Treasure Hunt Game MATLAB

I am creating a MATLAB game for my school project. The goal of the game is to create a 'Treasure Hunt Game' that asks the user to input the number of players, the difficult (easy, medium, or hard), and asks the user(s) to pick spots on a matrix until the correct spot is chosen, therefore winning the game. If a player misses the spot, the command window doesn't show how far away the treasure is, but what direction it is in relation to the previously entered guess. At the start of the game, there is 1000 gold. Every time a player chooses a spot and misses, the game takes away 200 gold from the 'treasure' and the gold that is left is what you win when guessed correctly.

Here's the problem. I cannot figure out how to input the option for 2 players, 3 players, and 4 players. I have already created the code for single player with 3 difficulties, but I am totally clueless as to how to insert that option for the 2,3, and 4 players.

The code should ask for player 1 first, have them guess, then ask for player 2, have them guess, and so forth.

Here is my code so far. I know it can be shortened, but this is the way that best makes sense to me. If you have any suggestions as to how to implement this, that would be great!

Thank you!!!

%% Treasure Hunt Game
START=input('Would you like to play the Treasure Hunt Game? (1 for YES, 2 for NO)');
if START==1;
    fprintf('\n')
    fprintf('Welcome to Treasure Hunt!\n');
    fprintf('\n')
    PLAYERS=input('Enter number of players:');
    fprintf('\n')
    if PLAYERS==1 %%START OF EASY SETTING WITH ONE PLAYER
        fprintf('What difficulty would you like to play on? (1 for Easy, 2 for Medium, or 3 for Hard)');
        fprintf('\n')
        MODE=input('Enter difficulty mode:');
        if MODE==1
            EZMAP=zeros(5,5);
            mat=zeros(5,5);
            fprintf('Treasure Map');
            GROW=randi(5)
            GCOLUMN=randi(5);
            mat(GROW,GCOLUMN)=1;
            disp(EZMAP)
            GUESSROW=input('Guess the row:');
            fprintf('\n');
            GUESSCOLUMN=input('Guess the column:');
            fprintf('\n');
            GUESS=mat(GUESSROW,GUESSCOLUMN);
            gold=0;
            while GUESS~=1
                GUESS=mat(GUESSROW,GUESSCOLUMN);
                gold=gold+200;
                points=0;
                if GUESS==1
                    points=points+goldp;
                    fprintf('Congratulations! You have found the hidden treasure! You have earned %.f pieces of gold!\n',points);
                    break
                elseif GUESS~=1
                    goldp=1000-gold;
                    fprintf('There are now %.f pieces of gold left. Hurry before it runs out!\n',goldp);
                    if GUESSROW>GROW
                        UP='North';
                        if GUESSCOLUMN>GCOLUMN
                            RIGHT='East';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s%s from your previously guessed spot.\n',UP,RIGHT);
                        elseif GUESSCOLUMN<GCOLUMN
                            LEFT='West';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s%s from your previously guessed spot.\n',UP,LEFT);
                        else
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s from your previously guessed spot.\n',UP);
                        end
                    elseif GUESSROW<GROW
                        DOWN='South';
                        if GUESSCOLUMN>GCOLUMN
                            RIGHT='East';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s%s from your previously guessed spot.\n',DOWN,RIGHT);
                        elseif GUESSCOLUMN<GCOLUMN
                            LEFT='West';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s%s from your previously guessed spot.\n',DOWN,LEFT);
                        else
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s from your previously guessed spot.\n',DOWN);
                        end
                    else
                        if GUESSCOLUMN<GCOLUMN
                            LEFT='West';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s from your previously guessed spot.\n',LEFT);
                        elseif GUESSCOLUMN>GCOLUMN
                            RIGHT='East';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s from your previously guessed spot.\n',RIGHT);
                        end
                    end
                    GUESSROW=input('Guess the row');
                    GUESSCOLUMN=input('Guess the column');
                end
                if goldp==1200;
                    fprintf('Unfortunately you took too long to find the treasure. You lose:(');
                    break
                end
            end
        end %%END OF EASY SETTING WITH ONE PLAYER
        if MODE==2 %%START OF MEDIUM SETTING WITH ONE PLAYER
            MMAP=zeros(10,10);
            mat=zeros(10,10);
            fprintf('Treasure Map');
            GROW=randi(10)
            GCOLUMN=randi(10);
            mat(GROW,GCOLUMN)=1;
            disp(EZMAP)
            GUESSROW=input('Guess the row:');
            fprintf('\n');
            GUESSCOLUMN=input('Guess the column:');
            fprintf('\n');
            GUESS=mat(GUESSROW,GUESSCOLUMN);
            gold=0;
            while GUESS~=1
                GUESS=mat(GUESSROW,GUESSCOLUMN);
                gold=gold+200;
                points=0;
                if GUESS==1
                    points=points+goldp;
