diff --git a/src/bridge_gui.cpp b/src/bridge_gui.cpp
index 3a4868208c..35c2aa2058 100644
--- a/src/bridge_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/bridge_gui.cpp
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ public:
 		switch (widget) {
 			case BBSW_DROPDOWN_ORDER: {
 				Dimension d = GetStringBoundingBox(this->GetWidget<NWidgetCore>(widget)->widget_data);
-				d.width += padding.width + WD_SORTBUTTON_ARROW_WIDTH * 2; // Doubled since the word is centered, also looks nice.
+				d.width += padding.width + WD_SORTBUTTON_ARROW_WIDTH * 2; // Doubled since the string is centred and it also looks better.
 				d.height += padding.height;
 				*size = maxdim(*size, d);
 				break;
diff --git a/src/console_gui.cpp b/src/console_gui.cpp
index ac0e6103c9..3000954763 100644
--- a/src/console_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/console_gui.cpp
@@ -281,7 +281,10 @@ struct IConsoleWindow : Window
 				break;
 
 			case WKC_RETURN: case WKC_NUM_ENTER: {
-				IConsolePrintF(CC_COMMAND, "] %s", _iconsole_cmdline.buf);
+				/* We always want the ] at the left side; we always force these strings to be left
+				 * aligned anyway. So enforce this in all cases by addding a left-to-right marker,
+				 * otherwise it will be drawn at the wrong side with right-to-left texts. */
+				IConsolePrintF(CC_COMMAND, LRM "] %s", _iconsole_cmdline.buf);
 				const char *cmd = IConsoleHistoryAdd(_iconsole_cmdline.buf);
 				IConsoleClearCommand();
 
diff --git a/src/gfx.cpp b/src/gfx.cpp
index fb8f3f88ee..58ea7a71d0 100644
--- a/src/gfx.cpp
+++ b/src/gfx.cpp
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ static int TruncateString(char *str, int maxw, bool ignore_setxy)
 	ddd_w = ddd = GetCharacterWidth(size, '.') * 3;
 
 	for (ddd_pos = str; (c = Utf8Consume(const_cast<const char **>(&str))) != '\0'; ) {
-		if (IsPrintable(c)) {
+		if (IsPrintable(c) && !IsTextDirectionChar(c)) {
 			w += GetCharacterWidth(size, c);
 
 			if (w > maxw) {
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ static int GetStringWidth(const UChar *str)
 	for (;;) {
 		c = *str++;
 		if (c == 0) break;
-		if (IsPrintable(c)) {
+		if (IsPrintable(c) && !IsTextDirectionChar(c)) {
 			width += GetCharacterWidth(size, c);
 		} else {
 			switch (c) {
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ uint32 FormatStringLinebreaks(char *str, const char *last, int maxw)
 			/* whitespace is where we will insert the line-break */
 			if (IsWhitespace(c)) last_space = str;
 
-			if (IsPrintable(c)) {
+			if (IsPrintable(c) && !IsTextDirectionChar(c)) {
 				int char_w = GetCharacterWidth(size, c);
 				w += char_w;
 				if (w > maxw) {
@@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ Dimension GetStringBoundingBox(const char *str)
 	for (;;) {
 		c = Utf8Consume(&str);
 		if (c == 0) break;
-		if (IsPrintable(c)) {
+		if (IsPrintable(c) && !IsTextDirectionChar(c)) {
 			br.width += GetCharacterWidth(size, c);
 		} else {
 			switch (c) {
@@ -974,7 +974,7 @@ skip_cont:;
 			_last_fontsize = size;
 			return x;  // Nothing more to draw, get out. And here is the new x position
 		}
-		if (IsPrintable(c)) {
+		if (IsPrintable(c) && !IsTextDirectionChar(c)) {
 			if (x >= dpi->left + dpi->width) goto skip_char;
 			if (x + _max_char_width >= dpi->left) {
 				GfxMainBlitter(GetGlyph(size, c), x, y, BM_COLOUR_REMAP);
@@ -998,7 +998,7 @@ skip_cont:;
 			size = FS_SMALL;
 		} else if (c == SCC_BIGFONT) { // {BIGFONT}
 			size = FS_LARGE;
-		} else {
+		} else if (!IsTextDirectionChar(c)) {
 			DEBUG(misc, 0, "[utf8] unknown string command character %d", c);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/group_gui.cpp b/src/group_gui.cpp
index ebd2292d39..88b14f66cd 100644
--- a/src/group_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/group_gui.cpp
@@ -258,6 +258,14 @@ public:
 				size->width += WD_FRAMERECT_LEFT + WD_FRAMERECT_RIGHT + 8 + 8;
 				break;
 
