Product Introduction

1. The Connect Four Chrome Extension integrates a classic grid-based strategy game directly into the ChatGPT interface through a modal overlay. It enables users to play against an AI opponent while maintaining visibility of their ongoing chat session. The game launches via a dedicated play button and preserves chat context, allowing uninterrupted multitasking during ChatGPT response delays.
2. This extension addresses user boredom during ChatGPT processing delays by providing immediate entertainment without disrupting workflow. Its core value lies in combining strategic gameplay with seamless interface integration, offering a distraction that aligns with ChatGPT’s functionality. The AI opponent’s difficulty level ensures engaging replayability while adhering to privacy-focused design principles.

Main Features

1. The game operates within a modal overlay that maintains ChatGPT’s interface visibility, ensuring users can monitor AI responses while playing. It utilizes keyboard shortcuts (1-7 for column selection, R for restart, D for auto-popup toggling) for efficient control. The dark mode design mirrors ChatGPT’s aesthetic, reducing visual friction during extended use.
2. The AI opponent employs a Minimax algorithm enhanced with alpha-beta pruning to optimize decision-making and reduce computational overhead. This enables challenging gameplay with adjustable difficulty levels, though the extension does not explicitly disclose depth settings. The AI evaluates board states in real time, providing near-instant moves even on mid-tier hardware.
3. Customization includes a right-click option on the play button to disable auto-popup, indicated by a blue toggle state. A persistent tooltip guides users through controls, while local browser storage retains settings like sound preferences and theme choices. No user data is transmitted externally, ensuring compliance with privacy standards.

Problems Solved

1. The extension eliminates idle time during ChatGPT’s response generation, which often lasts several seconds to minutes. By embedding entertainment within the workflow, it prevents context switching to external tabs or applications. This directly targets productivity loss caused by frequent micro-breaks during AI-assisted tasks.
2. Primary users include ChatGPT power users seeking to optimize waiting periods, developers testing strategy algorithms, and casual gamers preferring lightweight integrations. Educators leveraging ChatGPT for lesson planning may also use it as a cognitive reset tool between tasks.
3. Typical scenarios involve waiting for code debugging suggestions, article drafts, or complex query responses from ChatGPT. Users initiate a game during these intervals without losing chat history or needing to manage separate windows, maintaining focus on their primary task.

Unique Advantages

1. Unlike standalone Connect Four games, this extension embeds gameplay within ChatGPT’s UI using targeted DOM manipulation and event listeners. It synchronizes with ChatGPT’s dynamic layout changes, ensuring consistent positioning regardless of screen size or chat expansion. Competitors lack this level of platform-specific integration.
2. The AI’s use of alpha-beta pruning reduces typical Minimax computation time by 30-50%, enabling deeper tree searches without lag. This optimization allows the AI to simulate up to 8 moves ahead on standard devices while maintaining sub-100ms response times. Third-party extensions often use simpler heuristic-based AIs with predictable patterns.
3. Competitive advantages include zero-data-collection verification via open-source auditing options and memory-efficient design (21.09KiB size). The extension avoids common bloatware pitfalls by excluding ads, trackers, or premium upsells, prioritizing performance over monetization.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How does the auto-popup feature work? The auto-popup activates by default when ChatGPT’s response generation begins, detected through DOM mutation observers. Pressing D or right-clicking the play button toggles this feature, with the button turning blue when disabled. Users can manually trigger the game via the play button if auto-popup is off.
2. Is my gameplay data stored or shared? All game states and settings are stored locally using Chrome’s chrome.storage.local API, which restricts data to the user’s device. The extension’s manifest explicitly blocks network permissions, preventing external data transmission. No analytics or third-party libraries are integrated.
3. Can the AI difficulty be adjusted? While the description mentions a “surprisingly decent AI,” difficulty levels are fixed based on the Minimax search depth optimized for real-time performance. Users cannot manually adjust it, but the algorithm dynamically reduces depth during CPU-intensive tasks to prevent lag. Strategic play patterns can exploit the AI’s horizon effect in late-game scenarios.