I am trying to get this Zombie/Human agent based simulation running, but I am having problems with these derived classes (Human and Zombie) who have parent class "Creature". I have 3 virtual functions declared in "Creature" and all three of these are re-declared AND DEFINED in both "Human" and "Zombie". But for some reason when I have my program call "new" to allocate memory for objects of type Human or Zombie, it complains about the virtual functions being abstract. Here's the code: definitions.h #ifndef definitions_h #define definitions_h class Creature; class Item; class Coords; class Grid { public: Creature*** cboard; Item*** iboard; int WIDTH; int HEIGHT; Grid(int WIDTHVALUE, int HEIGHTVALUE); void FillGrid(); //initializes grid object with humans and zombies void Refresh(); //calls Creature::Die(),Move(),Attack(),Breed() on every square void UpdateBuffer(char** buffer); bool isEmpty(int startx, int starty, int dir); char CreatureType(int xcoord, int ycoord); char CreatureType(int startx, int starty, int dir); }; class Random { public: int* rptr; void Print(); Random(int MIN, int MAX, int LEN); ~Random(); private: bool alreadyused(int checkthis, int len, int* rptr); bool isClean(); int len; }; class Coords { public: int x; int y; int MaxX; int MaxY; Coords() {x=0; y=0; MaxX=0; MaxY=0;} Coords(int X, int Y, int WIDTH, int HEIGHT) {x=X; y=Y; MaxX=WIDTH; MaxY=HEIGHT; } void MoveRight(); void MoveLeft(); void MoveUp(); void MoveDown(); void MoveUpRight(); void MoveUpLeft(); void MoveDownRight(); void MoveDownLeft(); void MoveDir(int dir); void setx(int X) {x=X;} void sety(int Y) {y=Y;} }; class Creature { public: bool alive; Coords Location; char displayletter; Creature() {Location.x=0; Location.y=0;} Creature(int i, int j) {Location.setx(i); Location.sety(j);} virtual void Attack() =0; virtual void AttackCreature(Grid G, int attackdirection) =0; virtual void Breed() =0; void Die(); void Move(Grid G); int DecideSquare(Grid G); void MoveTo(Grid G, int dir); }; class Human : public Creature { public: bool armed; //if armed, chances of winning fight increased for next fight bool vaccinated; //if vaccinated, no chance of getting infected int bitecount; //if a human is bitten, bite count is set to a random number int breedcount; //if a human goes x steps without combat, will breed if next to a human int starvecount; //if a human does not eat in x steps, will die Human() {displayletter='H';} Human(int i, int j) {displayletter='H';} void Attack(Grid G); void AttackCreature(Grid G, int attackdirection); void Breed(Grid G); //will breed after x steps and next to human int DecideAttack(Grid G); }; class Zombie : public Creature { public: Zombie() {displayletter='Z';} Zombie(int i, int j) {displayletter='Z';} void Attack(Grid G); void AttackCreature(Grid G, int attackdirection); void Breed() {} //does nothing int DecideAttack(Grid G); void AttackCreature(Grid G, int attackdirection); }; class Item { }; #endif definitions.cpp #include <cstdlib> #include "definitions.h" Random::Random(int MIN, int MAX, int LEN) //constructor { len=LEN; rptr=new int[LEN]; //allocate array of given length for (int i=0; i<LEN; i++) { int random; do { random = rand() % (MAX-MIN+1) + MIN; } while (alreadyused(random,LEN,rptr)); rptr[i]=random; } } bool Random::alreadyused(int checkthis, int len, int* rptr) { for (int i=0; i<len; i++) { if (rptr[i]==checkthis) return 1; } return 0; } Random::~Random() { delete rptr; } Grid::Grid(int WIDTHVALUE, int HEIGHTVALUE) { WIDTH = WIDTHVALUE; HEIGHT = HEIGHTVALUE; //builds 2d array of creature pointers cboard = new Creature**[WIDTH]; for(int i=0; i<WIDTH; i++) { cboard[i] = new Creature*[HEIGHT]; } //builds 2d array of item pointers iboard = new Item**[WIDTH]; for (int i=0; i<WIDTH; i++) { iboard[i] = new Item*[HEIGHT]; } } void Grid::FillGrid() { /* For each creature pointer in grid, randomly selects whether to initalize as zombie, human, or empty square. This methodology