Connections (Fundies 2 Project)

This project is a Java implementation of the Connections word game, inspired by the New York Times Connections puzzle.

It was built for Fundamentals of Computer Science II (Fundies 2) using the Big-Bang (impworld) library, the World Images library, and the Tester library for interactive programming and testing.

The design follows the functional programming style (no object-oriented classes beyond the required World), relying on immutable world states, event handlers, and rendering functions.

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🎮 Gameplay

• The game begins with 16 words arranged in a 4x4 grid.
• The goal is to group the words into 4 categories of 4 words each.
• Gameplay is the same as the New York Times version:
  • Select words you think belong together.
  • If your selection is correct (a full group of 4), the group is locked in.
  • Too many incorrect guesses, and you lose.
• The game ends when:
  • You find all 4 correct groups (win 🎉), or
  • You run out of allowed mistakes (game over ❌).

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🛠️ How It Works

This program is written in Fundies 2 functional style using the following libraries:

• javalib.impworld.* – Provides the World and big-bang loop for interactive programs.
• javalib.worldimages.* – Provides shapes and text rendering (e.g., RectangleImage, TextImage, OverlayImage).
• tester.* – For writing unit tests and verifying world transitions.
• java.awt.Color – Standard color constants and custom RGB values.
• java.util.* – ArrayList, Arrays, and Random for managing word sets and shuffling.

Core components:

• World state – stores the list of words, selected words, solved groups, and mistake count.
• onMouseClicked – handles selecting/deselecting words.
• onTick (optional, if used) – handles animations or timers.
• makeScene – renders the current state (grid of words, mistakes left, solved categories).
• end condition – checks whether the player has won or lost.

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▶️ Running the Game

1. Ensure you have the Fundies 2 libraries installed:

   • tester
   • javalib (impworld + worldimages)

2. Compile the file:

   javac Connections.java