Code Optimization: for algorithm for determine if user can move

[kailinc]

I hate the current algorithm for checking if user can move in the game just because I am using 4 for loops and 3 functions.

Current Approach:
The current approach is to use this.canMove which calls upon this.canHorMove and this.canVerMove to determine if you can move.

this.canHorMove
First checks if there is a 0 in the sub array, return true because there is space for a new block to render. Then it loops through another level to check if there is an adj block to the right with a matching pair. It uses a helper function getValue() that gets the value of the block.

this.canVerMove
Loops through 2 levels to check if there is an adj block to the bottom with a matching pair. It uses a helper function getValue() that gets the value of the block.

Pros:

• it works
• readable
• easy to understand

Cons:

• too many lines of code
• 4 for loops (not a problem for going through a small scale data structure like this, but would be a problem for a more complex data structure with more entities.

this.map = [ 
      [ 0,0,0,0],
      [ 0,0,0,0],
      [ 0,0,0,0],
      [ 0,0,0,0]
]

This.map contains the id of the block.

const getValue = function (board, id) {
  if (id) {
    return  id !== 0 ? board.blocks[id].value : 0
  } else {
    return 0
  }
}

GameObj.prototype.canMove = function () {
  return this.canHorMove() || this.canVerMove()
}

// check if there are 0 in the row , if (y) return true
// check if there is a adj horizontal matchable block, (Y) return true
GameObj.prototype.canHorMove = function () {
  let board = this.map
  for (let r = 0; r < board.length; r++) {
    if (board[r].includes(0)) {
      return true
    }
    for (let c = 0; c < board.length - 1; c++) {
      if (getValue(this, board[r][c]) === getValue(this, board[r][c + 1])) {
        return true
      }
    }
  }
  return false
}

// check if there is a adj vertical matchable block, (Y) return true
GameObj.prototype.canVerMove = function () {
  let board = this.map
  for (let r = 0; r < board.length - 1; r++) {
    for (let c = 0; c < board.length; c++) {
      if (getValue(this, board[r][c]) === getValue(this, board[r + 1][c])) {
        return true
      }
    }
  }
  return false
}