Luanti 5.16.1

[Krock]

Luanti 5.16.1 has been released!

Blog post: https://blog.luanti.org/2026/05/24/5.16-released/

Highlights

• 5.16.0 --> 5.16.1: Flowing liquids are again rendered correctly.
• Several bugfixes (including memory leaks and graphical fixes)
• Client option to disable the damage flash
• Keybinds for camera rotation
• Support for more mouse buttons (for keybinds)
• Feature to skip the wield item swap animation
• HUD text size is no longer limited to whole numbers
• The behaviour of colliding with node edges can now be customized using step_up_mode
• Game aliases in game.conf to e.g. rename games
• Many API documentation improvements
• LUANTI_GAME_PATH and LUANTI_WORLD_PATH environment variables (renamed with compat)
• cURL proxy setting
• Skeleton code for Server Sent Client Side Mods (yet inactive)

Full changelog: https://docs.luanti.org/about/changelog/#5150--5160
Source code: https://github.com/luanti-org/luanti/tree/5.16.1

Downloads

Refer to the Assets section on the GitHub release page.

Which file do I need to download?

• Windows: EXE file (for 64-bit systems) or the portable builds named win64, win32
• MacOS: macos*_arm64 (Apple Silicon), macos*_x86_64 (Intel-based)
• Android: arm64-v8a (common), armabi-v7a (old devices), x86 or x86_64 (ChromeOS, budget)
• Linux: check for updates in your package manager or use Flatpak

For Windows: If you're using the self-extracting launcher for the first time, see how to copy your data.

Please note some downloads are not yet available at the time of writing.

[Linuxdirk]

My personal highlight:

Fixed incorrect animation state when placing nodes quickly (jordan4ibanez)

It instantly feels so much better when holding the build button now! 🤩

Such a minor detail, but such a huge effect!

[ArceusI]

A minor update that doesn't really do much. Fixing little graphical errors is a good thing though.

[Melkor]

A minor update that doesn't really do much. Fixing little graphical errors is a good thing though.

dude can you calm down please! always rant, rant, rant! everywhere i read you! (yes, is ironic, i'm ranting)

[ArceusI]

I also would want to address the elephant in the room:

Android: arm64-v8a (common), armabi-v7a (old devices), x86 or x86_64 (ChromeOS, budget)

There's a problem here: In September 2026, Google will force Developer Verification on all Android devices without our authorization. The only way to install it then without wasting time is through ADB, or Shizuku.

Here's the associated article: https://keepandroidopen.org/

Krock, what is Luanti going to do as Google begins to lockdown Android? Will you join the effort against Google so people can still enjoy Luanti on Android?

[Linuxdirk]

A minor update that doesn't really do much. Fixing little graphical errors is a good thing though.

dude can you calm down please! always rant, rant, rant! everywhere i read you! (yes, is ironic, i'm ranting)

Just put him on ignore, like everyone else 😊

[ChrisZ]

Unfortunately the visual effects update is not included in 5.16.0. Will it be merged for the next release? Maybe it will be available in 5.17? It has been almost 2 years now...

[Astrobe]

Code maintenance, improvements, cleanups

Otsukaresama desu

[TenPlus1]

Is it just me or does this latest update have a glitch where you cannot see flowing water ?

Screenshot_20260509_125349.jpg (116.76 KiB) Viewed 2757 times

[Linuxdirk]

All flowing liquids in Minetest Game are broken, too.

Tried without water effects, too. Same result.

[ArceusI]

Is it just me or does this latest update have a glitch where you cannot see flowing water ?

Screenshot_20260509_125349.jpg

That's a weird one...

[Dokimi]

I've got the weird flowing liquids bug too (water and lava). I spent ages trying to bug fix mods until I realized it was happening across games, and right after an update.

[ArceusI]

I've got the weird flowing liquids bug too (water and lava). I spent ages trying to bug fix mods until I realized it was happening across games, and right after an update.

It's a problem with Luanti itself then.

[sfan5]

Krock, what is Luanti going to do as Google begins to lockdown Android? Will you join the effort against Google so people can still enjoy Luanti on Android?

