Is anyone willing to help with my java programming homework?

I am supposed to write a simple NIM code at the end of the code where it says YOUR CODE GOES HERE. I tried to use return but my code won't compile at all.

A bit of info about the nim game if it's not familiaar to you : http://www.cut-the-knot.org/ctk/May2001.shtml

Here are the instructions :
Starting with this class, your job is to complete the following three methods:

· boolean validMove(int numSticks) – returns true if it is valid to take the specified number of sticks.

· boolean gameOver() – returns true if the game is over (i.e. there are no more sticks).

· String otherPlayer(String p) – returns the identifier of the other player. If p is “A”, this method returns “B”. If p is “B”, this method returns “A”.

The instance variable sticksLeft contains the number of sticks left in the pile.



Here is the code: (everything should be fine until the last couple of lines(


import java.util.Scanner;

/**
* <p>Original authors Namita Singla, Robert Cohen</p>
* <p>Modified by Bob Wilson, 08/19/2005</p>
*
* <p>The simple NIM game.<br>
* There are 21 sticks in the pile. On each move, each user take turns picking
* up 1, 2, or 3 sticks until there are no more sticks left.
* The one who picks up the last stick loses.</p>
*/

public class SimpleNIM {
private int sticksLeft = 21;
private String player = "B";

/**
* Plays the game
* @param args ignored
*/
public static void main(String[] args) {

// we can call a static method before/without instantiating an object
welcome();

// instantiate an object named pickUpSticks of class SimpleNIM
SimpleNIM pickUpSticks = new SimpleNIM();

// we can only call a non-static method via reference to an object name
pickUpSticks.start();
}

/**
* Displays the startup information banner.
*/
private static void welcome() {
System.out.println("WELCOME TO THE SIMPLE NIM GAME: 21 STICKS IN PILE");
}

/**
* Starts and runs the game
*/
public void start() {
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
do {
int picksticks = 0;
boolean goodEntry = false;
player = otherPlayer(player);
do {
System.out.print(
"Player " + player +
": How many sticks do want to pick? (1, 2, or 3) ");
picksticks = input.nextInt();
if (validMove(picksticks)) {
goodEntry = true;
}
else {
System.out.println(
sticksLeft - picksticks < 0
? "You can't pick "
+ picksticks
+ " sticks as only "
+ sticksLeft
+ " sticks left"
: "That's an illegal move. "
+ "Choose 1, 2, or 3 sticks.");
}
}
while (!goodEntry);

updateSticksLeft(picksticks);
System.out.println(
"Player "
+ player
+ " takes "
+ picksticks
+ ( (picksticks == 1) ? " stick, " : " sticks, ")
+ "leaving "
+ sticksLeft
+ '\n');
}
while (gameOver() != true);
System.out.println("Player " + otherPlayer(player) + " wins the game!");
}

/**
* Update the number of sticks left in pile.
* @param picksticks No. of sticks picked
*/
private void updateSticksLeft(int picksticks) {
sticksLeft = sticksLeft - picksticks;
}

/**
* Game Over?
* @return true if game is over.
*/
private boolean gameOver() {
// YOUR CODE GOES HERE

}

/**
* Returns the other player
* @param p The current player ("B" or "A")
* @return The other player ("A" or "B")
*/
private String otherPlayer(String p) {
// YOUR CODE GOES HERE

}

/**
* Valid move?
* @param numSticks The number of sticks picked
* @return true iff there are enough sticks left and numSticks is between 1 and 3
*/

private boolean validMove(int numSticks) {
// YOUR CODE GOES HERE

}
}

 

I would encourage you to have a go at writing the code yourself first, and then when you have made a good attempt yourself, post back and ask others what they think.

Simply asking people to do your homework for you when you haven't first made a serious attempt defeats the purpose of homework. Those who can do it here know they can already do it

 

You're right, but when you it's kind of hard to attempt it when you are totally clueless. I did find someone who was able to help me out. They didn't do it for me but they guided me through it and I did it. Thanks for replying.