exercism_puzzles/python/ellens-alien-game/HINTS.md

Hints

1. Create the Alien Class

• Remember that object methods are always passed self as the first parameter.
• Remember the double underscores on both sides of __init__().
• Instance variables are unique to the class instance (object) that possesses them.
• Class variables are the same across all instances of a class.

2. The hit Method

• Remember that object methods are always passed self as the first parameter.
• You can choose to allow the Alien's health to fall below zero, or require that it does not.

3. The is_alive Method

• Remember that object methods are always passed self as the first parameter.
• 0 may not be the only 'dead' condition, depending on how hit() is implemented.

4. The teleport Method

• Remember that object methods are always passed self as the first parameter.
• Instance attributes can be updated from a method by using self.<attribute> = <new attribute value>.

5. The collision_detection Method

• Remember that object methods are always passed self as the first parameter.
• This method seems like an excellent place to use some kind of placeholder…

6. Alien Counter

• Class attributes are the same across all instances of a class.
• Ideally, this counter would increment whenever someone made an new Alien.
• Class attributes can be changed from an instance method by using the class name: Alien.<class attribute name>.
• __init__() is considered an instance method since it initializes a new object.

7. Object Creation

• A tuple would be a single parameter.
• The Alien constructor takes 2 parameters.
• Unpacking what is inside the tuple would yield two parameters.
• The standalone function is outside of the class