DuoScore: A Digital Scoreboard with LCD Display for Two-Player Games

1/*
2 * **DuoScore: A Digital Scoreboard with LCD Display for Two-Player Games**
3 * 
4 * This project implements a versatile digital scoreboard using an LCD display, designed to track scores for any two-player game.
5 * 
6 * **Features:**
7 * - **Player Switching**: Allows toggling between two players with a dedicated button.
8 * - **Point Tracking**: Adds points to the active player with a separate button.
9 * - **Reset Functionality**: Resets the game with a visually engaging animation.
10 * - **Loading Animation**: Displays a loading animation upon initialization to enhance the user experience.
11 * 
12 * **Code Overview:**
13 * - **Setup**: Initializes the LCD display and shows a welcome animation.
14 * - **Loop**: Handles player switching, point addition, and game reset operations.
15 * - **Display Updates**: Continuously updates the LCD with the current scores and active player.
16 * - **Game Initialization**: Features a loading animation to signal the start of the game.
17 * 
18 * This code is suitable for enhancing any two-player game with a digital scoring system and is a great example of combining hardware and software for interactive projects.
19 */
20
21#include <LiquidCrystal.h>
22
23// Initialize the LCD with the respective pins
24LiquidCrystal lcd(12, 11, 5, 4, 3, 2);
25
26// Variables to store the points for both players
27int ptsP1 = 0, ptsP2 = 0;
28
29// Pin for the button to add points and its last state
30const int buttonAddPts = 7;
31int lastButtonAddPtsState = LOW;
32
33// Pin for the button to switch players and its last state
34const int buttonPlayer = 8;
35int lastButtonPlayerState = LOW;
36
37// Pin for the reset button
38const int buttonReset = 9;
39
40// Variable to track the current player (0 for player 1, 1 for player 2)
41int player = 0;
42
43// Declare the game initialization function
44void gameInit(void);
45
46void setup() {
47  // Initialize the LCD
48  lcd.begin(16, 2);
49  delay(100);
50  // Display the welcome animation
51  gameInit();
52}
53
54void loop() {
55  // Player switching logic
56  int buttonPlayerState = digitalRead(buttonPlayer);
57  if (buttonPlayerState != lastButtonPlayerState) {
58    if (buttonPlayerState == HIGH) {
59      // Toggle between players (switch between 0 and 1)
60      player = (player == 0) ? 1 : 0;
61    }
62    // Update the button state to avoid repetitive toggling
63    lastButtonPlayerState = buttonPlayerState;
64  }
65
66  // Adding points logic
67  int buttonAddPtsState = digitalRead(buttonAddPts);
68  if (buttonAddPtsState != lastButtonAddPtsState) {
69    if (buttonAddPtsState == HIGH) {
70      // Add points to the active player
71      if (player == 0) {
72        ptsP1 += 1;
73      } else {
74        ptsP2 += 1;
75      }
76    }
77    // Update the button state to avoid repetitive additions
78    lastButtonAddPtsState = buttonAddPtsState;
79  }
80
81  // Reset logic with animation
82  if (digitalRead(buttonReset) == HIGH) {
83    // Reset animation
84    int j = 0;
85    for (int i = 0; i < 16; i++) {
86      lcd.clear();
87      // Alternate between lines 0 and 1 to display "NEW GAME"
88      if (i % 2 == 0) {
89        j = 0;
90      } else {
91        j = 1;
92      }
93      lcd.setCursor(i, j);
94      lcd.print("NEW GAME");
95      delay(160);
96    }
97
98    // Reset variables after the animation
99    player = 0;
100    ptsP1 = 0;
101    ptsP2 = 0;
102
103    // Re-run the welcome animation
104    gameInit();
105
106    // Wait for the user to release the reset button
107    while (digitalRead(buttonReset) == HIGH) {
108      delay(10);
109    }
110  }
111
112  // Displaying scores
113  lcd.clear();
114  lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
115  lcd.print("PLAYER 1 - ");
116  lcd.print(ptsP1);
117
118  // Indicator for the active player (a "#" is shown next to the active player)
119  if (player == 0) {
120    lcd.setCursor(15, 0);
121    lcd.print("#");
122    lcd.setCursor(15, 1);
123    lcd.print(" ");
124  } else {
125    lcd.setCursor(15, 0);
126    lcd.print(" ");
127    lcd.setCursor(15, 1);
128    lcd.print("#");
129  }
130
131  lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
132  lcd.print("PLAYER 2 - ");
133  lcd.print(ptsP2);
134
135  // Small delay to stabilize the display
136  delay(10);
137}
138
139// Game initialization function with a loading screen animation
140void gameInit(void) {
141  lcd.clear();
142  lcd.setCursor(3, 0);
143  lcd.print("SCOREBOARD");
144
145  // Loading animation with dots on the bottom line
146  for (int i = 0; i <= 15; i++) {
147    lcd.setCursor(i, 1);
148    lcd.print(".");
149    delay(120); // Delay to adjust the speed of the animation
150    lcd.setCursor(i, 1);
151    lcd.print(" ");
152  }
153  
154  // Small pause before clearing the screen
155  delay(200);
156  lcd.clear();
157}
158
159/*
160 * **Wiring Diagram Description:**
161 *
162 * **LCD Display:**
163 * - VSS (Pin 1) to Arduino GND
164 * - VDD (Pin 2) to Arduino 5V
165 * - V0 (Pin 3) to a 10k potentiometer (center pin for contrast adjustment)
166 * - RS (Pin 4) to Arduino pin 12
167 * - RW (Pin 5) to Arduino GND
168 * - EN (Pin 6) to Arduino pin 11
169 * - D0-D3 (Pins 7-10) not used (set to GND or left unconnected)
170 * - D4 (Pin 11) to Arduino pin 5
171 * - D5 (Pin 12) to Arduino pin 4
172 * - D6 (Pin 13) to Arduino pin 3
173 * - D7 (Pin 14) to Arduino pin 2
174 * - A (Pin 15) to Arduino 5V (for backlight)
175 * - K (Pin 16) to Arduino GND (for backlight)
176 *
177 * **Buttons:**
178 * - Button to Add Points:
179 *   - One side to Arduino pin 7
180 *   - Other side to Arduino GND (with a pull-down resistor if needed)
181 * - Button to Switch Players:
182 *   - One side to Arduino pin 8
183 *   - Other side to Arduino GND (with a pull-down resistor if needed)
184 * - Button to Reset Game:
185 *   - One side to Arduino pin 9
186 *   - Other side to Arduino GND (with a pull-down resistor if needed)
187 *
188 * **Additional Components:**
189 * - Ensure all components are connected securely and verify connections before powering up the Arduino.
190 */