This is an unstable release, containing big changes that may introduce new bugs. Major new changes include the following: Breaking changes:

• The accompany objective on mission npcs no longer implicitly sets the save objective. Plugin missions that had "accompany" but not "save" should be changed to include "save" if the intention of the mission is that the npcs live.
• This is a change that was made in v0.9.16, reverted in v0.9.16.1, and has been reintroduced.

Content and features:

• Two new alien factions, the Gegno and Bunrodea.
• A plethora of new conditions and new ways to use them, including the introduction of "global conditions" that can be set and accessed across save files.
• Improvements to how ship AI behaves, more intelligently making use of the range of their weapons. More AI improvements will come in the future.
• An overhaul to how cargo and outfit scanners function, causing scanning to take overall longer to complete.
• The jobs board can now be sorted on various metrics, including how much the job pays or whether it has a deadline.
• Improved mouse control while in flight, including the ability to select secondary weapons by clicking on their ammo icons, and a toggle for controlling flagship aiming and firing with the mouse.
• Reverted the heat damage change from v0.9.15, and reduced the buffs provided to afterburners from that same update.
• Added a deadline to bounty jobs so that they cannot be stacked infinitely and finished passively. In exchange, bounty ships now don't spawn as far away, and bounty job payments are increased.

Bug fixes:

• Reloading your save file while you have escorts in a different system that are carrying mission cargo will no longer teleport the mission cargo to the player's location.
• Reloading your save file while in the middle of a conversation will no longer repeat execute the mission actions that run alongside the conversation.
• Captured ships will no longer require the save file to be reloaded in order for them to make use of their weapons.

For a complete list of changes, as well as further detail about the summarized changes, see the changelog. Special thanks to those who contributed to this release: @1010todd, @a-random-lemurian, @alextd, @Amazinite, @Anarchist2, @Aneutronic, @Arachi-Lover, @aradapilot, @Azure3141, @beccabunny, @bene-dictator, @CAPTAIN1947, @czartrak, @Daeridanii1, @daggs1, @dashkal16, @Deltaspace0, @EjoThims, @Ember369, @Ferociousfeind, @FoxSylv, @Hatrask, @Hecter94, @heirecka, @hmglasgow, @Hurleveur, @kaol, @Kepler-69c, @Koranir, @MasterOfGrey, @McloughlinGuy, @MCOfficer, @mike-f1, @mOctave, @nathan-b, @NomadicVolcano, @opusforlife2, @petervdmeer, @Pointedstick, @Quantumshark, @quyykk, @ravenshining, @real-dam, @RisingLeaf, @roadrunner56, @rovermicrover, @samrocketman, @Saugia, @sevu, @SolraBizna, @tehhowch, @Terin, @thewierdnut, @ThrawnCA, @tibetiroka, @TomGoodIdea, @UnorderedSigh, @wallphoenix, @warp-core, @williaji, @wjp, @Zitchas, and @zlonghofer. Friendly reminder that all odd numbered releases, including this one, are considered "unstable" updates, and in order to play such updates on Steam you need to opt into the beta branch. To do that, go to your Steam library, right click Endless Sky, go to Properties, go to Betas, and select the beta in the drop down box. (You don't need any sort of beta code, just select beta in the drop down box and close the menu.)