I like the AI ship designer. It makes new ship designs for me, so I don't have to. However, there are a few things that I would like improved.
1. Player made ship design blueprints: I would like to be able to create and edit ship blueprints. I want to be able to do this in game. I want my ships designs that will update themselves automatically as my tech improves.
For instance, I might want to design a sensor ship. I want to choose cargo hull and a sensor module as must have. Optional modules would be 1 life support, then 1 engine. After that, fill the rest of the space with sensor modules. When my sensor tech improves a level, the game designs a new version with better sensors.
2. Import ship designs: I want a system where you could load ship designs and blueprints into the game. The game only loads ships for your faction at the start of the map. It can't take into account that you may have no custom ship designs for that faction, but another faction does.
For instance, I'm playing a different faction. I have a sensor ship that I designed in my previous game, so I rather load that design instead of designing that ship again.
3. Switch defense type: The game doesn't allow you to control what defense type you use. It seems to favor the strongest one you have, followed by the most recent one if both types are equal. This happens even if you trade, steal, or gifted a tech. I would like to be able to select the defense type when I need it.
For instance, I was fighting a war with the Yor who was using beam weapons. I was using beam defense during the war. After the war is over, I turn my sights on the Drengin who are using missile weapons. I push a few buttons in the ship designer and now my ship designs are now using missile defense. Any new ships I build will be using missile defense.