can be changed to initialize different creature types with different probabilities */ int random; for (int i=0; i<WIDTH; i++) { for (int j=0; j<HEIGHT; j++) { Random X(1,100,1); //create a single random integer from [1,100] at X.rptr random=*(X.rptr); if (random < 20) cboard[i][j] = new Human(i,j); else if (random < 40) cboard[i][j] = new Zombie(i,j); else cboard[i][j] = NULL; } } //at this point every creature pointer should be pointing to either //a zombie, human, or NULL with varying probabilities } void Grid::UpdateBuffer(char** buffer) { for (int i=0; i<WIDTH; i++) { for (int j=0; j<HEIGHT; j++) { if (cboard[i][j]) buffer[i][j]=cboard[i][j]->displayletter; else buffer[i][j]=' '; } } } bool Grid::isEmpty(int startx, int starty, int dir) { Coords StartLocation(startx,starty,WIDTH,HEIGHT); switch(dir) { case 1: StartLocation.MoveUp(); if (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]) return 0; case 2: StartLocation.MoveUpRight(); if (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]) return 0; case 3: StartLocation.MoveRight(); if (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]) return 0; case 4: StartLocation.MoveDownRight(); if (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]) return 0; case 5: StartLocation.MoveDown(); if (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]) return 0; case 6: StartLocation.MoveDownLeft(); if (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]) return 0; case 7: StartLocation.MoveLeft(); if (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]) return 0; case 8: StartLocation.MoveUpLeft(); if (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]) return 0; } return 1; } char Grid::CreatureType(int xcoord, int ycoord) { if (cboard[xcoord][ycoord]) //if there is a creature at location xcoord,ycoord return (cboard[xcoord][ycoord]->displayletter); else //if pointer at location xcoord,ycoord is null, return null char return '\0'; } char Grid::CreatureType(int startx, int starty, int dir) { Coords StartLocation(startx,starty,WIDTH,HEIGHT); switch(dir) { case 1: StartLocation.MoveUp(); if (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]) return (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]->displayletter); case 2: StartLocation.MoveUpRight(); if (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]) return (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]->displayletter); case 3: StartLocation.MoveRight(); if (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]) return (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]->displayletter); case 4: StartLocation.MoveDownRight(); if (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]) return (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]->displayletter); case 5: StartLocation.MoveDown(); if (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]) return (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]->displayletter); case 6: StartLocation.MoveDownLeft(); if (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]) return (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]->displayletter); case 7: StartLocation.MoveLeft(); if (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]) return (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]->displayletter); case 8: StartLocation.MoveUpLeft(); if (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]) return (cboard[StartLocation.x][StartLocation.y]->displayletter); } //if function hasn't returned by now, square being looked at is pointer to null return '\0'; //return null char } void Coords::MoveRight() {(x==MaxX)? (x=0):(x++);} void Coords::MoveLeft() {(x==0)? (x=MaxX):(x--);} void Coords::MoveUp() {(y==0)? (y=MaxY):(y--);} void Coords::MoveDown() {(y==MaxY)? (y=0):(y++);} void Coords::MoveUpRight() {MoveUp(); MoveRight();} void Coords::MoveUpLeft() {MoveUp(); MoveLeft();} void Coords::MoveDownRight() {MoveDown(); MoveRight();} void