+			case GRP_WIDGET_SORT_BY_ORDER: {
+				Dimension d = GetStringBoundingBox(this->GetWidget<NWidgetCore>(widget)->widget_data);
+				d.width += padding.width + WD_SORTBUTTON_ARROW_WIDTH * 2; // Doubled since the string is centred and it also looks better.
+				d.height += padding.height;
+				*size = maxdim(*size, d);
+				break;
+			}
+
 			case GRP_WIDGET_LIST_VEHICLE:
 				resize->height = GetVehicleListHeight(this->vehicle_type, FONT_HEIGHT_NORMAL + WD_MATRIX_TOP);
 				size->height = 4 * resize->height;
diff --git a/src/industry_gui.cpp b/src/industry_gui.cpp
index 6de0309f68..15f1d91825 100644
--- a/src/industry_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/industry_gui.cpp
@@ -1066,7 +1066,7 @@ public:
 		switch (widget) {
 			case IDW_DROPDOWN_ORDER: {
 				Dimension d = GetStringBoundingBox(this->GetWidget<NWidgetCore>(widget)->widget_data);
-				d.width += padding.width + WD_SORTBUTTON_ARROW_WIDTH * 2; // Doubled since the word is centered, also looks nice.
+				d.width += padding.width + WD_SORTBUTTON_ARROW_WIDTH * 2; // Doubled since the string is centred and it also looks better.
 				d.height += padding.height;
 				*size = maxdim(*size, d);
 				break;
diff --git a/src/network/network.cpp b/src/network/network.cpp
index 082dd18a41..c833090bf8 100644
--- a/src/network/network.cpp
+++ b/src/network/network.cpp
@@ -250,7 +250,13 @@ void NetworkTextMessage(NetworkAction action, ConsoleColour colour, bool self_se
 	SetDParamStr(0, name);
 	SetDParamStr(1, str);
 	SetDParam(2, data);
-	GetString(message, strid, lastof(message));
+
+	/* All of these strings start with "***". These characters are interpreted as both left-to-right and
+	 * right-to-left characters depending on the context. As the next text might be an user's name, the
+	 * user name's characters will influence the direction of the "***" instead of the language setting
+	 * of the game. Manually set the direction of the "***" by inserting a text-direction marker. */
+	char *msg_ptr = message + Utf8Encode(message, _dynlang.text_dir == TD_LTR ? CHAR_TD_LRM : CHAR_TD_RLM);
+	GetString(msg_ptr, strid, lastof(message));
 
 	DEBUG(desync, 1, "msg: %08x; %02x; %s", _date, _date_fract, message);
 	IConsolePrintF(colour, "%s", message);
diff --git a/src/newgrf_commons.cpp b/src/newgrf_commons.cpp
index c5a2ebea90..873b99eacb 100644
--- a/src/newgrf_commons.cpp
+++ b/src/newgrf_commons.cpp
@@ -351,13 +351,13 @@ uint32 GetTerrainType(TileIndex tile, TileContext context)
 	}
 }
 
-TileIndex GetNearbyTile(byte parameter, TileIndex tile)
+TileIndex GetNearbyTile(byte parameter, TileIndex tile, bool signed_offsets)
 {
 	int8 x = GB(parameter, 0, 4);
 	int8 y = GB(parameter, 4, 4);
 
-	if (x >= 8) x -= 16;
-	if (y >= 8) y -= 16;
+	if (signed_offsets && x >= 8) x -= 16;
+	if (signed_offsets && y >= 8) y -= 16;
 
