diff --git a/source/glest_game/main/main.cpp b/source/glest_game/main/main.cpp
index 6e090b618..3d9a54f91 100644
--- a/source/glest_game/main/main.cpp
+++ b/source/glest_game/main/main.cpp
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ const char  *GAME_ARGS[] = {
 	"--disable-sound",
 	"--enable-legacyfonts",
 	"--use-video-settings",
+	"--use-font",
 	"--verbose"
 
 };
@@ -163,6 +164,7 @@ enum GAME_ARG_TYPE {
 	GAME_ARG_DISABLE_SOUND,
 	GAME_ARG_ENABLE_LEGACYFONTS,
 	GAME_ARG_USE_VIDEO_SETTINGS,
+	GAME_ARG_USE_FONT,
 	GAME_ARG_VERBOSE_MODE
 };
 
@@ -1075,6 +1077,10 @@ void printParameterHelp(const char *argv0, bool foundInvalidArgs) {
 	printf("\n                     \t\texample: %s %s=1024x768x*x*",argv0,GAME_ARGS[GAME_ARG_USE_VIDEO_SETTINGS]);
 	printf("\n                     \t\tsame result for: %s %s=1024x768",argv0,GAME_ARGS[GAME_ARG_USE_VIDEO_SETTINGS]);
 
+	printf("\n%s=x\t\t\toverride the font to use.",GAME_ARGS[GAME_ARG_USE_FONT]);
+	printf("\n                     \t\tWhere x is the path and name of a font file support by freetype2.");
+	printf("\n                     \t\texample: %s %s=$APPLICATIONDATAPATH/data/core/fonts/Vera.ttf",argv0,GAME_ARGS[GAME_ARG_USE_FONT]);
+
 	printf("\n%s\t\t\tdisplays verbose information in the console.",GAME_ARGS[GAME_ARG_VERBOSE_MODE]);
 
 	printf("\n\n");
@@ -1096,6 +1102,7 @@ int setupGameItemPaths(int argc, char** argv, Config *config) {
         Tokenize(customPath,paramPartTokens,"=");
         if(paramPartTokens.size() >= 2 && paramPartTokens[1].length() > 0) {
             string customPathValue = paramPartTokens[1];
+            Properties::applyTagsToValue(customPathValue);
             if(customPathValue != "") {
             	endPathWithSlash(customPathValue);
             }
@@ -1132,6 +1139,7 @@ int setupGameItemPaths(int argc, char** argv, Config *config) {
         Tokenize(customPath,paramPartTokens,"=");
         if(paramPartTokens.size() >= 2 && paramPartTokens[1].length() > 0) {
             string customPathValue = paramPartTokens[1];
+            Properties::applyTagsToValue(customPathValue);
             pathCache[GameConstants::path_ini_CacheLookupKey]=customPathValue;
             if(SystemFlags::VERBOSE_MODE_ENABLED) printf("Using custom ini path [%s]\n",customPathValue.c_str());
         }
@@ -1155,6 +1163,7 @@ int setupGameItemPaths(int argc, char** argv, Config *config) {
         Tokenize(customPath,paramPartTokens,"=");
         if(paramPartTokens.size() >= 2 && paramPartTokens[1].length() > 0) {
             string customPathValue = paramPartTokens[1];
+            Properties::applyTagsToValue(customPathValue);
             pathCache[GameConstants::path_logs_CacheLookupKey]=customPathValue;
             if(SystemFlags::VERBOSE_MODE_ENABLED) printf("Using custom logs path [%s]\n",customPathValue.c_str());
         }
@@ -2708,6 +2717,35 @@ int glestMain(int argc, char** argv) {
         SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s Line: %d] Font::charCount = %d, Font::fontTypeName [%s] Shared::Platform::charSet = %d, Font::fontIsMultibyte = %d, Font::fontIsRightToLeft = %d\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,Font::charCount,Font::fontTypeName.c_str(),Shared::Platform::charSet,Font::fontIsMultibyte,Font::fontIsRightToLeft);
         if(SystemFlags::VERBOSE_MODE_ENABLED) printf("Using Font::charCount = %d, Font::fontTypeName [%s] Shared::Platform::charSet = %d, Font::fontIsMultibyte = %d, Font::fontIsRightToLeft = %d\n",Font::charCount,Font::fontTypeName.c_str(),Shared::Platform::charSet,Font::fontIsMultibyte,Font::fontIsRightToLeft);
 
