The current version of the Character Builder is 4.0.9. You can find your precise version in the Character Builder's About dialog (Help > About). You can download the latest build from the download page, or use the Help > Check for Updates feature.

Here is a brief release history:

4.0.9 - posted 08/04/08
- Fixes a bug preventing some users of Loquendo v6 voices from upgrading
- Fixes Goto and Stop, Goto and Play movie control actions
- Fixes a problem in which Builder occasionally displays a blank Preview pane
- Includes standard loader changes for AS3 containers referred to in KB 110
- Updated CBEK includes multiformat Poser files for Head, Bust, and Body formats
- Character Server structural changes to support Standard and Advanced license levels. Existing
  licensees continue to have access to the API that was available to them prior to this update,
  but new licensees must choose between the Standard or Advanced license levels. With
  this release some of the advanced API, including the render-to-video and recorded-audio API,
  will only be available under the Advanced license.


4.0.8 - posted 06/05/08
- Adds a new level of realistic head movement while speaking for James and Jessi - but
  the added realism comes at the expense of higher bandwidth needs. A new dropdown on the
  Character panel is used to set the automatic action level (1, 2, or 3). The default is 2,
  but you can set this to 3 to see the new head movement. Only characters supporting the
  "random head" actions (Head tab on character testers) will exhibit improvements at level 3.
- Support for AIML Search Extensions, allowing AIML rules to coexist with a search engine-like
   document similarity algorithm - please see the Help > XML Reference for details
- Support for vector shapes with transparency, for cartoon and illustrated characters
- Fixes a regression bug that could cause a "halo" on certain video output projects
- Fixes a regression bug that could make objects behind a character appear initially,
  then disappear, on Straight Flash output


4.0.7 - posted 04/30/08
- Improved audio import now supports most audio formats including mp3
- New Loquendo menu for insertion of expressive cues and prosody tags
- Fixes a regression in 4.0.6 that could cause stutter and/or cacaphony in dialogs
- New Captivate project type sets the Straight Flash output type and 30fps frame rate
- Fixes problems with spurious shape placement on some character art when used
  with an external timeline controller, including Captivate
- New AIML rule panel in the CB and improved AIML engine stability in the CS
- Character Server now supports an external MySQL database for conversation management
- Character Server COM API adds support for compiling AIML files to binary MSF format
- New realistic and illustrated character products released on the Characters page
- Loquendo users - please note that we are now offering a Loquendo version 7 update, with
  new voice-changing capabilities (timbre and reverb). The update is required
  in order to add new voices to your installation. New voices introduced with
  v7 include Allison (USA English), Olivier & Charlotte (Canadian French), and
  Soledad (American Spanish).

4.0.6 - posted 03/12/08
- Realistic characters can now be resized
- Images can now be resized
- Entry panels can now be resized
- Fixes a bug that could cause loss-of-sync/stutter on Straight Flash output with long audio files
- Reduced pause between lines in a dialog improves the flow of multi-character projects
- New Character Server Decode API enables the built-in Flash microphone support
- Character Server package now includes a load simulation tool and a monitor component
- Fixes a Character Server bug that could cause seemingly random syntax errors at high volumes
- Fixes a Character Server bug that could cause false hits in the cache - please delete the contents
  of your Flash and Wave directories after installing this important update
- Removes a Character Server limit on the length of a single say action - the limit would cause
  the mouth to stop moving after about a minute of audio - there is now no limit
- Windows 2000 has not been supported for some time, however up until this release the Builder
  would still run under Windows 2000. With this build you will need to add a compatibility dll to the
  program directory in order to continue to use Windows 2000.

4.0.5 - posted 01/25/08
- Updated John and Jane (full-body realistic characters) featuring improved animation, new emotive
  actions, udpated idles, and a slightly larger size - see John and Jane testers
- Updated bust versions of John and Jane use a taller format that shows more of the body, and
  have a full set of hand actions, emotive actions, and new idles - see John and Jane testers
- The head and bust versions of John and Jane, as well as new versions of several other stock
  characters, are available for download from the characters page
- New Crop feature (Character object, Advanced tab) allows you to crop a full-body or bust character
  down to a smaller size, without needing to hide a portion of the character using another shape
- Fixes a bug affecting realistic character addons, such as Mia CSR Mic, when use with the new idles

4.0.4 - posted 12/26/07
- Server release only - fixes a 4.0.1 regression that can cause a fault to occur sporadically, while
  processing requests using templates and '$' variable expansion.

