public Individual crossover2(Individual otherIndividual)
{
/*
* crossover function
* clone both parent (the clones will be the new children after the crossover operation)
* randomly choose a node from each cloned parent
* swap the nodes
*/
int randNum;
const int MIN = 2;
// Node objects to temporary hold the returned references
Node swap1 = null;
Node swap2 = null;
// randomize a number ranging from 2....nodesAmount of first parent
randNum = rnd.Next(this.getStrategyRoot().countNodes() - MIN + 1) + MIN;
// paint the selected nodes at the original first parent
this.getStrategyRoot().getNode(this.getStrategyRoot(), randNum).paintNode(Color.Red);
// get the first random node reference
swap1 = this.getStrategyRoot().getNode(this.getStrategyRoot(), randNum);
// randomize a number ranging from 2....nodesAmount of second parent
randNum = rnd.Next(otherIndividual.getStrategyRoot().countNodes() - MIN + 1) + MIN;
// paint the selected nodes at the original second parent
otherIndividual.getStrategyRoot().getNode(otherIndividual.getStrategyRoot(), randNum).paintNode(Color.Red);
// get the second random node reference
swap2 = otherIndividual.getStrategyRoot().getNode(otherIndividual.getStrategyRoot(), randNum);
// paint the swapped nodes
swap1.paintNode(Color.Green);
swap2.paintNode(Color.Green);
// make the reference swaps
this.getStrategyRoot().swapNodes(swap1, swap2.copy(swap2));
// combine the parents name to create a new name
this.setPlayerName(otherIndividual.getPlayerName());
return(this);
}