Big Fan of this series and hopefully by adding my 2cents will add some depth to this impressive (to be) title.
(I kept quiet during the beta of fallen enchantress and while it is a great game I fundamentally feel like the depth is missing and its just faceless cookie cutter 4x factions battling it out with a few variances in stats/appearance)
That being said and out of the way onto the ideas...
- Give a purpose to Dead planets/gas planets/uninhabitable planets.
- Space stations could "Harvest" from dead planets increasing production,
- Could be used for Research worlds where dangerous research can be conducted safely
- Gas giants could be optimized to give move speed bonuses
- Defensive military bases (Has the capability to deploy a shield to protect other planets in solar system requiring this planet to be either destroying/invaded)
- Diversify the races (Buildings/research paths), in terms of simplicity I understand the need that factories/research/commerce/farms can all be cookie cutter designs and copy pasted across the factions, however unique faction buildings with unique effects will help give a diverse approach to each race. (Separate from the alignment path or intertwined with it.
- Research Tree Divergent Paths, add more depth the decisions you make, that +10 Manufacturing you just researched also upset the population due to less time with family, no immediate effect, but 20 turns later when you go to the next level of factory you have an event where your population rebels bringing up an opportunity for another alignment choice etc.
- Cookie cutter weapon/defense paths, Yes this is Alpha, but for the future could it possibly be implemented that certain races excel with certain types?
- Humans specialize in shields which give bonuses in armour as well
- Drengin research unlocks weapons that do both Missile and kinetic damage, but general distaste for less brutal lasers leads to research/production penalties for that etc (There could be hundreds of different ways to balance such things)
- [Insert Generic Race here] For each point in each defense slot adds one point to the hull.
- [Insert Generic Race here] Damage done with laser weapons transfers damaged components into raw material to repair the hull (Yor)
- [Insert Generic Race here] Damage done with Missile weapons concuss the enemy crew lowering there weapon rating
So many different options that could be explored its alpha right?
- Initial Survey Ship Invariably Turns into an amazing "Flagship" yet can be so easily lost in the early stages of the game, introduce the possibility of recovering the crew/wreckage so you can remake the ship with bonuses intact (Minor RPG elements, more experienced crews should innately perform better than fresh out of the dock right?)
- When we finally see what invasions are, I do hope to see some good old tactical battles on the ground. (30billion vs 30 billion not just a single tactical option to decide the battle how about an ongoing "Siege" so entire planetary systems are not lost as the result of a single fast transport sneaking in to an undefended planet, give the defenders and attackers more opportunity to respond appropriately)
Look forward to seeing where this game is going 