Asking this because there is one thing I really do want for this game if the pilots have a real role to play, and it's not gameplay-related at all.

 What I want is for Stardock/BonusXP to spend the money on getting high-quality voice actor/actress talent for the game.  By High Quality I don't mean break the bank for Tara Strong, but maybe get VA's the Calibre of Skullgirls,  I do know Texas is one of the hubs for Voice Talent, so it should be doable.  

Even the indie game Sunrider had voice acting talent that added to the game's soul, so it really is not that expensive.

I know for many competitive games, it really does make a difference in the enjoyment when it comes to the quality of voice talent, so I really hope this is a major priority.  My guess is at most it would be 1% of the total budget, so it wouldn't be a bank-breaker.  A soul is important when it comes to these games, and voicework is a huge part of a game's soul that traditionally Stardock hasn't has to bother with, so I'm hoping they remember how important it is.