fault around line 338 and I can't put my finger on it. Does anyone have any insight on something I am obviously doing wrong?

#include <stdio.h>
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
#include <limits.h>
#include <array>
#include <sstream>

#define min(a,b) (((a) < (b)) ? (a) : (b))
#define max(a,b) (((a) > (b)) ? (a) : (b))

using namespace std;

// function declarations
void printBoard(vector<vector<int> >&);
int userMove();
void makeMove(vector<vector<int> >&, int, unsigned int);
void errorMessage(int);
int aiMove();
vector<vector<int> > copyBoard(vector<vector<int> >);
bool winningMove(vector<vector<int> >&, unsigned int);
int scoreSet(vector<unsigned int>, unsigned int);
int tabScore(vector<vector<int> >, unsigned int);
array<int, 2> miniMax(vector<vector<int> >&, unsigned int, int, int, unsigned int);
int heurFunction(unsigned int, unsigned int, unsigned int);

// Avoid magic numbers
unsigned int NUM_COL = 7; // how wide is the board
unsigned int NUM_ROW = 7; // how tall
unsigned int PLAYER = 1; // player number
unsigned int COMPUTER = 2; // AI number
unsigned int MAX_DEPTH = 5; // the default "difficulty" of the computer controlled AI
unsigned int WINNING_PUCKS = 4; //Default winning pucks
unsigned int FIRST_PLAYER = 0;

bool gameOver = false; // flag for if game is over
unsigned int turns = 0; // count for # turns
unsigned int currentPlayer = PLAYER; // current player

vector<vector<int>> board(NUM_ROW, vector<int>(NUM_COL)); // the game board

/**
 * game playing function
 * loops between players while they take turns
 */
void playGame() {
    printBoard(board); // print initial board
    while (!gameOver) { // while no game over state
        if (currentPlayer == COMPUTER) { // AI move
            makeMove(board, aiMove(), COMPUTER);
        }
        else if (currentPlayer == PLAYER) { // player move
            makeMove(board, userMove(), PLAYER);
        }
        else if (turns == NUM_ROW * NUM_COL) { // if max number of turns reached
            gameOver = true;
        }
        gameOver = winningMove(board, currentPlayer); // check if player won
        currentPlayer = (currentPlayer == 1) ? 2 : 1; // switch player
        turns++; // iterate number of turns
        cout << endl;
        printBoard(board); // print board after successful move
    }
    if (turns == NUM_ROW * NUM_COL) { // if draw condition
        cout << "Draw!" << endl;
    }
    else { // otherwise, someone won
        cout << ((currentPlayer == PLAYER) ? "AI Wins!" : "Player Wins!") << endl;
    }
}

/**
 * function that makes the move for the player
 * @param b - the board to make move on
 * @param c - column to drop piece into
 * @param p - the current player
 */
void makeMove(vector<vector<int> >& b, int c, unsigned int p) {
    // start from bottom of board going up
    for (unsigned int r = 0; r < NUM_ROW; r++) {
        if (b[r][c] == 0) { // first available spot
            b[r][c] = p; // set piece
            break;
        }
    }
}

/**
 * prompts the user for their move
 * and ensures valid user input
 * @return the user chosen column
 */
int userMove() {
    int move = -1; // temporary
    while (true) { // repeat until proper input given
        cout << "Enter a column: ";
        cin >> move; // init move as input
        if (!cin) { // if non-integer
            cin.clear();
            cin.ignore(INT_MAX, '\n');
            errorMessage(1); // let user know
        }
        else if (!((unsigned int)move < NUM_COL && move >= 0)) { // if out of bounds
            errorMessage(2); // let user know
        }
        else if (board[NUM_ROW - 1][move] != 0) { // if full column
            errorMessage(3); // let user know
        }
        else { // if it gets here, input valid
            break;
        }
        cout << endl << endl;
    }
    return move;
}

/**
 * AI "think" algorithm
 * uses minimax to find ideal move
 * @return - the column number for best move
 */
int aiMove() {
    cout << "AI is thinking about a move..." << endl;
    return miniMax(board, MAX_DEPTH, 0 - INT_MAX, INT_MAX, COMPUTER)[1];
}

