diff --git a/desktop_version/src/BlockV.cpp b/desktop_version/src/BlockV.cpp
index 4ce525a2..43f240a1 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/BlockV.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/BlockV.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ void blockclass::clear(void)
     g = 0;
     b = 0;
 
+    activity_x = 0;
+    activity_y = 0;
+
     /* std::strings get initialized automatically, but this is */
     /* in case this function gets called again after construction */
     script.clear();
@@ -95,6 +98,12 @@ void blockclass::setblockcolour(const char* col)
         g = 130;
         b = 20;
     }
+    else if (SDL_strcmp(col, "transparent") == 0)
+    {
+        r = 0;
+        g = 0;
+        b = 0;
+    }
     else
     {
         //use a gray
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/BlockV.h b/desktop_version/src/BlockV.h
index 8fa52bb0..3c4c3151 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/BlockV.h
+++ b/desktop_version/src/BlockV.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ public:
     int xp, yp, wp, hp;
     std::string script, prompt;
     int r, g, b;
+    int activity_x, activity_y;
 };
 
 #endif /* BLOCKV_H */
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Entity.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Entity.cpp
index fba49cb1..501257d2 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Entity.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Entity.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ void entityclass::init(void)
     customenemy = 0;
     customwarpmode = false; customwarpmodevon = false; customwarpmodehon = false;
     customactivitycolour = "";
+    customactivitypositionx = -1;
+    customactivitypositiony = -1;
     customactivitytext = "";
     trophytext = 0;
     oldtrophytext = 0;
@@ -1082,6 +1084,19 @@ void entityclass::createblock( int t, int xp, int yp, int w, int h, int trig /*=
         customactivitycolour = "";
     }
 
+    if (customactivitypositionx != -1)
+    {
+        block.activity_x = customactivitypositionx;
+        block.activity_y = customactivitypositiony;
+        customactivitypositionx = -1;
+        customactivitypositiony = -1;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        block.activity_x = 0;
+        block.activity_y = 0;
+    }
+
     if (!reuse)
     {
         blocks.push_back(block);
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Entity.h b/desktop_version/src/Entity.h
index 3c9839b2..29d92e78 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Entity.h
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Entity.h
@@ -205,6 +205,8 @@ public:
     bool customcrewmoods[Game::numcrew];
     std::string customactivitycolour;
     std::string customactivitytext;
+    int customactivitypositionx;
+    int customactivitypositiony;
 };
 
 #ifndef OBJ_DEFINITION
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Game.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Game.cpp
index 81fa565b..325c0cff 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Game.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Game.cpp
@@ -218,6 +218,8 @@ void Game::init(void)
     activity_r = 0;
     activity_g = 0;
     activity_b = 0;
+    activity_x = 0;
+    activity_y = 0;
     creditposition = 0;
     oldcreditposition = 0;
     bestgamedeaths = -1;
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Game.h b/desktop_version/src/Game.h
index 7ea392dd..514e30d0 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Game.h
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Game.h
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ public:
     bool activetele;
     int readytotele;
     int oldreadytotele;
-    int activity_r, activity_g, activity_b;
+    int activity_r, activity_g, activity_b, activity_x, activity_y;
     std::string activity_lastprompt;
 
     std::string telesummary, quicksummary, customquicksummary;
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Logic.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Logic.cpp
index 00358146..c6c8597e 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Logic.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Logic.cpp
@@ -1414,6 +1414,8 @@ void gamelogic(void)
         game.activity_r = obj.blocks[game.activeactivity].r;
         game.activity_g = obj.blocks[game.activeactivity].g;
         game.activity_b = obj.blocks[game.activeactivity].b;
+        game.activity_x = obj.blocks[game.activeactivity].activity_x;
+        game.activity_y = obj.blocks[game.activeactivity].activity_y;
     }
 
     game.oldreadytotele = game.readytotele;
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp
index 1b4d8370..65c48c4a 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp
@@ -1985,8 +1985,17 @@ void gamerender(void)
             game.activity_lastprompt.c_str()
         );
 
-        graphics.drawtextbox(16, 4, 36, 3, game.activity_r*act_alpha, game.activity_g*act_alpha, game.activity_b*act_alpha);
-        graphics.Print(5, 12, final_string, game.activity_r*act_alpha, game.activity_g*act_alpha, game.activity_b*act_alpha, true);
+        int centered_x = ((160 ) - ((graphics.len(final_string)) / 2));
+
+        if (game.activity_r == 0 && game.activity_g == 0 && game.activity_b == 0)
+        {
+            graphics.bprint(centered_x + game.activity_x, game.activity_y + 12, final_string, 196*act_alpha, 196*act_alpha, (255 - help.glow)*act_alpha);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            graphics.drawtextbox(game.activity_x + 16, game.activity_y + 4, 36, 3, game.activity_r*act_alpha, game.activity_g*act_alpha, game.activity_b*act_alpha);
+            graphics.Print(centered_x + game.activity_x, game.activity_y + 12, final_string, game.activity_r*act_alpha, game.activity_g*act_alpha, game.activity_b*act_alpha);
+        }
     }
 
     if (obj.trophytext > 0 || obj.oldtrophytext > 0)
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Script.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Script.cpp
index 8e3d22f1..83f95bf6 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Script.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Script.cpp
@@ -468,6 +468,12 @@ void scriptclass::run(void)
                     g = 130;
                     b = 20;
                 }
+                else if (words[1] == "transparent")
+                {
+                    r = 0;
+                    g = 0;
+                    b = 0;
+                }
                 else
                 {
                     //use a gray
@@ -1629,6 +1635,11 @@ void scriptclass::run(void)
                     obj.customactivitytext = commands[position];
                 }
             }
+            else if (words[0] == "setactivityposition")
+            {
+                obj.customactivitypositionx = ss_toi(words[1]);
+                obj.customactivitypositiony = ss_toi(words[2]);
+            }
             else if (words[0] == "createrescuedcrew")
             {
                 //special for final level cutscene
@@ -3274,6 +3285,8 @@ void scriptclass::hardreset(void)
 
     obj.customactivitycolour = "";
     obj.customactivitytext = "";
+    obj.customactivitypositionx = -1;
+    obj.customactivitypositiony = -1;
 }
 
 void scriptclass::loadcustom(const std::string& t)