+    	if(hasCommandArgument(argc, argv,GAME_ARGS[GAME_ARG_USE_FONT]) == true) {
+			int foundParamIndIndex = -1;
+			hasCommandArgument(argc, argv,string(GAME_ARGS[GAME_ARG_USE_FONT]) + string("="),&foundParamIndIndex);
+			if(foundParamIndIndex < 0) {
+				hasCommandArgument(argc, argv,string(GAME_ARGS[GAME_ARG_USE_FONT]),&foundParamIndIndex);
+			}
+			string paramValue = argv[foundParamIndIndex];
+			vector<string> paramPartTokens;
+			Tokenize(paramValue,paramPartTokens,"=");
+			if(paramPartTokens.size() >= 2 && paramPartTokens[1].length() > 0) {
+				string newfont = paramPartTokens[1];
+				//printf("#1 Forcing font [%s] paramPartTokens.size() = %d, paramValue [%s]\n",newfont.c_str(),paramPartTokens.size(),paramValue.c_str());
+				Properties::applyTagsToValue(newfont);
+				printf("Forcing font [%s]\n",newfont.c_str());
+
+#if defined(WIN32)
+				string newEnvValue = "MEGAGLEST_FONT=" + newfont;
+				_putenv(newEnvValue.c_str());
+#else
+        		setenv("MEGAGLEST_FONT",newfont.c_str(),1);
+#endif
+			}
+	        else {
+	            printf("\nInvalid missing font specified on commandline [%s] value [%s]\n\n",argv[foundParamIndIndex],(paramPartTokens.size() >= 2 ? paramPartTokens[1].c_str() : NULL));
+	            //printParameterHelp(argv[0],false);
+	            return -1;
+	        }
+    	}
+
         SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s Line: %d]\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__);
 
     	if(hasCommandArgument(argc, argv,GAME_ARGS[GAME_ARG_SHOW_MAP_CRC]) == true) {
diff --git a/source/shared_lib/sources/graphics/gl/font_textFTGL.cpp b/source/shared_lib/sources/graphics/gl/font_textFTGL.cpp
index bd4774d58..c7fc63a47 100644
--- a/source/shared_lib/sources/graphics/gl/font_textFTGL.cpp
+++ b/source/shared_lib/sources/graphics/gl/font_textFTGL.cpp
@@ -274,6 +274,7 @@ const char* TextFTGL::findFont(const char *firstFontToTry) {
 		path = filename; \
 		if( !font && path && fileExists(path) == true ) \
 			font = strdup(path); \
+			if(SystemFlags::VERBOSE_MODE_ENABLED) printf("Found font file [%s]\n",font); \
 	}
 
 	string tryFont = "";
diff --git a/source/shared_lib/sources/util/properties.cpp b/source/shared_lib/sources/util/properties.cpp
index ee972f366..1a4ca27aa 100644
--- a/source/shared_lib/sources/util/properties.cpp
+++ b/source/shared_lib/sources/util/properties.cpp
@@ -453,6 +453,7 @@ std::map<string,string> Properties::getTagReplacementValues(std::map<string,stri
 	mapTagReplacementValues["%%HOME%%"] = (homeDir != NULL ? homeDir : "");
 	mapTagReplacementValues["%%USERPROFILE%%"] = (homeDir != NULL ? homeDir : "");
 	mapTagReplacementValues["%%HOMEPATH%%"] = (homeDir != NULL ? homeDir : "");
+	mapTagReplacementValues["{HOMEPATH}"] = (homeDir != NULL ? homeDir : "");
 
 	// For win32 we allow use of the appdata variable since that is the recommended
 	// place for application data in windows platform
@@ -473,6 +474,7 @@ std::map<string,string> Properties::getTagReplacementValues(std::map<string,stri
 	   //string appPath = szPath;
 	   mapTagReplacementValues["$APPDATA"] = appPath;
 	   mapTagReplacementValues["%%APPDATA%%"] = appPath;
+	   mapTagReplacementValues["{APPDATA}"] = appPath;
    }
 #endif
 
@@ -481,13 +483,16 @@ std::map<string,string> Properties::getTagReplacementValues(std::map<string,stri
 
 	mapTagReplacementValues["$USERNAME"] = (username != NULL ? username : "");
 	mapTagReplacementValues["%%USERNAME%%"] = (username != NULL ? username : "");
+	mapTagReplacementValues["{USERNAME}"] = (username != NULL ? username : "");
 
 	mapTagReplacementValues["$APPLICATIONPATH"] = Properties::applicationPath;
 	mapTagReplacementValues["%%APPLICATIONPATH%%"] = Properties::applicationPath;
+	mapTagReplacementValues["{APPLICATIONPATH}"] = Properties::applicationPath;
 
 #if defined(CUSTOM_DATA_INSTALL_PATH)
 	mapTagReplacementValues["$APPLICATIONDATAPATH"] = CUSTOM_DATA_INSTALL_PATH;
 	mapTagReplacementValues["%%APPLICATIONDATAPATH%%"] = CUSTOM_DATA_INSTALL_PATH;
+	mapTagReplacementValues["{APPLICATIONDATAPATH}"] = CUSTOM_DATA_INSTALL_PATH;
 
 	//mapTagReplacementValues["$COMMONDATAPATH", 	string(CUSTOM_DATA_INSTALL_PATH) + "/commondata/");
 	//mapTagReplacementValues["%%COMMONDATAPATH%%",	string(CUSTOM_DATA_INSTALL_PATH) + "/commondata/");
@@ -495,6 +500,7 @@ std::map<string,string> Properties::getTagReplacementValues(std::map<string,stri
 #else
 	mapTagReplacementValues["$APPLICATIONDATAPATH"] = Properties::applicationPath;
 	mapTagReplacementValues["%%APPLICATIONDATAPATH%%"] = Properties::applicationPath;
+	mapTagReplacementValues["{APPLICATIONDATAPATH}"] = Properties::applicationPath;
 