/**
 * Minimax implementation using alpha-beta pruning
 * @param b - the board to perform MM on
 * @param d - the current depth
 * @param alf - alpha
 * @param bet - beta
 * @param p - current player
 */
array<int, 2> miniMax(vector<vector<int> > &b, unsigned int d, int alf, int bet, unsigned int p) {
    /**
     * if we've reached minimal depth allowed by the program
     * we need to stop, so force it to return current values
     * since a move will never (theoretically) get this deep,
     * the column doesn't matter (-1) but we're more interested
     * in the score
     *
     * as well, we need to take into consideration how many moves
     * ie when the board is full
     */
    if (d == 0 || d >= (NUM_COL * NUM_ROW) - turns) {
        // get current score to return
        return array<int, 2>{tabScore(b, COMPUTER), -1};
    }
    if (p == COMPUTER) { // if AI player
        array<int, 2> moveSoFar = {INT_MIN, -1}; // since maximizing, we want lowest possible value
        if (winningMove(b, PLAYER)) { // if player about to win
            return moveSoFar; // force it to say it's worst possible score, so it knows to avoid move
        } // otherwise, business as usual
        for (unsigned int c = 0; c < NUM_COL; c++) { // for each possible move
            if (b[NUM_ROW - 1][c] == 0) { // but only if that column is non-full
                vector<vector<int> > newBoard = copyBoard(b); // make a copy of the board
                makeMove(newBoard, c, p); // try the move
                int score = miniMax(newBoard, d - 1, alf, bet, PLAYER)[0]; // find move based on that new board state
                if (score > moveSoFar[0]) { // if better score, replace it, and consider that best move (for now)
                    moveSoFar = {score, (int)c};
                }
                alf = max(alf, moveSoFar[0]);
                if (alf >= bet) { break; } // for pruning
            }
        }
        return moveSoFar; // return best possible move
    }
    else {
        array<int, 2> moveSoFar = {INT_MAX, -1}; // since PLAYER is minimized, we want moves that diminish this score
        if (winningMove(b, COMPUTER)) {
            return moveSoFar; // if about to win, report that move as best
        }
        for (unsigned int c = 0; c < NUM_COL; c++) {
            if (b[NUM_ROW - 1][c] == 0) {
                vector<vector<int> > newBoard = copyBoard(b);
                makeMove(newBoard, c, p);
                int score = miniMax(newBoard, d - 1, alf, bet, COMPUTER)[0];
                if (score < moveSoFar[0]) {
                    moveSoFar = {score, (int)c};
                }
                bet = min(bet, moveSoFar[0]);
                if (alf >= bet) { break; }
            }
        }
        return moveSoFar;
    }
}

/**
 * function to tabulate current board "value"
 * @param b - the board to evaluate
 * @param p - the player to check score of
 * @return - the board score
 */
int tabScore(vector<vector<int> > b, unsigned int p) {
    int score = 0;
    vector<unsigned int> rs(NUM_COL);
    vector<unsigned int> cs(NUM_ROW);
    vector<unsigned int> set(WINNING_PUCKS);
    /**
     * horizontal checks, we're looking for sequences of WINNING_PUCKS
     * containing any combination of AI, PLAYER, and empty pieces
     */
    for (unsigned int r = 0; r < NUM_ROW; r++) {
        for (unsigned int c = 0; c < NUM_COL; c++) {
            rs[c] = b[r][c]; // this is a distinct row alone
        }
        for (unsigned int c = 0; c < NUM_COL - (WINNING_PUCKS - 1); c++) {
            for (int i = 0; i < WINNING_PUCKS; i++) {
                set[i] = rs[c + i]; // for each possible "set" of WINNING_PUCKS spots from that row
            }
            score += scoreSet(set, p); // find score
        }
    }
    // vertical
    for (unsigned int c = 0; c < NUM_COL; c++) {
        for (unsigned int r = 0; r < NUM_ROW; r++) {
            cs[r] = b[r][c];
        }
        for (unsigned int r = 0; r < NUM_ROW - (WINNING_PUCKS - 1); r++) {
            for (int i = 0; i < WINNING_PUCKS; i++) {
                set[i] = cs[r + i];
            }
            score += scoreSet(set, p);
        }
    }
    // diagonals
    for (unsigned int r = 0; r < NUM_ROW - (WINNING_PUCKS - 1); r++) {
        for (unsigned int c = 0; c < NUM_COL; c++) {
            rs[c] = b[r][c];
        }
        for (unsigned int c = 0; c < NUM_COL - (WINNING_PUCKS - 1); c++) {
            for (int i = 0; i < WINNING_PUCKS; i++) {
                set[i] = b[r + i][c + i];
            }
            score += scoreSet(set, p);
        }
    }
    for (unsigned int r = 0; r < NUM_ROW - (WINNING_PUCKS - 1); r++) {
        for (unsigned int c = 0; c < NUM_COL; c++) {
            rs[c] = b[r][c];
        }
        for (unsigned int c = 0; c < NUM_COL - (WINNING_PUCKS - 1); c++) {
            for (int i = 0; i < WINNING_PUCKS; i++) {
                set[i] = b[r + WINNING_PUCKS - 1 - i][c + i];
            }
            score += scoreSet(set, p);
        }
    }
    return score;
}

