Here is the changelog for Build 209!

Features

• Unchained alien evolutions. Now all alien tiered abilities are researchable at the hives (instead of all being unlocked at once). This allows aliens to get some abilities earlier and also doesn't give them tons of tech all at once.
• Added new alien "Shift". Gives passive energy regen, has "Hatch" ability to create eggs and also "Echo" ability for quickly teleporting alien structures.
• Added "Spur" upgrade structure which allows aliens to evolve Celerity and Hyper-mutation. Celerity allows aliens to reposition themselves to a new battle quickly and Hyper-mutation allows aliens to "reconfigure" themselves quickly and cheaply.
• Grenade launcher is no longer an attachment for the Rifle, but a separate weapon. Using NS1 artwork as a placeholder at the moment.
• Moved Bile Bomb back to Gorge (and there was much rejoicing!).
• Added Poison Bite to Lerk (Lerk Got Her Bite Back). Spikes are now a researchable upgrade.
• Added -noreload command line option to disable hot loading in the client and server.
• Added console command binding. For example, to join Marines with the number pad 0 key, type in the console "bind NumPad0 j1". Use "print_bindings" to display existing bindings.
• Added the player's Steam avatar to the menu.
• Added world text displayed at the position where resources are gathered (at resource towers or when recycling a structure).

Balance

• Adjusted spread of health and armor on power point so it's a bit more impervious to Onos Smash (takes an extra 4 hits).
• Big pass on all the maturation times and costs for all alien tech.
• Increased Celerity speed for Fade and Onos.
• Increased Gorge spit damage from 30 to 40.
• Reduced minimum gestation time a bit (for Hyper-evolution).
• Reduced Whip Bombard radius from 8 to 3.

Improvements

• Gorge Clogs are now at tier 1.
• Dead players won't collect any personal resources anymore (to lesson tech "explosion" and incentivize players to stay alive).
• Increased shotgun bullet spread by ~10%.
• Nutrient Mist won't affect maturation time anymore (it speeds evolution). It's now only triggerable on targets which are evolving/researching something and won't search for the closest target in range (target needs to be clicked directly)
• Removed slow down on turn when gliding as Lerk (was overkill together with overall slowdown).
• Research buttons now appear in red when the selected structure is currently researching something else.
• Units appear damaged (yellow wrench) only when they are below 90% of their health/armor.
• Onos Stomp changes (sentry confuse, not affecting arcs or structures).
• Removed Fade stab (will be replaced with Vortex in next patch).
• Added energy bar to hot key icons.
• Commander menu buttons now always appear in gray in case specific requirements are not met (structure not enough energy, Hive not mature, etc) and in red if not enough resources are available.
• Now Tech Points can be given a "choose weight" in the editor. The higher this number is, the more likely the point will be randomly chosen for a team.
• Now cheats doesn't ever affect any energy costs, build costs or research times. You can use "autobuild" to make research go faster and you can use "energy", "pres" or "tres" if you need lots of resources to build stuff.
• Removed icons for infestation on walls at mini map.

Fixes

• "integer" parameters on entities in the editor now use the default value defined in the editor_setup.xml file.
• Centered password and alert message boxes in the Main Menu.
• Disabled unit status info for dead players.
• Fixed a bug where you could heal and spit at the same time.
• Fixed alien commander cursor light getting cleaned up properly.
• Fixed bug in commander mode where canceling ghost model with right click also caused setting rally point / move order.
• Fixed bug where dead alien players could cancel ghost structures.
• Fixed bug where nutrient mist was not properly applied to researches.
• Fixed bug where prototype lab could be placed on infestation.
• Fixed bug where shade ink was costing no energy.
• Fixed bug where the crosshair Server damage indicator was being predicted on the Client.
• Fixed bug where unbuilt structures play their idle sounds.
• Fixed bug where upgrade gestation time was incorrect.
• Fixed bug where you could use energy from unbuilt structures through the assist/build menu.
• Fixed bug where you could use enzyme without having enough energy available on drifter.
• Fixed bug with LOS calculations where vision radius was reversed for entities (structures will now sight enemies at 10 meters, players at 30).
• Fixed camera hitching when playing onos.
• Fixed check to determine whether or not any mods are downloading.
• Fixed crosshair text showing up for destroyed units.
• Fixed jetpack smoke trails not showing up.
• Fixed tooltips not being shown for unpurchased upgrades in alien buy menu.
• Flashlight automatically turns off upon death.
• Properly finish refreshing mod list when no mods are subscribed to.
• Reduced Marine view offset height again (caused clipping through ceiling).
• The Jetpack fuel HUD will now disappear when the Jetpack Marine dies.
• The camera no longer inverts when evolving into a different alien while moving the camera to the minimum or maximum pitch.

ns2_tram

• Minor rework of entrance into Holo Room from Shipping.
• Switched the positions of the resource node and tech point in Shipping, and reworked some of the detailing.

Sound

• Added "rumble" sound that plays around the Onos when he is moving around.
• Added all the "for enemy" versions of movement sounds.
• All enemy footsteps and movement sounds are louder now.
• All footsteps now play a bit louder for enemy players (was Skulks only before).
• Hive rooms now have an alien rainforest sound in them.
• Reduced volume on Shade cloaking sounds to help aliens be more sneaky.
• Sounds for celerity and Fade vortex_end.wav.

Also, for anyone that missed the Twitch stream on Tuesday, here is Live Developer Q&A No.4: