diff --git a/versiondump.py b/versiondump.py
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/versiondump.py
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+import subprocess
+import os
+import datetime
+import sys
+
+
+#================================
+# the new version format is MAJORSAVE.MINORSAVE.BUGFIX
+
+# bump MAJORSAVE every time there is a breaking change to the save format 
+# bump MINORSAVE every time a save format change would stop save loading in older versions
+# bump BUGFIX if save format is untouched
+# bumps cause all later numbers to be reset. e.g. if you bump MINORSAVE then BUGFIX goes back to 0.
+
+# save version to end 'pre' for unreleased builds with the version number being that of the next likely release
+
+VERSION_TAG = "ginever-6.0.0"
+#================================
+
+
+if sys.platform == "darwin":
+	hg_path = "/usr/local/bin/hg"
+	hg_shell = True
+else:
+	hg_path = "hg"
+	hg_shell = False
+
+HG_BRANCH = subprocess.Popen(hg_path + " branch", cwd="src/", stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, shell=hg_shell).stdout.read().decode('utf-8').strip()
+HG_REVISION = subprocess.Popen(hg_path + " identify --num", cwd="src/", stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, shell=hg_shell).stdout.read().decode('utf-8').strip()
+HG_CHANGESET = subprocess.Popen(hg_path + " parents --template \"{node}\"", cwd="src/", stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, shell=hg_shell).stdout.read().decode('utf-8').strip()
+HG_CHANGESET_SHORT = subprocess.Popen(hg_path + " parents --template \"{node|short}\"", cwd="src/", stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, shell=hg_shell).stdout.read().decode('utf-8').strip()
+HG_REPO_OWNER = subprocess.Popen(hg_path + " showconfig ui.username", cwd="src/", stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, shell=hg_shell).stdout.read().decode('utf-8').strip()
+IS_TAGGED_VERSION = "pre" not in VERSION_TAG and "+" not in HG_REVISION
+
+if "+" in HG_REVISION:
+    HG_CHANGESET = HG_CHANGESET + "+"
+    HG_CHANGESET_SHORT = HG_CHANGESET_SHORT + "+"
+    HG_DATE = subprocess.Popen(hg_path + " identify --template \"{date|isodate}\"", cwd="src/", stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, shell=hg_shell).stdout.read().decode('utf-8').strip()
+else:
+    HG_DATE = subprocess.Popen(hg_path + " parents --template \"{date|isodate}\"", cwd="src/", stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, shell=hg_shell).stdout.read().decode('utf-8').strip()
+
+if not IS_TAGGED_VERSION:
+    VERSION_TAG = VERSION_TAG + "-h" + HG_CHANGESET_SHORT
+
+# write in format  VERSION ISODATE MODIFIED HASH ISTAG ISSTABLETAG YEAR
+version_file = open('.ottdrev-gpp', 'w')
+version_file.write("{}\t{}\t{}\t{}\t{}\t{}\t{}\n".format(VERSION_TAG, HG_DATE[:10].replace("-",""), "4" if "+" in HG_REVISION else "3", HG_CHANGESET, "1" if IS_TAGGED_VERSION else "0", "0", HG_DATE[:4]))
+version_file.close()
+
+print('This is Ginever.net OpenTTD Patchpack hg r' + HG_REVISION + ' (' + HG_CHANGESET + ') in branch ' + HG_BRANCH)
+print('This build is being performed by: ' + HG_REPO_OWNER)