Java how to access methods using an instance from another class

Question

I'm trying to write a small game to help with my Java skills. I have a class called "Zombie" and "Player" and I created instances of these classes as so:

Zombie zombie = new Zombie(50, "Infected Zombie", "Slash");
Player defaultPlayer = new Player(100, "Default Player");

Next I requested user input for the attack style of the player:

System.out.println("Which attack style would you like to use?");
        defaultPlayer.printAttackStyles();
        int option = scanner.nextInt();
        scanner.nextLine();
        switch(option) {
            case 0:
                System.out.println("You backed out of the fight.");
                break;
            case 1:
                System.out.println("Punching...");
                defaultPlayer.attack(1);
                break;
            case 2:
                System.out.println("Kicking...");
                defaultPlayer.attack(2);
                break;
            case 3:
                System.out.println("Headbutting...");
                defaultPlayer.attack(3);
                break;
            case 4:
                System.out.println("Tackling...");
                defaultPlayer.attack(4);
                break;
            default:
                System.out.println("Not a valid attack style");
        }

In my "Player" class I have a method called attack which inflicts a certain amount of damage based on attack style:

public int attack(int attackStyle) {
        int damage = 0;

        switch(attackStyle) {
            case 0:
                damage = 0;
                break;
            case 1:
                damage = random.nextInt(20) + 1;
                zombie.removeHealth(damage);
                break;
            case 2:
                damage = random.nextInt(25) + 1;
                zombie.removeHealth(damage);
                break;
            case 3:
                damage = random.nextInt(30) + 1;
                zombie.removeHealth(damage);
                this.health -= random.nextInt(5) + 1;
                break;
            case 4:
                damage = random.nextInt(45) + 1;
                zombie.removeHealth(damage);
                this.health -= random.nextInt(10) + 1;
                break;
        }

        return damage;
    }

In each case of the attack method, I have a line of code that says

zombie.removeHealth(damage);

Since the instance is only declared in the Main class how can I access that instance in order to access the method removeHealth() in the zombie class? Sorry if this question is simple but I can't figure this out.

pass the reference of Zombie in attack method? like this: defaultPlayer.attack(3, zombie ); Now inside attack method, you can use the reference of zombie and invoke methods on it. — Faraz
– Faraz, Commented Jan 16, 2017 at 3:53

siddhartha jain · Accepted Answer · 2017-01-16 04:07:12Z

3

In your method attack you need to add 1 more argument which can be used to pass your instance of Zombie class to attack method. Make your method signature as public int attack( int attackStyle, Zombie zombie )

Now in switch block when you call defaultPlayer.attack pass the int value as you was passing earlier and instance of your Zombie class like this

defaultPlayer.attack ( your int value, zombie)

This will pass the zombie instance to attack method then you can the same zombie instance there to call your removeHealth(damage) method.

Hope this solve your query.

answered Jan 16, 2017 at 4:07

siddhartha jain

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1 Comment

Josh Over a year ago

Thank you very much! Clear answer as well.

Faraz · Accepted Answer · 2017-01-16 04:06:19Z

2

pass the reference of Zombie in attack method? like this: defaultPlayer.attack(3, zombie ); Now inside attack method, you can use the reference of zombie and invoke methods on it.

answered Jan 16, 2017 at 4:06

Faraz

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