public void newGame() {

        String s;
        String t;
        int i;
        String name = "";
        s = "Welcome to Ye Olde RPG!\n";

        s += "\nChoose your difficulty: \n";
        s += "\t1: Easy\n";
        s += "\t2: Not so easy\n";
        s += "\t3: Sauron hath nothing on me. Bring it on.\n";
        s += "Selection: ";
        System.out.print( s );

        try {
            difficulty = Integer.parseInt( in.readLine() );
        }
        catch ( IOException e ) { }

        s = "Brave warrior of Middle-Earth, what doth thy call thyself? (State your name): ";
        System.out.print( s );

        try {
            name = in.readLine();
        }
        catch ( IOException e ) { }

        t = "\nWhat class shall you choose?\n";
        t += "\t1:Warrior\n";
        t += "\t2:Elf\n";
        t += "\t3:Dwarf\n";
        t += "\t4:Wizard\n";
        t += "\t5:Hobbit\n";
        System.out.println(pat.about());
        
        i = 1;
        try {
                i = Integer.parseInt( in.readLine() );
        }
        catch ( IOException e) { }
        
        if (i == 1) {
                pat = new Warrior(name);
                 }
        else if (i == 2) {
                pat = new Elf(name);
                }
        else if (i == 3) {
                pat = new Dwarf(name);
                }
        else if (i == 4) {
                pat = new Wizard(name);
                }
        else if (i == 5) {
                pat = new Hobbit(name);
                }
        


        //instantiate the player's character
        ;

    }//end newGame()