randomwalk.py

import random, os, sys, time
#Animate some ASCII art (thanks Philip: http://stackoverflow.com/a/2785568/1347629)
def draw_to_screen(content):
    clear_console = 'clear' if os.name == 'posix' else 'CLS'
    os.system(clear_console)
    sys.stdout.write(content)
    sys.stdout.flush()
    time.sleep(0.2)

def board(w, h, x, y):
    result = ""
    for i in range(h):
        if i != y:
            result += "-"*w + "\n"
        else:
            result += "-"*(x-1)+"*"+"-"*(w-x)+"\n"
    return result

def make_move(w, h, x, y, direction):
    #direction = random.randint(0,3)
    if direction == 0:
        #up
        if y > 0:
            return x, y-1
        else:
            return x,y
    elif direction == 1:
        #right
        if x < w-1:
            return x+1, y
        else:
            return x,y
    elif direction == 2:
        #down
        if y < h-1:
            return x, y+1
        else:
            return x,y
    elif direction == 3:
        #left
        if x > 0:
            return x-1, y
        else:
            return x,y

width = 30
height = 15
creatureX = 10
creatureY = 10

for i in range(300):
    draw_to_screen(board(width, height, creatureX, creatureY))
    creatureX, creatureY = make_move(width, height, creatureX, creatureY, random.randint(0,3))