Workshop › Candy Crush-style Match 3 › Step 24 of 29

A hint after five seconds

What we are doing

hasMove also gives a hint. idleFor counts the idle frames; after 300 (five seconds) the hint is a possible move. Making a move clears it.

```js
let idleFor // frames since the last move
let hint // a possible move, shown after five idle seconds

function reset() {
  // ...
  idleFor = 0
  hint = null
}

function trySwap(a, b) {
  // ...
  chain = 0
  idleFor = 0
  hint = null
  startClearing()

function update() {
  // ...
  if (phase === 'falling') {
    // ...
    return
  }
  idleFor += 1
  if (idleFor === 300) hint = hasMove()
}
```

What it means

• reset and every move set idleFor to 0 and hint to null.
• The 'falling' block now ends with return, so the lines after it only run while the game is idle.
• Each idle frame adds 1; at exactly 300 the hint is found.

Your turn

1. Under let drop write let idleFor and let hint.
2. In reset, at the end, and in trySwap, under chain = 0, write idleFor = 0 and hint = null.
3. In update, write return at the end of the 'falling' block, and the two idleFor lines at the end of the function.

Skills: Game states, The game loop

← Never stuck Show the hint →

All steps

1. A place for the board
2. A checkered grid
3. The game loop
4. A board of random gems
5. Draw the gems
6. Start without matches
7. Click a gem
8. Show the selection
9. Swap two neighbours
10. Find every match
11. No match, no swap
12. A score and a fresh start
13. Clear the match
14. Let the gems fall
15. Two halves of a clear
16. Wait before clearing
17. Flash, and hands off
18. Cascades
19. Where a gem came from
20. Slide down
21. Out from under the top
22. Is there any move?
23. Never stuck
24. A hint after five seconds
25. Show the hint
26. Twenty moves
27. The end of a game
28. Remember the best score
29. Build it yourself: swipe to swap