Coords::MoveDownLeft() {MoveDown(); MoveLeft();} void Coords::MoveDir(int dir) { switch(dir) { case 1: MoveUp(); break; case 2: MoveUpRight(); break; case 3: MoveRight(); break; case 4: MoveDownRight(); break; case 5: MoveDown(); break; case 6: MoveDownLeft(); break; case 7: MoveLeft(); break; case 8: MoveUpLeft(); break; case 0: break; } } void Creature::Move(Grid G) { int movedir=DecideSquare(G); MoveTo(G,movedir); } int Creature::DecideSquare(Grid G) { Random X(1,8,8); //X.rptr now points to 8 unique random integers from [1,8] for (int i=0; i<8; i++) { int dir=X.rptr[i]; if (G.isEmpty(Location.x,Location.y,dir)) return dir; } return 0; } void Creature::MoveTo(Grid G, int dir) { Coords OldLocation=Location; Location.MoveDir(dir); G.cboard[Location.x][Location.y]=this; //point new location to this creature G.cboard[OldLocation.x][OldLocation.y]=NULL; //point old location to NULL } void Creature::Die() { if (!alive) { delete this; this=NULL; } } void Human::Breed(Grid G) { if (!breedcount) { Coords BreedLocation=Location; Random X(1,8,8); for (int i=0; i<8; i++) { BreedLocation.MoveDir(X.rptr[i]); if (!G.cboard[BreedLocation.x][BreedLocation.y]) { G.cboard[BreedLocation.x][BreedLocation.y])=new Human(BreedLocation.x,BreedLocation.y); return; } } } } int Human::DecideAttack(Grid G) { Coords AttackLocation=Location; Random X(1,8,8); int attackdir; for (int i=0; i<8; i++) { attackdir=X.rptr[i]; switch(G.CreatureType(Location.x,Location.y,attackdir)) { case 'H': break; case 'Z': return attackdir; case '\0': break; default: break; } } return 0; //no zombies! } int AttackRoll(int para1, int para2) { //outcome 1: Zombie wins, human dies //outcome 2: Human wins, zombie dies //outcome 3: Human wins, zombie dies, but human is bitten Random X(1,100,1); int roll= *(X.rptr); if (roll < para1) return 1; else if (roll < para2) return 2; else return 3; } void Human::AttackCreature(Grid G, int attackdirection) { Coords AttackLocation=Location; AttackLocation.MoveDir(attackdirection); int para1=33; int para2=33; if (vaccinated) para2=101; //makes attackroll > para 2 impossible, never gets infected if (armed) para1-=16; //reduces chance of zombie winning fight int roll=AttackRoll(para1,para2); //outcome 1: Zombie wins, human dies //outcome 2: Human wins, zombie dies //outcome 3: Human wins, zombie dies, but human is bitten switch(roll) { case 1: alive=0; //human (this) dies return; case 2: G.cboard[AttackLocation.x][AttackLocation.y]->alive=0; return; //zombie dies case 3: G.cboard[AttackLocation.x][AttackLocation.y]->alive=0; //zombie dies Random X(3,7,1); //human is bitten bitecount=*(X.rptr); return; } } int Zombie::DecideAttack(Grid G) { Coords AttackLocation=Location; Random X(1,8,8); int attackdir; for (int i=0; i<8; i++) { attackdir=X.rptr[i]; switch(G.CreatureType(Location.x,Location.y,attackdir)) { case 'H': return attackdir; case 'Z': break; case '\0': break; default: break; } } return 0; //no zombies! } void Zombie::AttackCreature(Grid G, int attackdirection) { int reversedirection; if (attackdirection < 9 && attackdirection>0) { (attackdirection<5)? (reversedirection=attackdirection+4):(reversedirection=attackdirection-4); } else reversedirection=0; //this should never happen //when a zombie attacks a human, the Human::AttackZombie() function is called //in the "reverse" direction, utilizing that function that has already been written Coords ZombieLocation=Location; Coords HumanLocation=Location; HumanLocation.MoveDir(attackdirection); if (G.cboard[HumanLocation.x][HumanLocation.y]) //if there is a human there, which there should be G.cboard[HumanLocation.x][HumanLocation.y]->AttackCreature(G,reversedirection); } void Zombie::Attack(Grid G) { int attackdirection=DecideAttack(G); AttackCreature(G,attackdirection); } main.cpp #include <cstdlib> #include <iostream> #include "definitions.h" using namespace std; int main(int argc, char *argv[]) { Grid G(500,500); system("PAUSE"); return EXIT_SUCCESS; }