diff --git a/binaries/data/config/default.cfg b/binaries/data/config/default.cfg
index 29b22b062e..e512bf322d 100644
--- a/binaries/data/config/default.cfg
+++ b/binaries/data/config/default.cfg
@@ -190,6 +190,13 @@ hotkey.menu.toggle = "F10"					; Toggle in-game menu.
 hotkey.menu.resign = "Alt+X"					; End current game session and return to main menu.
 
 ; > HOTKEYS ONLY
+
+
+
+hotkey.chat = Return						; Toggles chat window
+
+
+
 hotkey.onlinehelp = "F1"					; Enable/disable online manual entry for current selection.
 hotkey.music.toggle = "M"						; Enable/disable music.
 hotkey.audio.toggle = "Ctrl+A"					; Enable/disable sound.
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/gamesetup/gamesetup.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/gamesetup/gamesetup.js
index 588251c7ff..c3540598bf 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/gamesetup/gamesetup.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/gamesetup/gamesetup.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ var g_IsInGuiUpdate;
 var g_PlayerAssignments = {};
 
 // Default game setup attributes
-var g_GameAttributes = { "map": "" };
+var g_GameAttributes = { "map": ""};
 
 // Number of players for currently selected map
 var g_MaxPlayers = 8;
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ function handleNetMessage(message)
 		break;
 
 	case "start":
-		Engine.SwitchGuiPage("page_loading.xml", { "attribs": g_GameAttributes });
+		Engine.SwitchGuiPage("page_loading.xml", { "attribs": g_GameAttributes, "isNetworked" : g_IsNetworked, "playerAssignments": g_PlayerAssignments});
 		break;
 
 	case "chat":
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/loading/loading.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/loading/loading.js
index adf88b4e67..752f6b60e1 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/loading/loading.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/loading/loading.js
@@ -1,9 +1,20 @@
+var g_Data;
+
 function init(data)
 {
 	var mapName = "map";
 	if (data && data.attribs)
 		mapName = data.attribs.map;
 
+		
+		
+		
+	if (data)
+		g_Data = data;
+
+		
+		
+		
 	// Set to "hourglass" cursor.
 	setCursor("cursor-wait");
 
@@ -45,7 +56,7 @@ function reallyStartGame()
 	// to start the game (i.e. loading progress has reached 100%).
 
 	// Switch GUI from loading screen to game session.
-	Engine.SwitchGuiPage("page_session_new.xml");
+	Engine.SwitchGuiPage("page_session_new.xml", g_Data);
 	
 	// Restore default cursor.
 	setCursor ("arrow-default");
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/menu.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/menu.js
index 8edc60dd59..96842808b6 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/menu.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/menu.js
@@ -38,4 +38,19 @@ function toggleMenu()
 		getGUIObjectByName("menu").hidden = false; // View menu
 	else
 		getGUIObjectByName("menu").hidden = true; // Hide menu
+}
+
+function toggleChatWindow()
+{
+	if (getGUIObjectByName("chatWindow").hidden)
+	{
+		getGUIObjectByName("chatInput").focus();
+		getGUIObjectByName("chatWindow").hidden = false; // View chat
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		getGUIObjectByName("chatWindow").hidden = true; // Hide chat
+	}
+		
+	getGUIObjectByName("menu").hidden = true; // Hide menu
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/selection_details.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/selection_details.js
index b5ae69eb14..69b5ac1e7d 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/selection_details.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/selection_details.js
@@ -29,21 +29,14 @@ function layoutSelectionSingle(entState)
 }
 
 // Fills out information that most entities have
-function displayGeneralInfo(playerState, entState, template)
+function displayGeneralInfo(entState, template)
 {
-	var civName = toTitleCase(playerState.civ);
-	var color = playerState.color;
-	var playerColor = color["r"]*255 + " " + color["g"]*255 + " " + color["b"]*255 + " " + color["a"]*255;
+	var civName = toTitleCase(g_Players[entState.player].civ);
+	var playerColor = g_Players[entState.player].color.r + " " + g_Players[entState.player].color.g + " " +
+								g_Players[entState.player].color.b+ " " + g_Players[entState.player].color.a;
+	
 	var iconTooltip = "";
 
