There are many configuration options in the PvP scenario: screenshot

So you can create a match to suit the people who are going to play it.

You can also set it up so you don't even fight each other, just working cooperatively from separate factories with independent research.

Bugfixes

• Fixed gates sometimes not closing when next to cliffs. more
• Fixed crashes related to GUI tables. more

Use the automatic updater if you can (check experimental updates in other settings) or download full installation at http://www.factorio.com/download/experime...

Changes

• Removed RTL language translations (Hebrew, Arabic). more

Bugfixes

• Fixed crash when opening technology tree.
• Fixed blueprint loading related to trains and temporary stations. more
• Fixed that the quick bar and shortcut bar weren't aligned on UI scales other than 100% and 200%, making the game literally unplayable. ...

Bugfixes

• Fixed various layouting problems related to tables.
• Fixed upgrading underground belt ghosts would not recalculate underground connections resulting in desyncs. more
• Fixed construction robot tutorial when spamming ghost radars. more
• Fixed that some entities didn't show the not enough power icon. ...

This is fixed in the latest release.

Changes

• Dragging power poles over ghosts of the same type will revive them. more
• Replaced the hand graphic in the quickbar with a selected graphic, so blueprint books are visible.

Bugfixes

• Solved train positioning when being built by robots. more
• Fixed that playing Factorio in full-screen mode on macOS would hide all notifications. ...

The game doesn't have any built in API for building and moving, You will have to build it from constituent methods.

For instance building is just creating an entity and removing an item.

Moving is done by seting the walking state each tick: https://lua-api.factorio.com/latest/LuaControl.html#LuaControl.walking_state

Etc.

Its out already

No, just when backing up, the splitters will buffer a few extra items: https://gfycat.com/DizzyBossyGnatcatcher

Changes

• Fast replacing power poles will keep existing connections but also try to connect to further away power poles if possible. more
• 0-255 numbers are now allowed in [color] tags. The game will detect if you want to use floats or 0-255, just like the /color command. more

Bugfixes

• Solved transport line compression related to splitters for various corner cases. ...

Per force.

Changes

• Disabled vanilla pollution attacks in the NPE until after the final wave.
• Changing teams in PvP will try to preserve the current character. more

Bugfixes

• Fixed alerts showing for trees and rocks in the NPE more
• Fixed solid fuel not triggering "fuel furnace" quest item ...

Changes

• Fixed that trains wouldn't depart for temporary stops when waiting at a station. more
• Fixed that two headed train running out of fuel didn't trigger the out of fuel alert in one of the directions. more
• Improved Compilatron's ability to select a free space when indicating structures by a factor of 16.6.
• The player must now wait for Compilatron to follow before being allowed to evacuate the first area of the NPE.
...

It depends on the test, some check that a train is in the right position, that a certain biter dies, that the player has the crafted item, etc.

Bugfixes

• Fixed that research queue setting in the New Map GUI wouldn't remember its value. more
• Fixed a crash when hand replacing an assembler ghost with fluid mixing. more
• Fixed migration of fluid-using modded mining drill.
• Fixed ten_minutes modifier bug in NPE.
• Fixed broken resetting of scenario context.

Use the automatic updater if you can (check experimental updates in other settings) or download full i...

Should do already AFAIK

Its 50k pollution from all miners, the number does not reflect the number of entities polluting

We upload the builds to GOG, however they don't provide us any mechanism for setting the releases live ourselves.

Our release process sends them an email asking them to deploy it at their earliest convenience.

Yes, it will be fixed even if you played in 0.17.12. Howeverthe evolution factor will still remain at the increased value