FreeOrion v0.3.16 has been released for Windows and Intel Macs.

Note that if you´re installing on a system that has previously run an older version, you may need to delete your config.xml or may get errors about missing font files. On Macs, you may also need to delete some files for the new version to run.

Changes since the last release include:

• Replaced the fullscreen turn progress window that covered the map with progress indicator text in the message window. The map now stays visible between turns, but with order-issuing UI disabled until the next turn starts being playable.
• Chat messages are now enetered in the same message window with a more obvious interface for entering text and displaying old messages.
• Added an empire / player list window above the chat / message window. When any empire or player is selected, chat messages are sent only to that player.
• The server now sends updates several times between turns, including fleet movements before combats, and a full update (as before) at the start of the next turn.
• Added an encyclopedia to the in-game interface, showing information about game content like ship parts, techs, species, etc.
• Added the option to have observer players in multiplayer games. These players can see the whole universe, but don´t have an empire to control and can´t control when turns are ended.
• Added the option to have AI players in multiplayer games.
• With the observer option and AI players in the multiplayer lobby, it is now possible to create an AI-only game with only a human observer. This works like an AI test arena, with the AIs playing against eachother and no human player.
• Added a "Drop" option in the multiplayer lobby, to allow removing human or AI players from games.
• Added "Deep Space" to possible types of systems in universe. These systems have no star, but may still have a planet.
• Made map screen zoom centre on the cursor instead of the centre of the screen.
• Improved rendering support for graphics cards that don´t support rendering buffers and shaders.
• Made system sidepanel resizable and draggable.
• Made the UI generally respond better to FreeOrion window resizing. The intro screen generally looks good, but production and research don´t resize properly, yet.
• Content updates, including new species.
• Tweaked fleet window layout to remove the new fleet drop panel when the window is very small.
• Added optional autogenerated effects descriptions to various tooltips and content descriptions. These must be enabled in the options to be seen, since many people complained that the autogenerated text was hard to read.
• Translated stringtable updates.
• Updated AI scripts.
• Reworked autoresolved combat.
• Added an "Apply" button on the resolution screen. This seems to work on Windows, but may not on other operating systems.
• Changed the tech tree layout code to a custom implementation. There may be some quirks with this new system.
• Tweaked layout and rendering of meter bars.
• Fixed issues with food distribution to planets.
• Made rollover link text colour modifiable in options.
• Made SidePanel retain scroll position of planets list between opening and closing the panel or changing system, and when pressing the turn button.
• Fixed issue with SidePanel where scrolling up planet panels would cause the system droplist and forward/backward buttons to become unusable.
• Fixed sidepanel scrolling problem when expanding and collapsing planet panels.
• Tweaked how colonization works, so that ships ordered to colonize, and their fleets, don´t disappear until the turn is ended. Ships ordered to colonize are marked with an indicator. As well, colonization now can´t occur if there are enemy armed ships in the same system.
• Various bug fixes and new features within the game content and AI scripting systems.
• Made the client respond more promptly to server disconnections, so that players don´t attempt to finish their turn before being made aware of the disconnection.