Keep an integer from going below 0?

[Ralden]

Hello, I am writing a simple combat game and I need some help. I would like to keep my integers which I created in a couple classes from going below 0.

Here is the code.

#include "stdafx.h"
#include <iostream>

using namespace std;



class Monster

{
	
	

public:

	int health;
	int strength;
	int damage;
	
	Monster ()
	{
		health = 20;
		strength = 20;

	}

public:

	int attackp ()
	{
		damage = strength/2;
		cout << "Monster attacked!\n You took " << damage << " damage!\n";
		
		return damage;
	}
	
};

class Fighter
{

public:

	int health;
	int strength;
	int armor;
	int experience;
	int level;


public:

	Fighter ()
	{
		health = 25;
		strength = 30;
		armor = 0;
		experience = 0;
		level = 1;
	}

	int stats()
	{
		cout << "Health is: " << health << endl;
		cout << "Strength is: " << strength << endl;
		cout << "Armor is: " << armor << endl;
		cout << "Experience is: " << experience << endl;
		cout << "Level is: " << level << endl;

		char f;
		cin >> f;
		return 0;
			
		

	}

	int attack()
	{
		int givDamage;
		givDamage = strength/2;
		cout << "You struck the enemy for " << givDamage << " damage!\n";
		return givDamage;
	}


	int getHealth ()
	{
		return health;
	}


};


class shop
{
	int potion1;
	int potion2;
	int dagger;
	int club;
	int sword;
	int gsword;

	
};

void arena()

{
	cout << "You have entered the Arena\nPrepare for battle!\n";

	cout << "Your opponent has entered the Arena!/n" << endl;

	Monster m;

	Fighter a;

	int action;

	char quit;

	do
	{

	
	cout << "(1) Attack\n";
	cout << "(2) Block\n";
	cout << "(3) Items\n";

	cin >> action;

	switch (action)
	{
	case (1) : m.health -= a.attack();
		cout << "Enemy health is at: " << m.health << endl;
		a.health -= m.attackp();
		cout << "Your health is now at: " << a.health << endl;
			break;
	}

	}
	while ( (a.health >= 0) || (m.health >= 0) );

	
		
		cout << "You have been defeated!\nReturn to the main menu?\nY/N\n";

		cin >> quit;
		
		switch (quit)
		{
		case 'y' :
		case 'Y' : (a.health <= 0);
			

		case 'n' :
		case 'N' : return;
		}

	

	char f;
	cin >> f;
	return;
	
}


void exit()
{
}




int main()
{
	Fighter a;

char menu;

	cout << "Welcome to the Arena\n"
		"\nWhere would you like to go?\n"
		"(A)  Type A to go to the shop\n"
		"(B)  Type B to view your stats\n"
		"(C)  Type C to go to the arena\n"
		"(D)  Type D to exit the game\n" << endl;

	cin >> menu;

	switch (menu)
	{
	case 'a' :
	case 'A' : shop();
		break;

	case 'b' :
	case 'B' : a.stats();
		break;

	case 'c' :
	case 'C' : arena();
		break;

	case 'd' :
	case 'D' : exit();
		break;

	default :
		cout << "That is not a valid entry\n";
		break;

	}

	char f;
	cin >> f;
	return 0;

	
}

There are classes for Monster and Fighter right now. Inside those classes is where you find the int a.health and m.health. I tried making them unsigned int's but that just caused them to roll back to their highest possible value when it went below zero.

I don't want the health to read out, "Your health is now at: -5" or whatever it may be. I want it to stick at 0 when it reaches less than, or equal to 0.

I'm also having a hard time trying to envision how to progressively make the enemy harder. I'm still very new to C++ and coding in general, so doing something like that is probably above my current knowledge.

[ToniAz]

I don't want the health to read out, "Your health is now at: -5" or whatever it may be. I want it to stick at 0 when it reaches less than, or equal to 0.

int health;
// ... something on health
health = (health<0)?0:health;

this is known as clipping health to a minimum.

[Ralden]

Thank you. Would you mind elaborating on this "health = (health<0)?0:health;"? I know that it is like a mini if, but I can't fully understand it. I understand what it does (something like, if health is less that 0, health = 0), but I don't really know how it works.



EDIT:
Wait, I took a second look at it. Is it,

If health is less than 0 make health 0 ( (health < 0)?0 ) else ( : ) keep it as health (health)?

[ToniAz]

Good job :D

[Ralden]

Haha, thank you Toni, and thanks again for the help. :)