--- display.cpp	2005-04-17 22:59:32.000000000 +0200
+++ display.cpp.maj	2005-04-22 00:35:09.619606096 +0200
@@ -2149,6 +2149,30 @@
 	grid_ = grid;
 }
 
+// timestring() returns the current date as a string.
+// Example:  20:42:18
+char *timestring ( void )
+{
+# define TIME_SIZE 40
+
+  const struct tm *tm;
+  size_t len;
+  time_t now;
+  char *s;
+
+  now = time ( NULL );
+  tm = localtime ( &now );
+
+  s = new char[TIME_SIZE];
+
+  // alternative mode, including the day ...
+  // len = strftime ( s, TIME_SIZE, "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S", tm );
+  len = strftime ( s, TIME_SIZE, "%H:%M:%S", tm );
+
+  return s;
+# undef TIME_SIZE
+}
+
 void display::debug_highlight(const gamemap::location& loc, fixed_t amount)
 {
 	wassert(game_config::debug);
@@ -2261,7 +2285,6 @@
 }
 
 namespace {
-	const unsigned int max_chat_messages = 6;
 	const int chat_message_border = 5;
 	const int chat_message_x = 10;
 	const int chat_message_y = 10;
@@ -2280,6 +2303,7 @@
 		msg = message;
 		action = false;
 	}
+
 	msg = font::word_wrap_text(msg,font::SIZE_SMALL,mapx()*3/4);
 
 	int ypos = chat_message_x;
@@ -2314,9 +2338,15 @@
 		}
 	}
 
+    // prepend message with timestamp
+    std::stringstream message_meta;
+    if (preferences::chat_timestamp()) {
+        message_meta << timestring() << " ";
+    }
+    message_meta << str.str();
 
 	const SDL_Rect rect = map_area();
-	const int speaker_handle = font::add_floating_label(str.str(),font::SIZE_SMALL,speaker_colour,
+	const int speaker_handle = font::add_floating_label(message_meta.str(),font::SIZE_SMALL,speaker_colour,
 		rect.x+chat_message_x,rect.y+ypos,
 		0,0,-1,rect,font::LEFT_ALIGN,&chat_message_bg,chat_message_border);
 
@@ -2337,6 +2367,8 @@
 void display::prune_chat_messages(bool remove_all)
 {
 	const unsigned int message_ttl = remove_all ? 0 : 1200000;
+	const unsigned int max_chat_messages = preferences::chat_lines();
+
 	if(chat_messages_.empty() == false && (chat_messages_.front().created_at+message_ttl < SDL_GetTicks() || chat_messages_.size() > max_chat_messages)) {
 		const int movement = font::get_floating_label_rect(chat_messages_.front().handle).h;