Before any one responds to this, let me begin by saying that I know this is the Beta and not everything in the final game is in this. With that said, I feel that there is some discussion/issues that should/could be addressed about the "civilian" side of the game.
1. More Space infrastructure
-As it stands now, it feels like there are enough space structures that you can build in orbit around a planet, but it steel feels like there are a couple missing or something, or possibly some very useful ones that should be added. Sometimes when I build orbitals it reminds me of Sim City, but more like Space City since they're in orbit. Here's where part of my problem lies. Positioning of orbitals doesn't really matter, to the point where there's an option to remove placing things yourself, and then when you build these orbitals, it feels like you just keep building the same thing around every planet.
It's cool how you can see a planet develop, and even when you zoom in you can hear the ships whizzing about the surface, and then when you build refineries and trade ports ships buzz about picking and delivering goods, but the space part just doesn't feel like there's enough life to it.
I'd like to see: Missile launchers that shoot down enemy fighters, factories that help increase production of everything in orbit of the planet, police patrols checking for pirates, possibly a type of station that reduces upkeep etc etc.
2. Government/Empire aspect
-Feels like there isn't enough empire/governing aspects to the game "Sins of a Solar Empire." I was playing a game today where I just kept coming up short on credits, and I realized why don't I just turn up the taxes to get more money and I realized there was no way to turn up the taxes. I know that there are other ways to get credits but I don't often feel like I'm governing a wide sweeping Empire. I'm not asking for the disaster that MOO3 was, but at least the option to tax my citizens more or less and consequences based on that taxation.
The other thing that is needed is some type of break down of how much money you're making, where it's coming from, how your government is coming along etc. I'm not talking something huge like Gal Civ II where there are pages to scroll through of intelligence reports (as awesome as they are) but just one page that's a summary of what is going on in your domain. A list that said how many credits you're making from your citizens, your population growth, the total that asteroid mining is bringing in, the upkeep of your fleets and facilities etc etc. I have no idea how much I make from trade, let alone how much I make from trade with my ally, or how much I make for establishing a wide sweeping network of broadcast facilities.
As extras, it would also be useful to have a governor feature. Assigning someone to place and build structures on extra large maps, because it gets really repetitive to build up 75 different systems with orbitals. Another cool feature might be forms of government, but probably not necessary.
Final cool thing I think could be added: rebellions. If half of your government decided to rebel and all of a sudden you had a war on two fronts and had to put down the movement. Or for that matter your enemies empire split into two causing a civil war in which you had to take sides, or maybe part of their empire breaks off to join you or vice versa. I guess this falls under random events, which is an entirely different post.
