Hi guys,
long time player, first time poster
I have played and tested the game since beta 1 and i have to say it has come a long way.
Having also collected ideas since then i want to put them out for discussion.

As for the game itself i have found relatively few bugs while playing against the AI.
Only thing that really bugs me is that while sometimes zooming out the camera completly leaves this universe and can only be restored by switching to the galaxy view and back.
No idea why this occurs, though, sorry.

Gameplay wise i have a few things to say:
I will post ideas seperately below the sum up to address the problems i have mentioned.

Overall:
The overall gamespeed is quite slowly progressing.
While i know that this game is about long planned strategies and war of attrition (which can be fun) there are often long parts where nothing really happens.
Waiting for res to build up for a new fleet can take ages especially in the beginning and middle of the game while in the late phase you usually swim with money.
A little faster paced gameplay and techrace would be more fun.

The beginning of the game:
This is where the slowness is most tedious, the game starts out always the same and in the beginning there is for the first 10 minutes not really much to do. And what you do is all the same for every game.
It takes ages to get res and your first fleet up.

Middle part:
I think this where the game really shines, you are in a full fledged techrace and have to allocate your res correctly to gain an advantage over the enemy. usually much to do here.
Try to extend this part as long as possible.

Endgame:
The game gets quite a slugfest and there is not much else to it. Since there are only limited routes a stalemate between two opponents is likely and there is often to little action going on. At least give us something to do while waiting.

About ships(note that this is only about TEC):
We have a great asset of auxiliary ships, but only very little direct combat ships (only the light attack corvette and the heavy cruiser) in the middle part of the game especially in smaller maps where you can´t max out tech easily there is a good attack vessel missing.

I think these points have been put up enough already so i tried to keep them short since you know what i´m talking about, so on to the ideas:

Adapted Fleet costs:
When you advance in tech your ships get better, but they should also get more expansive, since you have better tech build in them.
This would address the res overflow in lategame to some point and also the extreme spamming one can do at that point. Just make ships become more expansive the more upgrades they recieve (of course the benefit should outwheight the additional costs)

Automated build queues:
We need a repeat button for the factories so we can make a certain build setup (like 2x Frigate 1x light carrier) and let that be repeated over again when the res and supply is availiable.
That way destroyed fleets can be replenished faster and autonomous and one can concentrate on fighting, which will make the game more action rich and overall more fun to play.

A mid tech direct combat ship:
Nuff said i think, something that can take punishment and dish out some damage while in midgame.

Additional enviroment options(interactivity)
This is actually a double point: i like it very much that they have introduced neutral territory in the new beta (like asteorid belts), but i see huge idea here:
celestial bodies should have the chance that they have a second effect to them.
Currently its either planet or something else, why cant it be a planet with an asteorid belt in the same gravity well?
That way we could have much more imaginative and diverse terrains to fight on (if say the asteorid field damages capships) and would need much more diverse strategies to conquer than just send in the biggest fleet in the right constellation. I think you get my idea if not i´ll elaborate.
Also some more effects of the terrain on the ships would be cool, like restricting movement of certain classes or something. Everything that doesn´t make space as empty and allows for tactical options.

Faster traversing in own space:
Another point why the game is so slow currently.
Once you own a respective portion of space travel times just get huge, you can´t flank the enemy and can barely manouver if someone should get in your back. You can just hope that your fleet is in the right place at the right time.
Either make travelling through own territory faster or allow some shortcuts like errecting jumpgates between two of your system (costing points in both grav wells) to travel immediatly between the points.
(Could also be used for a high cost of energy(crystal) to jump one way into enemy territory )

Planetary defense systems:
It seems silly that i have to errect a ridicolous amount of Gauss cannons to shield a planet and that the enemy can easily go around them.
A planet upgrade for some planet based weapons or fighter bays that can only be destroyed by bombardment would be nice.

Unified defense systems:
While it is nice to have the opportunity which weapons for defense to build i find it very weird to see a system spammed with countless gauss or hangars.
Having upgradable starbases would not be more economically (gamewise) it would also be good for the engine since there are less models and stuff to render.
Just start out with a home module and the expan it with hangar bays, gauss cannons rocket launchers shield gens, whatever even thow in a trading port or something.
Modular starbases rock and Galactic civilisations 1+2 has given a very good example how they can work.
This would create a more organized and focal point oriented planetary setup instead of the orbital chaos we now face in lategame.
I know that this would probably need a huge restructurising of the game, but it would be really great!

Superweapons:
I know a controversely discussed topic, but i am all for some superships to break up the lategame stalemate. Give the players something to sink their lategame money into and something for the enemy to fear (not just "oh its wave Xyz of 500 ships all over again") to keep the players on the edge.
Inform all players if one begins to build the superweapon (like a worldwonder in many of the civ games) so that the others can form an alliance to destroy it.

More victory conditions:
Annihilation seems very puny to be the only one possible in the current scenario.
-Cultural victory: If one faction in the solar system/galaxy has x% of the overall culture generated a timer starts and after that the others submit to that factions supremacy (either that solar system or the galaxy)
-Technological victory: The Faction that first reasearches ALL Tech is from now on ruler of the Universe since it can easy swat all opposition with its supreme tech (probably also with timer to see if someone else is a close second)
-Economical victory: A certain faction has reached a certain net-worth (all assets (ships, structures ect count) above all others. It is simply futile to fight them!

I think you get the drift.

Variable game speed:
A dead horse i think

Quickstart/ Game setup options:
As said the start of each round is slow and monotonous, give is the option to cut this short here.


I am sure i have forgot quite some things, i´ll add them after i remember them.
Have fun with the discussion!