/**
 * function to find the score of a set of WINNING_PUCKS spots
 * @param v - the row/column to check
 * @param p - the player to check against
 * @return - the score of the row/column
 */
int scoreSet(vector<unsigned int> v, unsigned int p) {
    unsigned int good = 0; // points in favor of p
    unsigned int bad = 0; // points against p
    unsigned int empty = 0; // neutral spots
    for (unsigned int i = 0; i < v.size(); i++) { // just enumerate how many of each
        good += (v[i] == p) ? 1 : 0;
        bad += (v[i] == PLAYER || v[i] == COMPUTER) ? 1 : 0;
        empty += (v[i] == 0) ? 1 : 0;
    }
    // bad was calculated as (bad + good), so remove good
    bad -= good;
    return heurFunction(good, bad, empty);
}

/**
 * """heuristic function"""
 * @param g - good points
 * @param b - bad points
 * @param z - empty spots
 * @return - the score as tabulated
 */
// int heurFunction(unsigned int g, unsigned int b, unsigned int z) {
//  int score = 0;
//  if (g == 4) { score += 500001; } // preference to go for winning move vs. block
//  else if (g == 3 && z == 1) { score += 5000; }
//  else if (g == 2 && z == 2) { score += 500; }
//  else if (b == 2 && z == 2) { score -= 501; } // preference to block
//  else if (b == 3 && z == 1) { score -= 5001; } // preference to block
//  else if (b == 4) { score -= 500000; }
//  return score;
// }

int heurFunction(unsigned int g, unsigned int b, unsigned int z) {
    int score = 0;
    if (g == WINNING_PUCKS) { score += 500001; } // preference to go for winning move vs. block
    else if (g > z) { score += 5000; }
    else if (g == z) { score += 500; }
    else if (b == z) { score -= 501; } // preference to block
    else if (b > z) { score -= 5001; } // preference to block
    else if (b == WINNING_PUCKS) { score -= 500000; }
    return score;
}

/**
 * function to determine if a winning move is made
 * @param b - the board to check
 * @param p - the player to check against
 * @return - whether that player can have a winning move
 */
bool winningMove(vector<vector<int> > &b, unsigned int p) {
    unsigned int winSequence = 0; // to count adjacent pieces
    // for horizontal checks
    for (unsigned int c = 0; c < NUM_COL - (WINNING_PUCKS - 1); c++) { // for each column
        for (unsigned int r = 0; r < NUM_ROW; r++) { // each row
            for (int i = 0; i < WINNING_PUCKS; i++) { // recall you need WINNING_PUCKS to win
                if ((unsigned int)b[r][c + i] == p) { // if not all pieces match
                    winSequence++; // add sequence count
                }
                if (winSequence == WINNING_PUCKS) { return true; } // if WINNING_PUCKS in row
            }
            winSequence = 0; // reset counter
        }
    }
    // vertical checks
    for (unsigned int c = 0; c < NUM_COL; c++) {
        for (unsigned int r = 0; r < NUM_ROW - (WINNING_PUCKS - 1); r++) {
            for (int i = 0; i < WINNING_PUCKS; i++) {
                if ((unsigned int)b[r + i][c] == p) {
                    winSequence++;
                }
                if (winSequence == WINNING_PUCKS) { return true; }
            }
            winSequence = 0;
        }
    }
    // the below two are diagonal checks
    for (unsigned int c = 0; c < NUM_COL - (WINNING_PUCKS - 1); c++) {
        for (unsigned int r = 3; r < NUM_ROW; r++) {
            for (int i = 0; i < WINNING_PUCKS; i++) {
                if ((unsigned int)b[r - i][c + i] == p) {
                    winSequence++;
                }
                if (winSequence == WINNING_PUCKS) { return true; }
            }
            winSequence = 0;
        }
    }
    for (unsigned int c = 0; c < NUM_COL - (WINNING_PUCKS - 1); c++) {
        for (unsigned int r = 0; r < NUM_ROW - (WINNING_PUCKS - 1); r++) {
            for (int i = 0; i < WINNING_PUCKS; i++) {
                if ((unsigned int)b[r + i][c + i] == p) {
                    winSequence++;
                }
                if (winSequence == WINNING_PUCKS) { return true; }
            }
            winSequence = 0;
        }
    }
    return false; // otherwise no winning move
}

