Architecture

Dark Pawns is a Go server that loads the original Diku-format world, exposes telnet and WebSocket sessions, and runs the game through a shared world and combat engine.

Startup path

cmd/server/main.go is the composition root. In broad order it:

1. Parses flags and deterministic clock/RNG settings.
2. Loads the world through pkg/parser.
3. Constructs pkg/game.World.
4. Opens the SQLite store (creating the file and schema on a first boot).
5. Creates the session manager (pkg/session.Manager) and wires its combat and scripting callbacks.
6. Registers HTTP, WebSocket, metrics, admin, and telnet surfaces.
7. Starts reset/tick workers and waits for shutdown.

Core packages

Package	Responsibility
pkg/parser	Reads rooms, mobs, objects, zones, and shops from the original files.
pkg/game	Runtime world state, players, mob/object instances, resets, movement, shops, and skills.
pkg/session	Login, character creation, connections, and command dispatch.
pkg/combat	Shared tick-based combat calculations and combatant interfaces.
pkg/spells	Spell metadata, saving throws, damage, affects, and spell execution.
pkg/scripting	Sandboxed Lua triggers using a serialized VM.
pkg/db	Player persistence in an embedded SQLite file.
pkg/telnet	Raw telnet listener translated into the shared session protocol.

Behavioral authority

The Go implementation is not the authority for game behavior. The reachable C path in src/ and the read-only oracle determine player-facing behavior. Architecture changes must preserve that boundary; see Port Fidelity Workflow.