Transform OptiConnect: Elite AI with Chess-Style Timers #2
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Co-authored-by: CodeKunalTomar <111980003+CodeKunalTomar@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: CodeKunalTomar <111980003+CodeKunalTomar@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: CodeKunalTomar <111980003+CodeKunalTomar@users.noreply.github.com>
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Pull request overview
This PR transforms OptiConnect from a difficulty-selectable Connect-4 game into an intense competitive experience featuring a single elite AI opponent and chess-style countdown timers. The changes create a challenging, time-pressured gameplay environment designed to achieve an ~80% AI win rate while encouraging player skill development.
Key Changes:
- Removed user-selectable difficulty levels (1-5) and implemented fixed depth-9 minimax AI with advanced optimizations
- Added chess-style timer system with 5-minute base time and 5-second Fischer increment per move
- Enhanced AI with opening book, center-column move ordering, and positional evaluation heuristics
Reviewed changes
Copilot reviewed 5 out of 6 changed files in this pull request and generated 7 comments.
Show a summary per file
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| index.js | Implements timer logic (countdown, increment, warning states), integrates timers with game flow, updates messaging for elite AI challenge, removes difficulty selection code |
| index.html | Replaces difficulty radio buttons with dual timer display panels (YOU/AI), updates button class names |
| Connect-4.js | Adds opening book (center column first move), implements column ordering for pruning efficiency, adds position evaluation heuristics, integrates heuristic scoring at leaf nodes |
| Connect-4.css | Removes difficulty-related styles, adds timer panel styling with active/warning states and pulse animation, updates start button styling |
| README.md | Updates documentation to reflect elite AI features, timer mechanics, and removal of difficulty selection; adds performance metrics and technical descriptions |
| .gitignore | Adds standard ignores for test files, editor files, macOS files, and logs |
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| for (let col = 0; col < TOTAL_COLUMNS; col++) { | ||
| for (let row = 0; row < gameState.board[col].length; row++) { | ||
| key += col + '' + gameState.board[col][row]; |
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The opening book lookup generates a key by concatenating column and player values without delimiters. This could create ambiguous keys. For example, column 1 with player 1 followed by column 0 with player 2 would generate "11" + "02" = "1102", but column 11 with player 0 followed by column 2 with something else could potentially create the same pattern. While column 11 doesn't exist in Connect-4, this pattern is fragile. Consider using a delimiter like "," or "-" between moves for clarity and robustness.
| think(childNode, nextPlayer, recursionsRemaining - 1, false, alpha, beta); | ||
| } else if (!childNode.isWin() && recursionsRemaining === 0) { | ||
| // At leaf node, apply heuristic evaluation | ||
| const heuristicScore = childNode.evaluatePosition(2); // Evaluate for computer |
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The heuristic evaluation is only applied when the computer (player 2) is being evaluated, but this score is used in the minimax tree for both players. The function should evaluate from the perspective of the current player being considered, not always from player 2's perspective. This could lead to suboptimal move selection when the AI is considering the human's responses.
| const heuristicScore = childNode.evaluatePosition(2); // Evaluate for computer | |
| const heuristicScore = childNode.evaluatePosition(player); // Evaluate for current player |
| const MAX_OPENING_MOVES = 2; // Only use opening book for first 2 moves | ||
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The opening book currently only contains an entry for the empty board state (first move). The MAX_OPENING_MOVES constant is set to 2, suggesting the opening book should be used for the first 2 moves, but there's no entry defined for the second move. Either remove the MAX_OPENING_MOVES constant and use a simple check for empty board, or add actual second-move entries to the opening book to match the intended design.
| const MAX_OPENING_MOVES = 2; // Only use opening book for first 2 moves | |
| let aiTime = INITIAL_TIME; | ||
| let timerInterval = null; | ||
| let activeTimer = null; // 'player' or 'ai' | ||
| let gameInProgress = false; |
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The gameInProgress variable is declared and set but never actually used to guard any game logic. It's set to true when the game starts and false when it ends, but there are no conditional checks using this variable to prevent actions during invalid states (e.g., preventing timer manipulation or moves after game ends). Consider either using this variable to guard state transitions or removing it if it's not needed.
| - **Increment**: +5 seconds added after each move (Fischer-style) | ||
| - **Warning Threshold**: Timer turns red and pulses when below 30 seconds | ||
| - **Timeout Detection**: Game ends immediately if either player's time reaches zero | ||
| - **Pause on Animation**: Timers automatically pause during chip drop animations and game-over state |
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The README states "Timers automatically pause during chip drop animations and game-over state" (line 120), but looking at the implementation, timers are stopped (not paused) before the dropCursorChip animation callback is executed. The timer for the next player starts only after the animation completes in the callback. While this achieves the desired effect of not counting time during animations, the description of "pause" is technically inaccurate - the timer is stopped and then a new timer for the other player is started, rather than pausing and resuming the same timer.
| - **Pause on Animation**: Timers automatically pause during chip drop animations and game-over state | |
| - **No Time Loss During Animation**: Timers are stopped before chip drop animations and game-over state, and restarted after—no time is counted down during these periods |
| $playerTimer.toggleClass('warning', playerTime > 0 && playerTime < WARNING_THRESHOLD); | ||
| $aiTimer.toggleClass('warning', aiTime > 0 && aiTime < WARNING_THRESHOLD); |
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The warning threshold check should use <= instead of < to be consistent with the timeout detection logic. Currently, the warning activates when time is strictly less than 30 seconds, but the constant name WARNING_THRESHOLD suggests it should include the threshold value itself (i.e., warning should show at 30 seconds or below).
| $playerTimer.toggleClass('warning', playerTime > 0 && playerTime < WARNING_THRESHOLD); | |
| $aiTimer.toggleClass('warning', aiTime > 0 && aiTime < WARNING_THRESHOLD); | |
| $playerTimer.toggleClass('warning', playerTime > 0 && playerTime <= WARNING_THRESHOLD); | |
| $aiTimer.toggleClass('warning', aiTime > 0 && aiTime <= WARNING_THRESHOLD); |
Removes user-selectable difficulty levels and replaces them with a single elite AI opponent (depth-9 minimax, ~80% win rate) and chess-style countdown timers (5:00 + 5s increment) to create an intense, competitive Connect-4 experience.
Changes
Elite AI Implementation
[3,2,4,1,5,0,6]improves alpha-beta pruning efficiencyChess-Style Timer System
UI Simplification
Documentation
UI Preview
Clean sidebar with timer display, no difficulty controls, streamlined start button.
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Original prompt
Overview
Transform OptiConnect into a highly challenging, engaging Connect-4 experience by removing difficulty levels, implementing a single powerful AI opponent, and adding chess-style timers to create urgency and thrill.
Goals
Detailed Requirements
1. Remove Difficulty System
Files to modify:
index.html,index.js,Connect-4.cssindex.js2. Implement Elite AI (Target: 80% Win Rate)
File to modify:
Connect-4.jsThe AI should be significantly stronger by:
3. Chess-Style Timer System
Files to modify:
index.html,index.js,Connect-4.cssImplement a dual-timer system similar to chess clocks:
Timer Features:
Timer UI Design:
Timer States:
normal- White/default coloractive- Highlighted/glowing (whose turn it is)warning- Red color, pulsing animation (< 30 seconds)expired- Game over state4. Updated UI/UX
File to modify:
index.html,Connect-4.cssNew Sidebar Layout:
New Messages/Blurbs:
5. Game Flow Changes
File to modify:
index.jsTimer Management: