Here are some solutions to my problems to most 4x RTS space games. I would greatly appreciate it if someone would take these ideas into consideration when they develop the next 4x RTS space game.
1) galactic maps should not be flat! There should be stars above below, and all around. Size does matter. I like to explore...that's the biggest part of the fun for me. So why not a galaxy with a 1000 stars? You should be able to choose the size.
2) Controling expansion and exploration. I've seen many cute gimmicks to do this but everyone seems to forget the basics...traveling cost fuel! Remember Homeworld, and how resource would be used up for jumps and thus you could only jump so far? Ships can only carry so much fuel(resources) so send a scout ship out to explore local stars but not too far or you will lose the scout ship because he hasn't the resources to return. Next send a refinery ship to that location to refine resources. Caution, don't send the resources home since that would use up 25%(based on distance) to run the cargo ships (you get an on/off switch on whether to keep the resources in the system or send some home) and use the resources to build up the system including a permanant refinery. Now you have a stepping stone to explore farther away.
The benefit of this is that you are not limited by phase lanes but at the same time the enemy can't just jump into your territory willy nilly. The more jumping you do the less you have for building up your colonies/homeworld.
3) The AI of Sins is great for battles...it should be utilized. Especially since you can't monitor every battle at the same time.
4) Planets should have realistic population sizes....colonize with a few hundered thousand on terrans and watch it grow very slowly to a billion. astroid/nebula should have a minimal # since they are just refining. No you can't colonize desert, ice, vocanic planets, just mine them!
5) Carriers should carry a realistic # of fighters/bombers. If one of our carriers can carry a 100 planes why not a space vessel? No you can't just start making new fighters/bombers in the middle of a battle...you have to wait till you get back to home base to restock and refuel wigh cost money/resources.
6) miscelanius: have pirates here and there, have observation arrays to detect/watch deep space, have realistic diplomacy that doesn't include just paying a bunch of money,
... Thank you for reading this and here is where you place your ideas 