-	// Rank Icon
-//	var rankId = getRankCellId(entState);
-//	getGUIObjectByName("sdRankIcon").cell_id = rankId;
-
-	// Rank Title
-//	var rankText = getRankTitle(getRankCellId(entState.template));
-//	rankText = (rankText? rankText : "");
-
 	// Specific Name
 	var name = template.name.specific + getRankTitle(getRankCellId(entState.template));
 	getGUIObjectByName("sdSpecific").caption = name;
@@ -56,7 +49,7 @@ function displayGeneralInfo(playerState, entState, template)
 		getGUIObjectByName("sdSpecific").tooltip = "";
 
 	// Player Name
-	getGUIObjectByName("sdPlayer").caption = playerState.name;
+	getGUIObjectByName("sdPlayer").caption = g_Players[entState.player].name;
 	getGUIObjectByName("sdPlayer").tooltip = getFormalCivName(civName);
 	getGUIObjectByName("sdPlayer").textcolor = playerColor;
 
@@ -130,7 +123,7 @@ function displayGeneralInfo(playerState, entState, template)
 }
 
 // Updates middle entity Selection Details Panel
-function updateSelectionDetails(simState)
+function updateSelectionDetails()
 {
 	var detailsPanel = getGUIObjectByName("selectionDetails");
 	var commandsPanel = getGUIObjectByName("unitCommands");
@@ -152,10 +145,6 @@ function updateSelectionDetails(simState)
 	if (!entState)
 		return;
 
-	var playerState = simState.players[entState.player];
-	if (!playerState)
-		return;
-
 	// Choose the highest ranked version of the primary selection
 	// Different selection details are shown based on whether multiple units or a single unit is selected
 	if (selection.length > 1)
@@ -166,7 +155,7 @@ function updateSelectionDetails(simState)
 	var template = Engine.GuiInterfaceCall("GetTemplateData", entState.template);
 
 	// Fill out general info and display it
-	displayGeneralInfo(playerState, entState, template); // must come after layout functions
+	displayGeneralInfo(entState, template); // must come after layout functions
 
 	// Show Panels
 	detailsPanel.hidden = false;
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/session.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/session.js
index a4947906ae..5fc91f6c9f 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/session.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/session.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ const GEOLOGY = "geology";
 const FLORA = "flora";
 const FAUNA = "fauna";
 const SPECIAL = "special";
-const CAMP = "camp";
 
 const GAIA = "Gaia"
 const CART = "Cart";
@@ -19,6 +18,17 @@ const CELTS = "Celts";
 const PERSIANS = "Persians";
 const IBERIANS = "Iberians";
 
+// Chat data
+const maxNumChatLines = 30;
+var g_ChatMessages = [];
+var g_ChatTimers = [];
+
+// Network Mode
+var g_IsNetworked = false;
+
+// Cache the basic player data (name, civ, color)
+var g_Players = [];
+
 // Cache dev-mode settings that are frequently or widely used
 var g_DevSettings = {
 	controlAll: false
@@ -36,9 +46,55 @@ function init(initData, hotloadData)
 		startMusic();
 	}
 
+	if (initData)
+	{
+		g_IsNetworked = initData.isNetworked; // Set network mode
+		g_Players = getPlayerData(initData.playerAssignments); // Cache the player data
+	}
+
 	onSimulationUpdate();
 }
 
+// Get the basic player data
+function getPlayerData(playerAssignments)
+{
+	var players = [];
+
+	var simState = Engine.GuiInterfaceCall("GetSimulationState");
+	if (!simState)
+		return players;
+
+	for (var i = 0; i < simState.players.length; i++)
+	{
+		var playerState = simState.players[i];
+		if (!playerState)
+			continue;
+
+		var name = playerState.name;
+		var civ = playerState.civ;
+		var color = {"r": 255, "g": 255, "b": 255, "a": 255};
+		color.r = playerState.color["r"]*255;
+		color.g = playerState.color["g"]*255;
+		color.b = playerState.color["b"]*255;
+		color.a = playerState.color["a"]*255;
+
+		var player = {"name": name, "civ": civ, "color": color};
+		players.push(player);
+	}
+	
+	var i = 1;
+	if (playerAssignments)
+	{
+		for each (var playerAssignment in playerAssignments)
+		{
+			players[i].name = playerAssignment.name;
+			i++;
+		}
+	}
+	
+	return players;
+}
+
 function leaveGame()
 {
 	stopMusic();
@@ -75,16 +131,97 @@ function handleNetMessage(message)
 			obj.hidden = false;
 			// TODO: we need to give players some way to exit
 			break;
+
 		default:
 			error("Unrecognised netstatus type "+message.status);
 			break;
 		}
 		break;
+	case "chat":
+		addChatMessage({ "type": "message", "username": message.username, "text": message.text });
+		break;
 	default:
 		error("Unrecognised net message type "+message.type);
 	}
 }
 
