Ok, after having the time to play a little bit more with the game over the weekend I think I can put together my own list of feedbacks.

1 - Trade system:

+ Observation: I think it needs a lot of improvements. I observed 2 tradeships departed, one to a station 2 jumps away, and one all the way back to my capital 5 jumps away. And at the end both of them yield the same amount of money. Right now this system encourage the Trade Station here, Trade Station there, Trade Station everywhere!


+ Suggestion: have a profit / distance proportion system. Ala a freighter that trade with a 3 jumps run will yield more profit then making 3 consecutive stops at 3 stations right next to each other. Also making suggestion of an addition Trade Ship class, the current one should be limited to inter-plantery trading, another Inter-Stellar Trade ship should be created to trade between Star systems (tougher ships and generate much more income)


+ Reason: first, it reduced the load on the planet logistic. Second, it creates realistic trade route. Third, it provides more incentive for trading treaty (as in your ally's trade station will be farther from your system and yield more profit). Fourth, it provides more tactical value for protecting and raiding freightesr, since they travel longer distance attacking become more feasible, and if the freighter is lost the lost/gain of profit is big enough to make an attack or defend attempt. *Inter Stellar ship will be mentioned later*


2 - Specialize Planet/Building:

Observation: Again, too much pressure is put on the logistic points. While I think the current logistic cap is a little low, I don't think it's as severe as others may think. I think the problem here is that right now players just try to have everything on one planets. Ala Trade, Research, Factory, Refinery, Cultural ...etc... without incentive to do otherwise.


Suggestion: Further specialize planets.. Some examples: like Trade station built on Terran planet will have bonus income due to huge population. Volcanic planet has an added bonus to ship production due to large on site material. Ice planet has a research bonus due to strange atmosphere ...etc... Also limit shipyard (or at least capital shipyard) can only be built on planet, not asteroid belt (due to the need of work labor).


Reason: First, reduce the load on the logistic system with the building everything everywhere attitude. Second, provide more incentive to have specialize planets to make the player empire's less generic. Third, improve more tactical option in empire management.



3 - The usage of Stars - Gate system combine with improved trading and diplomacy:

Observation: I have seen a lot of debate about making the Star more interesting, also the worry that given Star any kind of bonus can result in a huge advantage or deadlock situation. But also obviously Stars are underrated, and the travel can take quite long.


Suggestion: Implemented a Gate Jump system for Star. The player who control the star will have the option to build a gate on the Phase Lane of that Star. Without Gate, only capital ship can pass through with reduce speed and a lot of Antimatter consumption. With a Gate in place, the owner faction can travel much faster with any ship, no antimatter loss. Any hostile faction will be denied access. Neutral faction can use the gate but have to pay a fee (proportion to the ship point maybe), faction with a trade agreement can get their Interstellar ship through for free, faction with ally agreement can get their military ships through for free.

Reason: First, provide more incentive to fight for a star, the advantage is good enough to encourage its control but make sure the owner have to guard it with no bonus defense, potentially create more action at a star without worrying about absolute advantage military wise. Second, provide more incentive around working with treaties (a new neutral treaty is needed). Third, create a more robust empire system with real control nodes.



Graphic cues - other suggestion:

Well, these are what I think small recommendations that don't fit into any where else:

- Objects are too static: except for planet most objects are like beautiful boxes on the fly. I think they need a little more spike. I.E give capital ships and station some rotating radar disks or antenna, or at least have their turret turn so they won't fire from an ackward angle animation wise.

- Objects are too small: while I think most objects are small, since Blair said a Scaling function will come with the modding tool so it's fine with me. Except shipyards, I do think they need to be bigger by default.

- AI path finding: they still get stuck behind station from time to time, especially automate ships (freighter/miner). Part of the reason I think because the building is on the same level and sometime the ships have to zic-zac to their destination.

- Give the player control over Trading/Refinery station traffic. Ala the player can specify the destinations of the ships belong to that station instead of they're being randomly deployed. This will make it possible to create a more orderly system like specific trading routes and resource sectors.

- Planet definitely needs more defense measure. Also we need to have some kind of super structures either in space or on planet, as in now there ain't any and it feels like something is missing.

- Maybe have the planet varies in size?

- Have more color for crystal, two more colors maybe, it can make an asteroid of crystal belt beautiful.


I think that's it for now.