How to overwrite variable in python in a function

Question

def Change_char_stats():
    Char_dmg = 50
    Char_health = 100
    Char_stat_choice= ''
    print('Current Damage is:',Char_dmg,'and health is:',Char_health,'.')
    Char_stat_choice=input('\nWhat character stat would you like to edit?')

    if Char_stat_choice == '1':
        print('Current damage is',Char_dmg,'.')
        Char_dmg=int(input('Character damage to: '))
        print('Character damage has been changed to',Char_dmg,'.')
        Change_char_stats()

    elif Char_stat_choice == '2':
        print('Current damage is',Char_health,'.')
        Char_health=int(input('Character health to: '))
        print('Character health has been changed to',Char_health,'.')
        Change_char_stats()
    else:
        print('Input invalid.')
        Change_char_stats()

Change_char_stats()

So basically I'm working on a simple game for myself on Python, and I'm having an issue with my variables as when I run the program original variables are set to 50 dmg and 100 health, but what I want to do is be able to run the code, change the variables and then have them stay as that. Although I understand why the variables aren't staying as the new values, I have no clue how to over-write them, help would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

You are missing a closing quote ' on this line Char_stat_choice=input('\nWhat character stat would you like to edit?) — Keatinge
– Keatinge, Commented Feb 13, 2017 at 0:10
You keep calling Change_char_stats() recursively but you don't keep track of any changes done to Char_health etc. It might be better to have a character represented as an instance of a class so that you can keep track of changes. — roganjosh
– roganjosh, Commented Feb 13, 2017 at 0:13
You should be usign a class and use instances there - but you really should understand better how funcitons workm before defining yur character class. I suggest you take read on the Python tutorial at docs.python.org/3/tutorial/index.html — jsbueno
– jsbueno, Commented Feb 13, 2017 at 0:24
Do the if statements belong inside the Change_char_stats() function? — Code-Apprentice
– Code-Apprentice, Commented Feb 13, 2017 at 0:25

Code-Apprentice · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-13 00:24:37Z

2

I suggest creating a class to package all of the variables into a single object:

def class player_character:
    def __init__(self):
        self.health = 100
        self.dmg = 50

Now you create an instance of the class:

player = player_character()

And change the variables directly:

player.health -= 10

Alternatively, you can add functions to the class:

def class player_character:
    def __init__(self):
        self.health = 100
        self.dmg = 50

    def hit(self, dmg):
        self.health -= dmg

Now you can call the function on an object:

player.hit(10)

Classes are incredibly powerful and great tools for organizing code. They allow you to treat a lot of data as a single entity. I strongly encourage you to learn more about them and object oriented programming in general.

answered Feb 13, 2017 at 0:24

Code-Apprentice

84k26 gold badges162 silver badges289 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

jaboja · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-13 00:14:32Z

0

Place the variables outside function body and make them accessible within usng global keyword:

somevar = 5

def foobar(x):
    global somevar
    somevar = x

print somevar
foobar(6)
print somevar

answered Feb 13, 2017 at 0:14

jaboja

2,2671 gold badge24 silver badges38 bronze badges

2 Comments

roganjosh Over a year ago

This would be interesting in a multiplayer game :) There's no reason to use globals here.

jsbueno Over a year ago

Well, there is in a sense it does properly answer what the OP asked. I would not downvote this answer, as it is "correct". But I won't upvote it either, unless it explains what are the issues with this design, and offers a better one.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How to overwrite variable in python in a function

2 Answers 2

Comments

2 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

Comments

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related