 	/* Swap width and height depending on axis for railway stations */
 	if (HasStationTileRail(tile) && GetRailStationAxis(tile) == AXIS_Y) Swap(x, y);
diff --git a/src/newgrf_commons.h b/src/newgrf_commons.h
index 3c0ae571ef..c00936802c 100644
--- a/src/newgrf_commons.h
+++ b/src/newgrf_commons.h
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ extern IndustryOverrideManager _industry_mngr;
 extern IndustryTileOverrideManager _industile_mngr;
 
 uint32 GetTerrainType(TileIndex tile, TileContext context = TCX_NORMAL);
-TileIndex GetNearbyTile(byte parameter, TileIndex tile);
+TileIndex GetNearbyTile(byte parameter, TileIndex tile, bool signed_offsets = true);
 uint32 GetNearbyTileInformation(TileIndex tile);
 
 #endif /* NEWGRF_COMMONS_H */
diff --git a/src/newgrf_industries.cpp b/src/newgrf_industries.cpp
index e8e997426a..52211e17f0 100644
--- a/src/newgrf_industries.cpp
+++ b/src/newgrf_industries.cpp
@@ -233,19 +233,19 @@ uint32 IndustryGetVariable(const ResolverObject *object, byte variable, byte par
 		case 0x46: return industry->construction_date; // Date when built - long format - (in days)
 
 		/* Get industry ID at offset param */
-		case 0x60: return GetIndustryIDAtOffset(GetNearbyTile(parameter, industry->location.tile), industry, object->grffile->grfid);
+		case 0x60: return GetIndustryIDAtOffset(GetNearbyTile(parameter, industry->location.tile, false), industry, object->grffile->grfid);
 
 		/* Get random tile bits at offset param */
 		case 0x61:
-			tile = GetNearbyTile(parameter, tile);
+			tile = GetNearbyTile(parameter, tile, false);
 			return (IsTileType(tile, MP_INDUSTRY) && Industry::GetByTile(tile) == industry) ? GetIndustryRandomBits(tile) : 0;
 
 		/* Land info of nearby tiles */
-		case 0x62: return GetNearbyIndustryTileInformation(parameter, tile, INVALID_INDUSTRY);
+		case 0x62: return GetNearbyIndustryTileInformation(parameter, tile, INVALID_INDUSTRY, false);
 
 		/* Animation stage of nearby tiles */
 		case 0x63:
-			tile = GetNearbyTile(parameter, tile);
+			tile = GetNearbyTile(parameter, tile, false);
 			if (IsTileType(tile, MP_INDUSTRY) && Industry::GetByTile(tile) == industry) {
 				return GetIndustryAnimationState(tile);
 			}
diff --git a/src/newgrf_industries.h b/src/newgrf_industries.h
index 3013f9170f..164305c065 100644
--- a/src/newgrf_industries.h
+++ b/src/newgrf_industries.h
@@ -42,6 +42,6 @@ bool CheckIfCallBackAllowsAvailability(IndustryType type, IndustryAvailabilityCa
 IndustryType MapNewGRFIndustryType(IndustryType grf_type, uint32 grf_id);
 
 /* in newgrf_industrytiles.cpp*/
-uint32 GetNearbyIndustryTileInformation(byte parameter, TileIndex tile, IndustryID index);
+uint32 GetNearbyIndustryTileInformation(byte parameter, TileIndex tile, IndustryID index, bool signed_offsets = true);
 
 #endif /* NEWGRF_INDUSTRIES_H */
diff --git a/src/newgrf_industrytiles.cpp b/src/newgrf_industrytiles.cpp
index 9f8f79c5bb..e94a5317cb 100644
--- a/src/newgrf_industrytiles.cpp
+++ b/src/newgrf_industrytiles.cpp
@@ -35,11 +35,12 @@
  * @param parameter from callback.  It's in fact a pair of coordinates
  * @param tile TileIndex from which the callback was initiated
  * @param index of the industry been queried for
+ * @param signed_offsets Are the x and y offset encoded in parameter signed?
  * @return a construction of bits obeying the newgrf format
  */
-uint32 GetNearbyIndustryTileInformation(byte parameter, TileIndex tile, IndustryID index)
+uint32 GetNearbyIndustryTileInformation(byte parameter, TileIndex tile, IndustryID index, bool signed_offsets)
 {
-	if (parameter != 0) tile = GetNearbyTile(parameter, tile); // only perform if it is required
+	if (parameter != 0) tile = GetNearbyTile(parameter, tile, signed_offsets); // only perform if it is required
 	bool is_same_industry = (IsTileType(tile, MP_INDUSTRY) && GetIndustryIndex(tile) == index);
 
