int attempt_move(int x, int y, int units, int direction) {
    int xfuture = x;
    int yfuture = y;
    switch (direction) {
        case 0: // right
            xfuture = xfuture + units;
            if (readmap(xfuture, y) == '&') {
                return 0;
            }
            else {
                return 1;
            }
        case 1: // up
            yfuture = yfuture - units; // we subtract because moving up
            if (readmap(x, yfuture) == '&') {
                return 0;
            }
            else {
                return 1;
            }
        case 2: // left
            xfuture = xfuture - units;
            if (readmap(xfuture, y) == '&') {
                return 0;
            }
            else {
                return 1;
            }
        case 3: // down
            yfuture = yfuture + units; 
            if (readmap(x, yfuture) == '&') {
                return 0;
            }
            else {
                return 1;
            }
    }
    return 0;
}