+function submitChatInput()
+{
+	toggleChatWindow();
+	
+	var input = getGUIObjectByName("chatInput");
+	var text = input.caption;
+	if (text.length)
+	{
+		if (g_IsNetworked)
+			Engine.SendNetworkChat(text);
+		else
+			getGUIObjectByName("chatText").caption = "Chat is not currently supported in single player mode.";
+
+		input.caption = "";
+	}
+}
+
+function addChatMessage(msg)
+{
+	// TODO: we ought to escape all values before displaying them,
+	// to prevent people inserting colours and newlines etc
+
+	var playerColor;
+
+	for (var i = 0; i < g_Players.length; i++)
+	{
+		if (msg.username == g_Players[i].name)
+		{
+			playerColor  = g_Players[i].color.r + " " + g_Players[i].color.g + " " + g_Players[i].color.b;
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
+	var formatted;
+
+	switch (msg.type)
+	{
+	case "connect":
+		formatted = '<[color="' + playerColor + '"]' + msg.username + '[/color]> [color="64 64 64"]has joined[/color]';
+		break;
+
+	case "disconnect":
+		formatted = '<[color="' + playerColor + '"]' + msg.username + '[/color]> [color="64 64 64"]has left[/color]';
+		break;
+
+	case "message":
+		formatted = '<[color="' + playerColor + '"]' + msg.username + '[/color]> ' + msg.text;
+		break;
+
+	default:
+		error("Invalid chat message '" + uneval(msg) + "'");
+		return;
+	}
+
+	var timerExpiredFunction = function () { removeOldChatMessages(); }
+	
+	g_ChatMessages.push(formatted);
+	g_ChatTimers.push(setTimeout(timerExpiredFunction, 30000));
+
+	if (g_ChatMessages.length > maxNumChatLines)
+	{
+		clearTimeout(g_ChatTimers[0]);
+		g_ChatTimers.shift();
+		g_ChatMessages.shift();
+	}
+
+	getGUIObjectByName("chatText").caption = g_ChatMessages.join("\n");
+}
+
+function removeOldChatMessages()
+{
+	clearTimeout(g_ChatTimers[0]);
+	g_ChatTimers.shift();
+	g_ChatMessages.shift();
+	getGUIObjectByName("chatText").caption = g_ChatMessages.join("\n");
+}
+
 function onTick()
 {
 	while (true)
@@ -125,7 +262,11 @@ function onSimulationUpdate()
 
 	updateDebug(simState);
 	updatePlayerDisplay(simState);
-	updateSelectionDetails(simState);
+	updateSelectionDetails();
+	
+	if (g_ChatTimers.length)
+		console.write(g_ChatTimers[0]);
+			
 }
 
 function updateDebug(simState)
@@ -161,7 +302,6 @@ function updateDebug(simState)
 function updatePlayerDisplay(simState)
 {
 	var playerState = simState.players[Engine.GetPlayerID()];
-
 	if (!playerState)
 		return;
 
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/session.xml b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/session.xml
index 3fee4406ed..9d115244f8 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/session.xml
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/session.xml
@@ -51,9 +51,14 @@
 			]]></action>
 		</object>
 		
+		<!-- Depending on the current state, it either opens message window or closes message window / posts message -->
+		<object hotkey="chat">
+			<action on="Press">toggleChatWindow();</action>
+		</object>
+		
 		<!-- Delete button Hotkey (For some reason it won't work when the console is visible -->
 		<object hotkey="killUnit">
-			<action on="Press">performCommand(g_Selection.toList()[0], "delete")</action>
+			<action on="Press">performCommand(g_Selection.toList()[0], "delete");</action>
 		</object>
 		
 		<!-- ================================  ================================ -->
@@ -119,6 +124,27 @@
 			<action on="Press">togglePause();</action>
 		</object>
 