 	//mapTagReplacementValues["$COMMONDATAPATH", 	Properties::applicationPath + "/commondata/");
 	//mapTagReplacementValues["%%COMMONDATAPATH%%",	Properties::applicationPath + "/commondata/");
@@ -517,6 +523,10 @@ std::map<string,string> Properties::getTagReplacementValues(std::map<string,stri
 bool Properties::applyTagsToValue(string &value, std::map<string,string> *mapTagReplacementValues) {
 	string originalValue = value;
 
+	//if(originalValue.find("$APPLICATIONDATAPATH") != string::npos) {
+	//	printf("\nBEFORE SUBSTITUTE [%s] app [%s] mapTagReplacementValues [%p]\n",originalValue.c_str(),Properties::applicationPath.c_str(),mapTagReplacementValues);
+	//}
+
 	if(mapTagReplacementValues != NULL) {
 		for(std::map<string,string>::iterator iterMap = mapTagReplacementValues->begin();
 				iterMap != mapTagReplacementValues->end(); ++iterMap) {
@@ -536,6 +546,7 @@ bool Properties::applyTagsToValue(string &value, std::map<string,string> *mapTag
 	replaceAll(value, "%%HOME%%", 		(homeDir != NULL ? homeDir : ""));
 	replaceAll(value, "%%USERPROFILE%%",(homeDir != NULL ? homeDir : ""));
 	replaceAll(value, "%%HOMEPATH%%",	(homeDir != NULL ? homeDir : ""));
+	replaceAll(value, "{HOMEPATH}",		(homeDir != NULL ? homeDir : ""));
 
 	// For win32 we allow use of the appdata variable since that is the recommended
 	// place for application data in windows platform
@@ -553,8 +564,9 @@ bool Properties::applyTagsToValue(string &value, std::map<string,string> *mapTag
 	   std::string appPath = utf8_encode(szPath);
 
 		//string appPath = szPath;
-       replaceAll(value, "$APPDATA", appPath);
+       replaceAll(value, "$APPDATA", 	appPath);
 	   replaceAll(value, "%%APPDATA%%", appPath);
+	   replaceAll(value, "{APPDATA}", 	appPath);
    }
 #endif
 
@@ -562,13 +574,16 @@ bool Properties::applyTagsToValue(string &value, std::map<string,string> *mapTag
 	username = getenv("USERNAME");
 	replaceAll(value, "$USERNAME", 		(username != NULL ? username : ""));
 	replaceAll(value, "%%USERNAME%%", 	(username != NULL ? username : ""));
+	replaceAll(value, "{USERNAME}", 	(username != NULL ? username : ""));
 
 	replaceAll(value, "$APPLICATIONPATH", 		Properties::applicationPath);
 	replaceAll(value, "%%APPLICATIONPATH%%",	Properties::applicationPath);
+	replaceAll(value, "{APPLICATIONPATH}",		Properties::applicationPath);
 
 #if defined(CUSTOM_DATA_INSTALL_PATH)
 	replaceAll(value, "$APPLICATIONDATAPATH", 		CUSTOM_DATA_INSTALL_PATH);
 	replaceAll(value, "%%APPLICATIONDATAPATH%%",	CUSTOM_DATA_INSTALL_PATH);
+	replaceAll(value, "{APPLICATIONDATAPATH}",		CUSTOM_DATA_INSTALL_PATH);
 
 	//replaceAll(value, "$COMMONDATAPATH", 	string(CUSTOM_DATA_INSTALL_PATH) + "/commondata/");
 	//replaceAll(value, "%%COMMONDATAPATH%%",	string(CUSTOM_DATA_INSTALL_PATH) + "/commondata/");
@@ -576,6 +591,7 @@ bool Properties::applyTagsToValue(string &value, std::map<string,string> *mapTag
 #else
 	replaceAll(value, "$APPLICATIONDATAPATH", 		Properties::applicationPath);
 	replaceAll(value, "%%APPLICATIONDATAPATH%%",	Properties::applicationPath);
+	replaceAll(value, "{APPLICATIONDATAPATH}",		Properties::applicationPath);
 
 	//replaceAll(value, "$COMMONDATAPATH", 	Properties::applicationPath + "/commondata/");
 	//replaceAll(value, "%%COMMONDATAPATH%%",	Properties::applicationPath + "/commondata/");
@@ -583,7 +599,9 @@ bool Properties::applyTagsToValue(string &value, std::map<string,string> *mapTag
 
 	}
 
-	//printf("\nBEFORE SUBSTITUTE [%s] AFTER [%s]\n",originalValue.c_str(),value.c_str());
+	//if(originalValue != value || originalValue.find("$APPLICATIONDATAPATH") != string::npos) {
+	//	printf("\nBEFORE SUBSTITUTE [%s] AFTER [%s]\n",originalValue.c_str(),value.c_str());
+	//}
 	return (originalValue != value);
 }