What do you think Luanti should do?

[ArceusI]

Krock, what is Luanti going to do as Google begins to lockdown Android? Will you join the effort against Google so people can still enjoy Luanti on Android?

What do you think Luanti should do?

Well, F-Droid & IzzyOnDroid are both protesting, so is Proton, and Luanti is FOSS, get the pattern here?

[Krock]

Updated the post for 5.16.1 - a hotfix release for 5.16.0. You may find the changelog here: https://docs.luanti.org/about/changelog/#5160--5161

[Wuzzy]

I have no idea how on Earth I managed to not catch the very obvious flowing liquid bug of 5.16.0 earlier. I even tested that version! xD

EDIT Re Android: I agree that Luanti devs (or any free software dev, really) should NOT obey Google’s orders by surrendering their private info just to prevent Luanti being banned from Android on September 2026. (context: https://keepandroidopen.org/)

[ROllerozxa]

EDIT Re Android: I agree that Luanti devs (or any free software dev, really) should NOT obey Google’s orders by surrendering their private info just to prevent Luanti being banned from Android on September 2026. (context: https://keepandroidopen.org/)

Luanti is already on Google Play and apps that are on Google Play are already opted-into the app developer verification for sideloading. So you can sideload the APKs from GitHub releases as they have the same signing key as is used on Google Play. It's impossible to not obey in Luanti's case, the problem is with apps that are not allowed on Google Play such as F-Droid (alternative app stores) or apps whose developers are unable to publish to Google Play for one reason or another (such as the new Google Play developer verification policies last year where Google will publish your full legal name regardless of if your app is free or paid).

What Luanti could do is sign the open letter to Google about it - a core developer sends an email to signatories@keepandroidopen.org to sign it. (...Assuming they actually respond. I have been trying, for months now, to reach out to them to sign their open letter on behalf of Principia, which has no Google Play presence and is particularly affected by this. :( Not sure if I'm too insignificant or if my emails ended up in spam)

[ArceusI]

NeoStore hasn't detected the new update yet...Is it delayed or something?

[Usergen80]

I want to install new luanti with sudo apt install but there is already a old minetest package on apt :-
sudo apt install minetest

I install luanti with flatpak/flathub install
Because it takes upto 550 MB of storage and data

debian package are lightweight installation package like in windows

[ROllerozxa]

I want to install new luanti with sudo apt install but there is already a old minetest package on apt :-
sudo apt install minetest

I install luanti with flatpak/flathub install
Because it takes upto 550 MB of storage and data

debian package are lightweight installation package like in windows

Packages in Debian stable repositories are effectively frozen in time and will not get updates outside of security patches (...theoretically). The officially sanctioned way to get newer packages, outside of compiling from source, is through the debian-backports repository, but there does not seem to be any available for Luanti (and even if it did, Debian has still not updated to 5.16 on either Sid or Forky).

My AppImage builds are about 13MB in size if you wanna give them a try: Link.

[Blockhead]

I want to install new luanti with sudo apt install but there is already a old minetest package on apt :-
sudo apt install minetest

I install luanti with flatpak/flathub install
Because it takes upto 550 MB of storage and data

debian package are lightweight installation package like in windows

sudo apt remove your old Luanti. Follow this thread to build Luanti from source, including a .deb file, then sudo apt install that .deb. Your version you built from source will not get wiped by the Debian version because it will have a newer version.

Edit: I also have minetestmapper built from source to a .deb file the same way, then /etc/apt/preferences.d/10-minetestmapper-mine to pin it to the "version 1.0" that that gives, because debian's YYYYMMDD dates for Minetestmapper versions actually do override that unless you pin.

/etc/apt/preferences.d/10-minetestmapper-mine

Code: Select all

Package: minetestmapper
Pin: version 1.0
Pin-Priority: 1001

[TumeniNodes]

Will someone be uploading the new release to the Stable PPA soon ?

[ArceusI]

Will someone be uploading the new release to the Stable PPA soon ?

Same for the F-Droid Repository, so I can get it through NeoStore.

[ArceusI]

What's taking so long for Luanti to drop it's update on NeoStore!?