 	return GetNearbyTileInformation(tile) | (is_same_industry ? 1 : 0) << 8;
diff --git a/src/saveload/saveload.cpp b/src/saveload/saveload.cpp
index 8b87233897..415cb00580 100644
--- a/src/saveload/saveload.cpp
+++ b/src/saveload/saveload.cpp
@@ -1643,6 +1643,7 @@ static const SaveLoadFormat _saveload_formats[] = {
 #else
 	{"zlib",   TO_BE32X('OTTZ'), NULL,         NULL,       NULL,           NULL,          NULL,        NULL,            0, 0, 0},
 #endif
+	{"lzma",   TO_BE32X('OTTX'), NULL,         NULL,       NULL,           NULL,          NULL,        NULL,            0, 0, 0},
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/station_gui.cpp b/src/station_gui.cpp
index dfbdc4a54c..929fca954f 100644
--- a/src/station_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/station_gui.cpp
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ public:
 		switch (widget) {
 			case SLW_SORTBY: {
 				Dimension d = GetStringBoundingBox(this->GetWidget<NWidgetCore>(widget)->widget_data);
-				d.width += padding.width + WD_SORTBUTTON_ARROW_WIDTH * 2; // Doubled since the word is centered, also looks nice.
+				d.width += padding.width + WD_SORTBUTTON_ARROW_WIDTH * 2; // Doubled since the string is centred and it also looks better.
 				d.height += padding.height;
 				*size = maxdim(*size, d);
 				break;
diff --git a/src/string_func.h b/src/string_func.h
index f921397a0b..33b4581145 100644
--- a/src/string_func.h
+++ b/src/string_func.h
@@ -222,6 +222,28 @@ static inline char *Utf8PrevChar(char *s)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Is the given character a text direction character.
+ * @param c The character to test.
+ * @return true iff the character is used to influence
+ *         the text direction.
+ */
+static inline bool IsTextDirectionChar(WChar c)
+{
+	switch (c) {
+		case CHAR_TD_LRM:
+		case CHAR_TD_RLM:
+		case CHAR_TD_LRE:
+		case CHAR_TD_RLE:
+		case CHAR_TD_LRO:
+		case CHAR_TD_RLO:
+		case CHAR_TD_PDF:
+			return true;
+
+		default:
+			return false;
+	}
+}
 
 static inline bool IsPrintable(WChar c)
 {
diff --git a/src/string_type.h b/src/string_type.h
index 4afbaa9d30..0078c20543 100644
--- a/src/string_type.h
+++ b/src/string_type.h
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@
 /** A non-breaking space. */
 #define NBSP "\xC2\xA0"
 
+/** A left-to-right marker, marks the next character as left-to-right. */
+#define LRM "\xE2\x80\x8E"
+
 /**
  * Valid filter types for IsValidChar.
  */
@@ -27,4 +30,14 @@ enum CharSetFilter {
 
 typedef uint32 WChar;
 
+/* The following are directional formatting codes used to get the LTR and RTL strings right:
+ * http://www.unicode.org/unicode/reports/tr9/#Directional_Formatting_Codes */
+static const WChar CHAR_TD_LRM = 0x200E; ///< The next character acts like a left-to-right character.
+static const WChar CHAR_TD_RLM = 0x200F; ///< The next character acts like a right-to-left character.
+static const WChar CHAR_TD_LRE = 0x202A; ///< The following text is embedded left-to-right.
+static const WChar CHAR_TD_RLE = 0x202B; ///< The following text is embedded right-to-left.
+static const WChar CHAR_TD_LRO = 0x202D; ///< Force the following characters to be treated as left-to-right characters.
+static const WChar CHAR_TD_RLO = 0x202E; ///< Force the following characters to be treated as right-to-left characters.
+static const WChar CHAR_TD_PDF = 0x202C; ///< Restore the text-direction state to before the last LRE, RLE, LRO or RLO.
+
 #endif /* STRING_TYPE_H */
diff --git a/src/table/strgen_tables.h b/src/table/strgen_tables.h
index b37133d538..3472a1d9af 100644
--- a/src/table/strgen_tables.h
+++ b/src/table/strgen_tables.h
@@ -134,13 +134,13 @@ static const CmdStruct _cmd_structs[] = {
 
