December 5 Update: Mobile, Combat, &c

For this update I've got a handful of gameplay updates that take the polish level up a notch -- see the list below.

Also, I want to highlight an update to the website, which now has rudimentary touch screen support.  When a touch device is detected, a grid of movement buttons are shown below the game client.  I'm surprised it works as well as it does!  Text entry is slower than with a real keyboard, but another way to get into the game is now supported.

OK, here's the in-game features I've added:

• Alignment: characters now have an alignment ranging from good to evil.  Attacking good aligned characters will push your alignment to evil.  Evil players won’t be treated well by good aligned NPCs.  Attacking players and NPCs is allowed, but will be punished — expect NPCs yo gang up on you!  Getting back to good alignment will take good deeds.  Alignment will take some iteration, but this is a good start.
  
• Cleric has a new pair of spells, Protection from Good/Evil.  These use the new alignment to determine who is good/evil.  Likewise, Bless/Curse now use alignment to select their targets.
• NPCs now have saving throw scores based on their Hit Points rather than a fixed score.
• Commands that target characters, like :attack, :cast, :target, and :throw have a unified argument parsing.  Specify:
  • Directions: →, e, or east.
  • Relative coordinates: 4N3W
  • Name: DrPogi, or Dr (symbol)
  • Nothing: the game will make a decision based on the situation.  Your current target may be used, an adjacent character (if there is exactly one), or yourself will be chosen.  Whether the command is hostile or friendly is also taken into account.  For example if you are targeting a hostile character and cast Bless, you will target yourself.  If your target is friendly (like another player), they will be the center of the Bless.
• :shop now sets and uses your target per above.
• Visibility, which is the shading you see in the map view,  is now also used whenever querying for nearby characters.  For example, Burleyman will no longer try to talk to you through the wall, because he can't see you!
• Combat text is now much more dynamic, taking weapon types into account.  Fights are more interesting to read, with less repetition.
• Goblins now often have some sort of weapon to show off the new combat text.  Usually something stolen from the village or forest.