Lucky Dice

This is a simple game, which will introduce you to Methods, Multiple Picture Boxes, Labels, Random Numbers, Drawing and more!

www.cespage.com/vb/vbdntut7.html

Step 1

Load Microsoft Visual Studio.NET then select Visual Basic Projects, Windows Application, enter a name for the Project and then click OK, see below:

Step 2

A Blank Form named Form1 should then appear, see below:

Step 3

Then from the Windows Forms components tab select the PictureBox control:

Step 4

Draw two PictureBoxes on the Form, see below:

Step 5

Select PictureBox1 and then go to the Properties box and change the BackColor property from Control to White, see below:

Step 6

Select PictureBox2 and then go to the Properties box and change the BackColor property from Control to White, so the form appears as below:

Step 7

Then from the Windows Forms components tab select the Button control:

Step 8

Draw three Buttons on the Form, see below:

Form1 with PictureBoxes and Three Buttons

Step 9

Click on Button1 and then go to the Properties box and change the Text Property to Roll, see below:

Step 10

Click on Button2, change its Text Property to New Game, click on Button3 and change its Text Property to Exit until the form is as below:

Step 11

Then from the Windows Forms components tab select the Label control:

Step 12

Draw a Label on the Form, see below:

Form1 with Label Buttons and PictureBoxes

Step 13

Right click on the Form and select the view Code option then in the code view type in below the Windows Form Designer generated code section:

Dim MyBrush As SolidBrush
Dim DrawBitmap As Bitmap
Dim DrawGraphics As Graphics
Dim Turn As Integer
Dim DiceColor As Color

See Below:

Step 14

Double Click on Form1 and type in the Form1_Load Sub:

Label1.TextAlign = ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter
Label1.Text = "Player 1"
Turn = 1
DiceColor = Color.Black

See Below:

Step 15

Right click on the Form and select the view Code option then in the code view type in below the end of the Form1_Load sub (after end sub):

Private Sub Center(ByVal b As SolidBrush, _ 
ByVal pic As PictureBox, ByVal g As Graphics)
  g.FillEllipse(b, CInt(pic.Width / 2 - 6), _
  CInt(pic.Height / 2 - 6), 12, 12)
End Sub

Private SubTopLeft(ByVal b As SolidBrush, _ 
ByVal pic As PictureBox, ByVal g As Graphics)
  g.FillEllipse(b, 6, 6, 12, 12)
End Sub

Private Sub CenterLeft(ByVal b As SolidBrush, _ 
ByVal pic As PictureBox, ByVal g As Graphics)
  g.FillEllipse(b, 6, _
  CInt(pic.Height / 2 - 6), 12, 12)
End Sub

Private Sub BottomLeft(ByVal b As SolidBrush, _ 
ByVal pic As PictureBox, ByVal g As Graphics)
  g.FillEllipse(b, 6, pic.Height - 18, 12, 12)
End Sub

Private Sub TopRight(ByVal b As SolidBrush, _ 
ByVal pic As PictureBox, ByVal g As Graphics)
  g.FillEllipse(b, pic.Width - 18, 6, 12, 12)
End Sub 

Private Sub CenterRight(ByVal b As SolidBrush, _ 
ByVal pic As PictureBox, ByVal g As Graphics)
  g.FillEllipse(b, pic.Width - 18, _
  CInt(pic.Height / 2 - 6), 12, 12)
End Sub 

Private Sub BottomRight(ByVal b As SolidBrush, _ 
ByVal pic As PictureBox, ByVal g As Graphics)
  g.FillEllipse(b, pic.Width - 18, _
  pic.Height - 18, 12, 12)
End Sub

See Below:

Step 16

While still in the code view add the following below the end of the BottomRight(...) sub (after end sub):

Private Sub RenderDice(ByVal Value As Integer, _
ByVal pic As PictureBox, ByVal g As Graphics, _
ByVal ForeColor As Color)
  myBrush = New SolidBrush(ForeColor)
  Select Case Value
    Case 0
      ' Draw Nothing
    Case 1
      Center(myBrush, pic, g)
    Case 2
      TopLeft(myBrush, pic, g)
      BottomRight(myBrush, pic, g)
    Case 3
      TopLeft(myBrush, pic, g)
      Center(myBrush, pic, g)
      BottomRight(myBrush, pic, g)
    Case 4
      TopLeft(myBrush, pic, g)
      BottomLeft(myBrush, pic, g)
      TopRight(myBrush, pic, g)
      BottomRight(myBrush, pic, g)
    Case 5
      TopLeft(myBrush, pic, g)
      BottomLeft(myBrush, pic, g)
      Center(myBrush, pic, g)
      TopRight(myBrush, pic, g)
      BottomRight(myBrush, pic, g)
    Case 6  
      TopLeft(myBrush, pic, g)
      CenterLeft(myBrush, pic, g)
      BottomLeft(myBrush, pic, g)
      TopRight(myBrush, pic, g)
      CenterRight(myBrush, pic, g)
      BottomRight(myBrush, pic, g)
  End Select
End Sub

See Below:

Step 17

Also in the code view add these paint routines for the PictureBoxes:


Private Sub PictureBox1_Paint(ByVal sender As Object, _
ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.PaintEventArgs) _
Handles PictureBox1.Paint
  RenderDice(DiceOne, PictureBox1, e.Graphics, DiceColor)
End Sub 

Private Sub PictureBox2_Paint(ByVal sender As Object, _
ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.PaintEventArgs) _
Handles PictureBox2.Paint
  RenderDice(DiceTwo, PictureBox1, e.Graphics, DiceColor)
End Sub

See Below:

Step 18

Double Click on the Button Labeled Roll (Button1) and type in the Button1_Click() Sub:

If Turn = 1 Then
  Randomize()
  DiceOne = CInt(Int((6 * Rnd()) + 1))
  PictureBox1.Refresh()
  Label1.Text = "Player 2"
  Turn = 2
Else
  Randomize()
  DiceTwo = CInt(Int((6 * Rnd()) + 1))
  PictureBox2.Refresh()
  Label1.Text = "Player 1"
  Turn = 1
End If

See Below:

Step 19

Double Click on the Button Labeled New Game (Button2) and type in the Button2_Click() Sub:

DiceOne = 0
DiceTwo = 0
PictureBox1.Refresh()
PictureBox2.Refresh()
Label1.Text = "Player 1"
Turn = 1

See Below:

Step 20

Double Click on the Button Labeled Exit (Button3) and type in the Button3_Click() Sub:

End

See Below:

Step 21

Save the Project as you have now finished the application, select Release and Click on Start:

When you do the following will appear:

Step 22

Click on Roll to roll the dice for Player One by clicking on Roll, see below:

Step 23

Just Click on Ok and then click on the Close button on the top right of Form1 to end the application.

By clicking on the Roll button it will alternate between Player 1 and Player 2 (Left & Right). You have just created a simple Dice Game, but what about scoring and proper dice rules, you'll have to wait, try and make it have a scoring system/rules yourself and see what else you can achieve with this simple program.