Lucky Dice

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

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Step 1

Start Microsoft Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition, then select File then New Project... Choose Windows Application from the New Project Window, 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:

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:

Step 13

Right click on the Form and select the view Code option then in the code view type in below Public Class Form1 the following:

Private DrawBitmap As Bitmap
Private DrawGraphics As Graphics
Private Turn As Integer

See Below:

Step 14

Double Click on Form1 and type in the Form1_Load Sub:

Button2.PerformClick()

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 DiceTopLeft()
  DrawGraphics.FillEllipse(Brushes.Black, _
  6, 6, 12, 12)
End Sub

Private Sub DiceTopRight()
  DrawGraphics.FillEllipse(Brushes.Black, _
  DrawBitmap.Width - 18, 6, 12, 12)
End Sub

Private Sub DiceCentreLeft()
  DrawGraphics.FillEllipse(Brushes.Black, _
  6, CInt(DrawBitmap.Height / 2 - 6), 12, 12)
End Sub

Private Sub DiceCentre()
  DrawGraphics.FillEllipse(Brushes.Black, _
  CInt(DrawBitmap.Width / 2 - 6), _
  CInt(DrawBitmap.Height / 2 - 6), 12, 12)
End Sub

Private Sub DiceCentreRight()
  DrawGraphics.FillEllipse(Brushes.Black, _
  DrawBitmap.Width - 18, _
  CInt(DrawBitmap.Height / 2 - 6), 12, 12)
End Sub

Private Sub DiceBottomLeft()
  DrawGraphics.FillEllipse(Brushes.Black, _
  6, DrawBitmap.Height - 18, 12, 12)
End Sub

Private Sub DiceBottomRight()
  DrawGraphics.FillEllipse(Brushes.Black, _
  DrawBitmap.Width - 18, DrawBitmap.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 the "end sub":

Private Sub DiceDraw(ByVal Value As Integer)
  DrawGraphics.SmoothingMode = Drawing2D.SmoothingMode.HighQuality
  Select Case (Value)
    Case 1
      DiceCentre()
    Case 2
      DiceTopLeft()
      DiceBottomRight()
    Case 3
      DiceTopLeft()
      DiceCentre()
      DiceBottomRight()
    Case 4
      DiceTopLeft()
      DiceBottomLeft()
      DiceTopRight()
      DiceBottomRight()
    Case 5
      DiceTopLeft()
      DiceBottomLeft()
      DiceCentre()
      DiceTopRight()
      DiceBottomRight()
    Case 6
      DiceTopLeft()
      DiceCentreLeft()
      DiceBottomLeft()
      DiceTopRight()
      DiceCentreRight()
      DiceBottomRight()
  End Select
End Sub

See Below:

Step 17

Also in the code view add these routines for the Dice, below the one just entered, after the "end sub":

Private Sub DiceOne(ByVal Value As Integer)
  DrawBitmap = New Bitmap(PictureBox1.Width, PictureBox1.Height)
  DrawGraphics = Graphics.FromImage(DrawBitmap)
  DiceDraw(Value)
  PictureBox1.Image = DrawBitmap
End Sub

Private Sub DiceTwo(ByVal Value As Integer)
  DrawBitmap = New Bitmap(PictureBox2.Width, PictureBox2.Height)
  DrawGraphics = Graphics.FromImage(DrawBitmap)
  DiceDraw(Value)
  PictureBox2.Image = DrawBitmap
End Sub

Private Function DiceValue() As Integer
  Randomize()
  DiceValue = CInt(Int((6 * Rnd()) + 1))
End Function

See Below:

Step 18

Go to the Form [Design], Double Click on the Button Labeled Roll (Button1) and type in the Button1_Click() Sub:

If Turn = 1 Then
  DiceOne(DiceValue)
  Label1.Text = "Player One"
  Turn = 2
Else
  DiceTwo(DiceValue)
  Label1.Text = "Player Two"
  Turn = 1
End If

See Below:

Step 19

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

PictureBox1.Image = Nothing
PictureBox2.Image = Nothing
Turn = 1
Label1.Text = "Player One"

See Below:

Step 20

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

End

See Below:

Step 21

Save the Project as you have now finished the application, then 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

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 One and Player Two (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.