                    fprintf('Congratulations! You have found the hidden treasure! You have earned %.f pieces of gold!\n',points);
                    break
                elseif GUESS~=1
                    goldp=1000-gold;
                    fprintf('There are now %.f pieces of gold left. Hurry before it runs out!\n',goldp);
                    if GUESSROW>GROW
                        UP='North';
                        if GUESSCOLUMN>GCOLUMN
                            RIGHT='East';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s%s from your previously guessed spot.\n',UP,RIGHT);
                        elseif GUESSCOLUMN<GCOLUMN
                            LEFT='West';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s%s from your previously guessed spot.\n',UP,LEFT);
                        else
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s from your previously guessed spot.\n',UP);
                        end
                    elseif GUESSROW<GROW
                        DOWN='South';
                        if GUESSCOLUMN>GCOLUMN
                            RIGHT='East';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s%s from your previously guessed spot.\n',DOWN,RIGHT);
                        elseif GUESSCOLUMN<GCOLUMN
                            LEFT='West';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s%s from your previously guessed spot.\n',DOWN,LEFT);
                        else
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s from your previously guessed spot.\n',DOWN);
                        end
                    else
                        if GUESSCOLUMN<GCOLUMN
                            LEFT='West';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s from your previously guessed spot.\n',LEFT);
                        elseif GUESSCOLUMN>GCOLUMN
                            RIGHT='East';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s from your previously guessed spot.\n',RIGHT);
                        end
                    end
                    GUESSROW=input('Guess the row');
                    GUESSCOLUMN=input('Guess the column');
                end
                if goldp==1200;
                    fprintf('Unfortunately you took too long to find the treasure. You lose:(');
                    break
                end
            end
        end    %%END OF MEDIUM SETTING WITH ONE PLAYER
         if MODE==3 %%START OF HARD SETTING WITH ONE PLAYER
            HMAP=zeros(15,15);
            mat=zeros(15,15);
            fprintf('TREASURE MAP');
            GROW=randi(15)
            GCOLUMN=randi(15);
            mat(GROW,GCOLUMN)=1;
            disp(EZMAP)
            GUESSROW=input('Guess the row:');
            fprintf('\n');
            GUESSCOLUMN=input('Guess the column:');
            fprintf('\n');
            GUESS=mat(GUESSROW,GUESSCOLUMN);
            gold=0;
            while GUESS~=1
                GUESS=mat(GUESSROW,GUESSCOLUMN);
                gold=gold+200;
                points=0;
                if GUESS==1
                    points=points+goldp;
                    fprintf('Congratulations! You have found the hidden treasure! You have earned %.f pieces of gold!\n',points);
                    break
                elseif GUESS~=1
                    goldp=1000-gold;
                    fprintf('There are now %.f pieces of gold left. Hurry before it runs out!\n',goldp);
                    if GUESSROW>GROW
                        UP='North';
                        if GUESSCOLUMN>GCOLUMN
                            RIGHT='East';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s%s from your previously guessed spot.\n',UP,RIGHT);
                        elseif GUESSCOLUMN<GCOLUMN
                            LEFT='West';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s%s from your previously guessed spot.\n',UP,LEFT);
                        else
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s from your previously guessed spot.\n',UP);
                        end
                    elseif GUESSROW<GROW
                        DOWN='South';
                        if GUESSCOLUMN>GCOLUMN
                            RIGHT='East';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s%s from your previously guessed spot.\n',DOWN,RIGHT);
                        elseif GUESSCOLUMN<GCOLUMN
                            LEFT='West';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s%s from your previously guessed spot.\n',DOWN,LEFT);
                        else
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s from your previously guessed spot.\n',DOWN);
                        end
                    else
                        if GUESSCOLUMN<GCOLUMN
                            LEFT='West';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s from your previously guessed spot.\n',LEFT);
                        elseif GUESSCOLUMN>GCOLUMN
                            RIGHT='East';
                            fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s from your previously guessed spot.\n',RIGHT);
                        end
                    end
                    GUESSROW=input('Guess the row');
                    GUESSCOLUMN=input('Guess the column');
                end
                if goldp==1200;
                    fprintf('Unfortunately you took too long to find the treasure. You lose:(');
                    break
                end
            end
         end %%END OF HARD SETTING WITH ONE PLAYER