 	/* The following are directional formatting codes used to get the RTL strings right:
 	 * http://www.unicode.org/unicode/reports/tr9/#Directional_Formatting_Codes */
-	{"LRM",             EmitSingleChar, 0x200E,                 0, C_DONTCOUNT},
-	{"RLM",             EmitSingleChar, 0x200F,                 0, C_DONTCOUNT},
-	{"LRE",             EmitSingleChar, 0x202A,                 0, C_DONTCOUNT},
-	{"RLE",             EmitSingleChar, 0x202B,                 0, C_DONTCOUNT},
-	{"LRO",             EmitSingleChar, 0x202D,                 0, C_DONTCOUNT},
-	{"RLO",             EmitSingleChar, 0x202E,                 0, C_DONTCOUNT},
-	{"PDF",             EmitSingleChar, 0x202C,                 0, C_DONTCOUNT},
+	{"LRM",             EmitSingleChar, CHAR_TD_LRM,            0, C_DONTCOUNT},
+	{"RLM",             EmitSingleChar, CHAR_TD_RLM,            0, C_DONTCOUNT},
+	{"LRE",             EmitSingleChar, CHAR_TD_LRE,            0, C_DONTCOUNT},
+	{"RLE",             EmitSingleChar, CHAR_TD_RLE,            0, C_DONTCOUNT},
+	{"LRO",             EmitSingleChar, CHAR_TD_LRO,            0, C_DONTCOUNT},
+	{"RLO",             EmitSingleChar, CHAR_TD_RLO,            0, C_DONTCOUNT},
+	{"PDF",             EmitSingleChar, CHAR_TD_PDF,            0, C_DONTCOUNT},
 };
 
 /** Description of a plural form */
diff --git a/src/town_gui.cpp b/src/town_gui.cpp
index d453748b72..d9b2ca02b9 100644
--- a/src/town_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/town_gui.cpp
@@ -817,7 +817,7 @@ public:
 			case TDW_SORTNAME:
 			case TDW_SORTPOPULATION: {
 				Dimension d = GetStringBoundingBox(this->GetWidget<NWidgetCore>(widget)->widget_data);
-				d.width += padding.width + WD_SORTBUTTON_ARROW_WIDTH * 2; // Doubled since the word is centered, also looks nice.
+				d.width += padding.width + WD_SORTBUTTON_ARROW_WIDTH * 2; // Doubled since the string is centred and it also looks better.
 				d.height += padding.height;
 				*size = maxdim(*size, d);
 				break;
diff --git a/src/vehicle_gui.cpp b/src/vehicle_gui.cpp
index fa6a49e920..c428b42819 100644
--- a/src/vehicle_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/vehicle_gui.cpp
@@ -999,20 +999,30 @@ public:
 
 	virtual void UpdateWidgetSize(int widget, Dimension *size, const Dimension &padding, Dimension *fill, Dimension *resize)
 	{
-		if (widget != VLW_WIDGET_LIST) return;
+		switch (widget) {
+			case VLW_WIDGET_LIST:
+				resize->height = GetVehicleListHeight(this->vehicle_type, 1);
+				switch (this->vehicle_type) {
+					case VEH_TRAIN:
+					case VEH_ROAD:
+						size->height = 6 * resize->height;
 
-		resize->height = GetVehicleListHeight(this->vehicle_type, 1);
+						break;
+					case VEH_SHIP:
+					case VEH_AIRCRAFT:
+						size->height = 4 * resize->height;
+						break;
+					default: NOT_REACHED();
+				}
+				break;
 
-		switch (this->vehicle_type) {
-			case VEH_TRAIN:
-			case VEH_ROAD:
-				size->height = 6 * resize->height;
+			case VLW_WIDGET_SORT_ORDER: {
+				Dimension d = GetStringBoundingBox(this->GetWidget<NWidgetCore>(widget)->widget_data);
+				d.width += padding.width + WD_SORTBUTTON_ARROW_WIDTH * 2; // Doubled since the string is centred and it also looks better.
+				d.height += padding.height;
+				*size = maxdim(*size, d);
 				break;
-			case VEH_SHIP:
-			case VEH_AIRCRAFT:
-				size->height = 4 * resize->height;
-				break;
-			default: NOT_REACHED();
+			}
 		}
 	}