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Starting a Game

The game is executed using CLIPS version 6.4 or higher.
1

Load the game file

Open the CLIPS console and load the raton_y_gatos.clp file into the environment.
2

Start the game

Execute the command to begin playing:
(jugar)
This command will reset the game state and start a new match.
3

View instructions (optional)

If you want to see the game instructions before playing, use:
(instrucciones)
This will display the complete rules and then automatically start the game.
The (jugar) command internally calls (clear-window), (reset), and (run) to initialize the game state.

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Entering Moves

When it’s your turn to move the mouse, the game will prompt you for input.

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Move Input Format

You’ll be asked to enter two numbers: 
Ingresa la fila y la columna donde se moverá el ratón:
Fila    [1-8] : ▊
Columna [1-8] : ▊
1

Enter the row number

Type a number from 1 to 8 representing the destination row.
2

Enter the column number

Type a number from 1 to 8 representing the destination column.
3

Move is validated and executed

The game will validate your move and either:
  • Execute the move if valid
  • Display an error message and ask again if invalid

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Example Move Sequence

Starting from position (1, 4), valid first moves for the mouse: Move to forward-right: 
Fila    [1-8] : 2
Columna [1-8] : 5
Move to forward-left: 
Fila    [1-8] : 2
Columna [1-8] : 3
From the starting position (1, 4), the mouse can only move forward since there are no diagonal squares behind it (row 0 doesn’t exist).

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Reading the Board Display

After each move, the game displays an ASCII art representation of the board.

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Board Components

Row numbers: Displayed on the right side (1-8, bottom to top) Column numbers: Displayed at the bottom (1-8, left to right) Black squares (empty): Shown as dots 
| . . . |
| . . . |
| . . . |
White squares: Shown as empty space 
|       |
|       |
|       |
Cat pieces: ASCII cat face 
| /\\_/\ |
|( o.o )|
| > ^ < |
Mouse piece: ASCII mouse face 
|(_)_(_)|
| (o o) |
|==\\o/==|

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Board Notation Reference

Internal notation used by the system:
SymbolMeaning
0White square (not playable)
1Black square (empty, playable)
4Black square with mouse
5Black square with cat
You won’t see these numbers during gameplay—they’re used internally by the CLIPS expert system. The ASCII art display shows the visual representation.

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Gameplay Examples

Here’s what a typical game sequence looks like:

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Opening Move

After starting the game with (jugar), you’ll see the initial board with the mouse at (1, 4) and four cats at row 8. Your input: 
Ingresa la fila y la columna donde se moverá el ratón:
Fila    [1-8] : 2
Columna [1-8] : 5
Result: The mouse moves diagonally forward-right to position (2, 5).

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AI Response

After your move, the AI will automatically:
  1. Analyze the board position
  2. Select the optimal cat to move
  3. Execute the cat’s move
  4. Display the updated board
  5. Prompt you for your next move

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Mid-Game Position

As the game progresses, the cats will advance toward you: 
 ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
|       | . . . |       | . . . |       | . . . |       | . . . |
|       | . . . |       | . . . |       | . . . |       | . . . | 8
|       | . . . |       | . . . |       | . . . |       | . . . |
 ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
| . . . |       | . . . |       | . . . |       | . . . |       |
| . . . |       | . . . |       | . . . |       | . . . |       | 7
| . . . |       | . . . |       | . . . |       | . . . |       |
 ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
|       |(_)_(_)|       | . . . |       | . . . |       | . . . |
|       | (o o) |       | . . . |       | . . . |       | . . . | 6
|       |==\\o/==|       | . . . |       | . . . |       | . . . |
 ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
| /\\_/\ |       | /\\_/\ |       | /\\_/\ |       | /\\_/\ |       |
|( o.o )|       |( o.o )|       |( o.o )|       |( o.o )|       | 5
| > ^ < |       | > ^ < |       | > ^ < |       | > ^ < |       |
 ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------

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Common Error Messages

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Position Out of Range

Posición fuera del rango del tablero...
INGRESE NUEVAMENTE.
Cause: You entered row or column numbers outside 1-8. Solution: Enter valid coordinates within the board boundaries.

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Position Out of Reach

Posición fuera de alcance del ratón...
INGRESE NUEVAMENTE.
Cause: The square you selected is not a valid diagonal move from your current position. Solution: Choose one of the four adjacent diagonal squares.

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Position Already Occupied

la posición ya está ocupada...
INGRESE NUEVAMENTE.
Cause: You tried to move to a square where a cat is located. Solution: Select an empty black square.
The game will keep prompting you until you enter a valid move. Take your time to identify available diagonal squares.

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Tips for Playing

Think several moves ahead. The cats work together, so anticipate how they’ll coordinate to trap you.
Corner and edge positions can limit your escape options. Try to maintain access to multiple diagonal paths.
Once a cat passes a row, it can never return to that row. Use this to create safe zones.
Always ensure you have at least one legal move available. Getting trapped means instant defeat.

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