[Rik]

This time I edited your question for you. Next time, please use the tools explained on this page to make your question more readable.

Should de players search for the same treasure, or do they essentially play their own game?

And is the only difference between the dificulties the size of the map? If so, you should use that as a parameter, instead of copy-pasting code.

[Chase Dierkers]

Sorry about that! WIll definitely do that next time.

As for what the players are searching for, the players are all searching for their own treasure meaning that each player is essentially playing their own game.

As for the difference between difficulties, yes, the only difference is the size of the map. If I was to set it up as a parameter, how would I accomplish that?

Once again, thank you so much!

[Image Analyst]

I would not ask them if they want to play. That is just an extra unneeded step. If they didn't want to play, they would not have started the program. And I find the choice of capitals or lower case confusing. I just use camelCase for all variables/parameters. Like numberOfPlayers instead of PLAYERS. Since RIGHT, etc. are constants, you can assign them before the while loops instead of inside the loops. And since gold is an integer, you should use %d in fprintf() instead of %.f.

[Chase Dierkers]

Unfortunately, asking the player if they want to play is part of the project.

As for the other suggestions, thank you. I will take those into account and apply it to my code.

Answer 1

[Rik]

I would propose a different tactic: use the map itself to keep track of the remaining gold. Your current method is fairly confusing and has the implicit encoding of both the starting gold and the penalty in several places.

I don't know if I made the code too explicit. I tried to leave as much spot open for you to fill in as I could, while showing how you could restructure your code to make it less repeating, more compact, and more configurable.

%% Treasure Hunt Game
clc
StartingGold=2000;
PenaltyPerGuess=200;
SizeByDifficulty=[5 10 15];

PlayGame=input('Would you like to play the Treasure Hunt Game? (1 for YES, 2 for NO)');
if PlayGame~=1
    return
end
fprintf('\nWelcome to Treasure Hunt!\n\n');
NumberOfPlayers=input('Enter number of players:');
for player=1:NumberOfPlayers
    fprintf('\nWelcome Player %d\n',player)
    
    %You could allow a scale here: 'on a scale from 1 (easy) to N (hard)' (don't forget to round
    %the input of the user, they might try 2.5). Then you can edit the SizeByDifficulty variable to
    %add or remove difficulty levels.
    ___
    difficulty=input('Enter difficulty mode:');
    
    sz=size_by_difficulty(difficulty);
    mat=zeros(sz,sz);
    mat(randi(end))=StartingGold+PenaltyPerGuess;% (end is replaced by numel(mat) internally)
    while true
        mat=mat-PenaltyPerGuess;
        GoldRemaining=___
        if GoldRemaining>0
            fprintf('There are %d pieces of gold remaining.\n',GoldRemaining)
        else
            fprintf('Unfortunately you took too long to find the treasure. You lose :(\n');
            break
        end
        
        %get the guess
        ____
        
        GoldAtLocation=mat(GuessRow,GuessCol);
        if GoldAtLocation>0
            fprintf('Congratulations! You have found the hidden treasure! You have earned %d pieces of gold!\n',...
                GoldAtLocation);
            break
        end
        
        %find 'North'/'South'/'' (empty for the case where the column is already correct)
        ____
        
        %find 'East'/'West'/'' (empty for the case where the row is already correct)
        ____
        
        %you could get fance here and test if both are non-empty, in which case you could add a
        %dash (i.e. North-East)
        direction=sprintf('%s%s',NorthSouth,EastWest);
        
        %print in one go
        fprintf('Incorrect spot. Please try again. The treasure lies %s from your previously guessed spot.\n',...
            direction);
    end
end