+		<!-- ================================  ================================ -->
+		<!-- Chat -->
+		<!-- ================================  ================================ -->
+
+		<!-- Chat panel -->
+		<object name="chatPanel" size="0 50 512 100%-200" type="image" ghost="true">
+			<object name="chatText" size="3 1 100%-1 100%-25" type="text" style="chatPanel" ghost="true"/>
+		</object>
+
+		<!-- Chat window -->
+		<object name="chatWindow" size="50%-200 50%-13 50%+200 50%+13" type="image" sprite="wheatIndentFillLight" hidden="true" z="10">
+			<object name="chatInput" size="2 100%-23 100%-66 100%-3" type="input" style="wheatInput" max_length="40">
+				<action on="Press">submitChatInput();</action>
+			</object>
+
+			<object size="100%-65 100%-25 100%-1 100%" type="button" style="wheatButton">
+				Send
+				<action on="Press">submitChatInput();</action>
+			</object>
+		</object>
+		
 		<!-- ================================  ================================ -->
 		<!-- Settings Window -->
 		<!-- ================================  ================================ -->
@@ -127,7 +153,7 @@
 			type="image"
 			size="50%-180 50%-200 50%+180 50%+50"
 			hidden="true"
-			z="50"
+			z="30"
 		>
 			<object name="settingsTitleBar" style="wheatWindowTitleBar" type="text">Settings</object>
 
@@ -178,10 +204,11 @@
 		<!-- Menu Details -->
 		<!-- ================================  ================================ -->
 		<object name="menu"
-			size="0 0 114 128"
+			size="0 0 114 160"
 			type="image"
 			sprite="menuBackground"
 			hidden="true"
+			z="20"
 		>
 			<!-- Settings button -->
 			<object type="button"
@@ -194,14 +221,25 @@
 				<action on="Press">toggleSettingsWindow();</action>
 			</object>
 
+			<!-- Chat button -->
+			<object type="button"
+				name="chatButton"
+				style="wheatButtonFancy"
+				size="0 64 114 96"
+				tooltip_style="snToolTip"
+			>
+				<object size="0 0 100% 100%" type="text" style="centeredText" name="chatButtonText" ghost="true">Chat</object>
+				<action on="Press">toggleChatWindow();</action>
+			</object>
+
 			<!-- Pause Button -->
 			<object type="button"
 				style="wheatButtonFancy"
 				name="pauseButton"
-				size="0 64 114 96"
+				size="0 96 114 128"
 				tooltip_style="snToolTip"
 			>
-				<object size="0 0 100% 100%" type="text" ghost="true" style="centeredText">Pause Game</object>
+				<object size="0 0 100% 100%" type="text" ghost="true" style="centeredText">Pause</object>
 				<action on="Press">togglePause();</action>
 			</object>
 
@@ -209,10 +247,10 @@
 			<object type="button"
 				name="exitButton"
 				style="wheatButtonFancy"
-				size="0 96 114 128"
+				size="0 128 114 160"
 				tooltip_style="snToolTip"
 			>
-				<object size="0 0 100% 100%" type="text" style="centeredText" name="exitButtonText" ghost="true" font="serif-14">Quit Game</object>
+				<object size="0 0 100% 100%" type="text" style="centeredText" name="exitButtonText" ghost="true" font="serif-14">Quit</object>
 				<action on="Press">
 					toggleMenu();
 					<![CDATA[messageBox(400, 200, "Do you really want to quit?", "Confirmation", 0, ["Yes", "No!"], [leaveGame, null]);]]>
@@ -226,6 +264,7 @@
 			style="wheatButtonFancy"
 			size="0 0 114 32"
 			tooltip_style="snToolTip"
+			z="30"
 		>
 			<object size="0 0 100% 100%" type="text" style="largeBoldCenteredText" name="menuButtonText" ghost="true">Menu</object>
 			<action on="Press">toggleMenu();</action>
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/styles.xml b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/styles.xml
index 2cf7bd7c5b..9a264e90c6 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/styles.xml
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/styles.xml
@@ -146,4 +146,13 @@
 		sprite="netStatusBackground"
 	/>
 
+	<style name="chatPanel"
+		buffer_zone="5"
+		font="serif-bold-13"
+		textcolor="white"
+		textcolor_selected="white"
+		text_align="left"
+		text_valign="top"
+	/>
+
 </styles>