4.0.3 - posted 12/17/07
- Adds new Render to Video FLV and MOV options, ideal for use with YouTube and other video apps
- Adds a new Screen Capture option to the New Project wizard and introduces a simplified technique
  for creating compelling tutorials using compatible screen-capture tools
- Fixes a 4.x regression that can cause text created in Design View to revert to Arial

4.0.2 - posted 12/03/07
- Minor update fixes a problem that can affect how certain fonts appear in
  imported Powerpoint files

4.0.1 - posted 11/25/07
- Significant update introduces new Powerpoint Import feature
- Registered users can update at no charge, trial users obtain a new trial period
- Powerpoint Import requires the .NET 2.0 runtime - the runtime will be installed
  automatically if needed, and is also available here
- New library pane for drag-and-drop insertion of Library objects
- Improved integration with Character Server with updated Presentation panel
- Character Add-ons and options are now managed in a uniform manner in the
  Character's Advanced panel. However you will need to update any installed
  character add-on packages from the characters page.
- New AIML <system> and <condition> tags
- Updated Bubble object pages through text that is too long for the bubble

3.0.158 - posted 10/03/07
- Adds support for new Emotive actions (e.g. Angry, Sad, etc.) for James, Jessi
- Adds new 'Eye Tracker' idle and improves 'Simple' idle on James, Jessi
- Adds Disable for Render feature - lets you selectively focus on certain scenes or slides
  during development of a large project (see the right-click menu on slides, scenes)
- Improves handling of error and warning messages in Character Builder by bringing you directly
  to the source of the error where possible
- Updated Character Builder Extensibility Kit package now includes Custom Character wizard to
  make it easier to get started with a custom character
- Fixes a bug affecting pause/resume in Dialog objects
- Fixes a bug leading to loss-of-sync in Straight Flash output on certain renders
- Updated Character Server fixes a bug that could cause periodic failures in Speech Server

3.0.157 - posted 8/22/07
- Improves Render to Video performance
- Fixes blanking-out problem on Render to Video with some updated cartoon character animations
- Lifts an earlier limitation on moving the focus to a dialog
- Updated server includes video improvements and fixes a bug that can affect cache operation

3.0.156 - posted 7/09/07
- You should notice a significant speedup of the Render-to-Flash function over prior builds
- The Audio Quality option (Outline View, select Project icon, Advanced tab) now includes
  a range of quality settings, instead of just 'normal' and 'high'
- New 'trace' option in Query View, and some minor AIML bug fixes
- Fixes Dave and Dianne visual bug affecting talk during a head nod or head shake
- Improves Server performance and fixes a cascading error that can occur with locked cache files

3.0.155 - posted 6/30/07
- The Character Builder includes changes to the New Project wizard and reference documentation,
  and is designed to match build 155 of the optional Character Server
- The Character Server includes significant architectural changes, performance improvements,
  and a new CGI API - please see KB109 for details.

3.0.154 - posted 5/29/07
- Fixes the Goto and Start action target selector in the Button panel, and the
  Initial Focus selector on the Project panel
- Fixes a regression in the SCORM template
- Adds Finger Wag action and fixes Look At actions for Dave and Dianne

3.0.153 - posted 5/22/07
- The base package now includes Dianne, Mike, and Jane - these characters were
  available as separate downloads in build 152. To minimize the download
  size, characters with multiple formats (e.g. head, bust, and full-body) will continue to
  be available as seperate downloads in their alternate formats.
- Updated Dave character - changes are largely structural, but improved head actions,
  including new nod and shake actions and smoother motion, may be noted
- Updated Dianne character - in addition to structural changes, this character is now
  slightly more conservative in appearance
- New Import Text wizard in Script View is handy for importing entire paragraphs of text
- Script View's Import Audio is now presented as a wizard
- The Builder now automatically checks for updates
- Miscellaneous improvements to Setup and documentation

3.0.152 - posted 2/7/07
- Updated versions of illustrated-head characters - improvements are largely structural,
  but more pronounced head turn and smoothness may be noticed
- You will need build 152 or later of the Builder/Server to take advantage of the updated
  illustrated head characters
- New Import Audio button in Script View will create a script from an external audio file -
  the feature works by breaking the original audio file into sentence-sized audio files
  with matching placeholder transcript text
- Simplifications to the New Project templates and improvements to the first-run experience

3.0.151 - posted 12/30/06
- You will need build 151 or later of the Builder/Server to take advantage of updated characters
- A redesigned James and Jessi now feature increased realism - please see the characters page
  to see the new versions, as well as download older versions for compatibility
- James and Jessi are now also available in a new Bust style - this style shows more of the body
  and includes hand gestures
- Jane's skirt has been lengthened, and bust and head versions are now available for download
- John and Jane now support Shared Libraries for improved operation under the "Multiple File"
  mode, which is recommended for larger projects
- A new "Progressive Idle" character idle behavior setting can be used to load more detailed idle
  behavior over time - use with Multiple File output and Shared Libraries settings
- Render engine improvements address several issues with realistic character construction,
  including "alpha-jitter" and "black frame" problems
- A new "Back" navigation action helps with projects involving branching