/**
 * sets up the board to be filled with empty spaces
 * also used to reset the board to this state
 */
void initBoard() {
    for (unsigned int r = 0; r < NUM_ROW; r++) {
        for (unsigned int c = 0; c < NUM_COL; c++) {
            board[r][c] = 0; // make sure board is empty initially
        }
    }
}

/**
 * function to copy board state to another 2D vector
 * ie. make a duplicate board; used for mutating copies rather
 * than the original
 * @param b - the board to copy
 * @return - said copy
 */
vector<vector<int> > copyBoard(vector<vector<int> > b) {
    vector<vector<int>> newBoard(NUM_ROW, vector<int>(NUM_COL));
    for (unsigned int r = 0; r < NUM_ROW; r++) {
        for (unsigned int c = 0; c < NUM_COL; c++) {
            newBoard[r][c] = b[r][c]; // just straight copy
        }
    }
    return newBoard;
}

/**
 * prints the board to console out
 * @param b - the board to print
 */
void printBoard(vector<vector<int> > &b) {
    for (unsigned int i = 0; i < NUM_COL; i++) {
        cout << " " << i;
    }
    cout << endl << "---------------" << endl;
    for (unsigned int r = 0; r < NUM_ROW; r++) {
        for (unsigned int c = 0; c < NUM_COL; c++) {
            cout << "|";
            switch (b[NUM_ROW - r - 1][c]) {
            case 0: cout << " "; break; // no piece
            case 1: cout << "O"; break; // one player's piece
            case 2: cout << "X"; break; // other player's piece
            }
            if (c + 1 == NUM_COL) { cout << "|"; }
        }
        cout << endl;
    }
    cout << "---------------" << endl;
    cout << endl;
}

/**
 * handler for displaying error messages
 * @param t - the type of error to display
 */
void errorMessage(int t) {
    if (t == 1) { // non-int input
        cout << "Use a value 0.." << NUM_COL - 1 << endl;
    }
    else if (t == 2) { // out of bounds
        cout << "That is not a valid column." << endl;
    }
    else if (t == 3) { // full column
        cout << "That column is full." << endl;
    }
    cout << endl;
}

/**
 * main driver
 */
int main(int argc, char** argv) {
    // int i = -1; bool flag = false;
    // if (argc == 2) {
    //  istringstream in(argv[1]);
    //  if (!(in >> i)) { flag = true; }
    //  if (i > (int)(NUM_ROW * NUM_COL) || i <= -1) { flag = true; }
    //  if (flag) { cout << "Invalid command line argument, using default depth = 5." << endl; }
    //  else { MAX_DEPTH = i; }
    // }

    if(argc <= 1){
        cout << "No arguments fed. Terminating";
        return 0;
    }
    if(argc == 4){


        int gridSize = atoi(argv[1]);
        int diskAmount = atoi(argv[2]);
        bool firstTurn = (bool)argv[3];

        if(gridSize < 3 || gridSize > 10){
            cout << "Incorrect Grid size";
            return 0;
        }
        if(diskAmount < 1 || diskAmount > gridSize){
            cout << "Incorrect disk amount";
            return 0;
        }

        NUM_COL = gridSize;
        NUM_ROW = gridSize;
        WINNING_PUCKS = diskAmount;
        FIRST_PLAYER = firstTurn;
    }
    else{
        cout << "Incorrect amount of arguments. Terminating";
        return 0;
    }

    //cout << NUM_COL << endl << WINNING_PUCKS << endl << FIRST_PLAYER << endl;

    initBoard(); // initial setup
    playGame(); // begin the game
    
    return 0; // exit state
}

Solution

  • It looks to me that you didn't change one of the hard-coded values from your earlier version of the game. On line 336, you have

            for (unsigned int r = 3; r < NUM_ROW; r++) {
    

    This is only correct when WINNING_PUCKS is set to 4. The general case should be:

            for (unsigned int r = (WINNING_PUCKS - 1); r < NUM_ROW; r++) {
    

    Note that while this part should now work correctly, when I ran it, it still crashes when an end-game is reached with the error message:

    double free or corruption (out)
    Aborted (core dumped)
    

    I haven't determined what caused this yet.