Tailoring System Level Improvements to Individual Systems

Reasoning

Having to permanently choose 1 Luxury per Slot for every System forces players to gravitate towards the best luxuries (Jadonyx)- making more than half the availabe luxuries (effectively) worthless for System Improvement.

If players were able to choose different luxuries for different systems, the situational properties of certain luxuries would become a strengh, rather than a detriment.

For example: systems along a trade route in the player's empire could be trailored to increase dust production- making them profitable (yet vulnerable), targets. Systems bordering this trade route at strategic checkpoints could then be upgraded with defensive luxuries.

I understand that the point of permanent specilization is to differenciate empires based on the luxuries they have access to- making Empire building more assymetrical. However, I believe that the scarcity & access of luxuries would still force players to make challenging choices regarding specialization- Here's an example scenario:

I am preparing to invade a neighbor, and notice that they are upgrading the systems along our border with defensive luxuries- I check diplomacy to see how many luxuries they have left, and notice they don't have enough to finish plugging all the holes.

I go to the marketplace, and buy the remaining defensive luxuries- leaving my planned invasion route vulnerable.

This scenario is engaging because it rewards players for keeping tabs on their opponents' stockpile, as well as the marketplace. In the current system, I would have known that my neighbor choose other luxuries (why else is Dark Glitter always so cheap), and wouldn't have to worry about any of this.

Scarcity & Access still played an important role, as their low stockpile told me that they didn't have access to it within their own territory, and the scarcity of the luxuries allowed me to buy them up before my opponent could.

Implemenation

I feel that this could be implemented easily without much need for new assets. Here was my initial thought:

1) After gaining access to Level 2+ Systems, it appears as an available system improvement in all systems

2) Clicking on the system improvement would bring you to the current screen for filling slots with luxuries, the only difference is that these choices are only affecting the current star system.

3) After selecting your luxuries and hitting okay, you're brought back to the system screen. The system improvment has been added to the queue, and you can move it around normally. Mousing over it in the queue would show you what improvements you've choosen for this system.

The only screen that I think would actually need to be changed would be the Trade & Resources screen, as the bottom left section of 'Chosen System Improvement Luxuries' (Whatver you want to call it) wouldn't be necessary.

My suggestion for what to fill it with? A miniature version of the the Population Booster Chart! Useful for when you know who you want to boost, and don't need to read through the population collection bonuses or ideaology reactions. And unlike the true population page- this quick version is only one button away! (One of the great advantages of Horatio and his Splice Button)

Conclusion

Giving players the option to mix and match their System Level Improvements would allow greater complexity to Empire Building, without losing the elements of access and scarcity that force expansion and trade. Instead of largely indistinguishable systems, players could build dedication Trading Hubs, Agricultural Centres, Border Fortresses, and Shipyards (not actually- what I mean is that the systems could be vastly better at different things)

Any feedback is appreciated, as I'm interested in hearing what other players think about this.

And to the devs out there- please let me know if this idea is good or bad! I'm a newly employed professional in the Game Industry, and even though I'm out of school, I'm always looking to learn something from more experienced colleagues.

Let me know if you catch any spelling errors, or if any part of my explanation is confusing- I'll be editing this Idea regularly, so I'll fix what you guys point out.

Thanks for reading! I hope I can help make this fantastic game just a tiny bit better.