Something I feel is lacking is the use of actual space. The game focuses incredibly heavy on the use and exploration of planets while ignoring any space-borne structures or starbases. As such, to remedy this, there could be specific structures that have to be placed using fleets (Maybe a specific support module to do so). 


These structures will rely on the industry of the system in order to build and will keep the building fleet in use until completion, but is independent of the construction queue, allowing for improvements and structures to build simultaneously.


These structures would take up an "Infrastructure Capacity" which is dependent on the amount of colonizable planets and their sizes:

  • Tiny: 1
  • Small: 2
  • Medium: 3
  • Large: 4
  • Huge: 5

System developments would also add 1 extra infrastructure capacity per level, giving a player more oppurtunity to improve their systems and build tall, even with less powerful systems. Certain structures can also be upgraded.


Certain structures will also have additional variations that are unlocked by having a specific ruling political party. These variations can be applied once a structure has reached max level, and if the party is no longer ruling, then the variant's additions are disabled until the party returns to power. The variations cost no additional infrastructure.


Some possible structures that could be added:

  • Starport: 
    • System doesn't cost any movement to owned or allied fleets.
    • Costs 1 infrastructure point.
  • Customs Office: 
    • Slows down any non-allied ships by 1 per level. At max level, any ships at war will be stopped, similar to a fleet's guard action, except no other actions, including sieging, will be possible for that turn.
    • Max level: 3
    • Costs 2 infrastructure points per level.
  • Mining Station:
    • +5% industry  per level. At max level increases strategic resource harvesting by 1 for all but reduces system approval  by 10.
    • Max level: 5
    • Costs 1 infrastructure point per level.
  •  Industrialist Variant:
    • Each luxury resource also grants an additional +2% dust
  •  Ecologist Variant:
    • Happiness is reduced only by 5
  • Deep Space Observatories:
    • +5% science  per level. At max level, all positive anomaly effects are doubled, but reduces system influence  by -5%
    • Max level: 5
    • Costs 1 infrastructure per level
  •  Scientist Variant:
    • No overpopulation on cold planets (overpop slots become standard slots)
  •  Pacifist Variant:
    • Every peaceful race increases science  by +10
    • Every allied race increases science  by +15
  • Naval Dockyards:
    • -5% industry cost to all starships per level. At max level, adds an additional queue for constructing only ships (Shown in normal building window)
    • Max level: 3
    • Infrastructure cost per level: 2
  •  Militarist Variant:
    • Increases defending manpower  capacity by 100
  •  Religious Variant:
    • 5% of the system's dust  production is added to the secondary's queue industry
  • Citadel:
    • Can be fitted similar to a ship, with Titanium , Adamantium  and Orichalcix  slots available to fit from additional research.
    • At level 2 the Titanium  slots are applied, at level 3 the Adamantium  slots are used, and at level 4 the Orichalcix  slots are used. Citadels can be upgraded without the better technologies, but will need to be retrofitted with the resources to apply additional modules.
    • Module multiplier will progress as 1x, 2x, 4x and 8x as per levels 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively
    • +100 Manpower  per level
    • Structure stops any enemy fleets, either in Cold War or War, as if it were on guard. It must be attacked as if it were a fleet before a system can be sieged or invaded.
    • The structure will apply fleet support modules to allied fleets engaging in battle, but will not directly join the battle.
    • Max level: 4
    • Infrastructure cost per level: 3
  • Naval Logistics Office:
    • -5% fleet upkeep on system per level. At max level, ship industry  cost is reduced by 10%
    • Max level: 3
    • Infrastructure cost per level: 2
  •  Militarist Variant:
    • +1 Influence  per pop
  • Trading Port:
    • +5% system trade value per level. At max level every luxury resource node adds +5% dust
    • Max level: 5
    • Infrastructure cost per level: 2
  •  Pacifist Variant:
    • Every peaceful relation adds +2% dust
    • Every ally adds +4% dust
  •  Ecologist Variant:
    • +5 approval  per trading company
  •  Industrialist Variant:
    • +5% dust  if there's a strategic resource node
  • Deep Space Arcology:
    • Every level adds an additional 2 population capacity
    • Max level: 3
    • Infrastructure cost per level: 3
  •  Militarist Variant:
    • +150 unsiegable manpower
  •  Religious Variant:
    • +50 unsiegable manpower  per overcrowded pop
  •  Ecologist Variant:
    • +1 slots before overpopulation on every planet
  • Orbital Hydroponics
    • +5% food  per level. At max level +5% food  for every luxury resource node
    • Max level: 5
    • Infrastructure cost per level: 1
  •  Industrialist Variant:
    • 5% of food  is converted into industry
  •  Scientist Variant:
    • +5% food  for every anomaly
  •  Pacifist Variant:
    • +5%  food for every trading company
  • Deep Space Black Site:
    • Continously streams propoganda of a desired party to the system.
    • Max level: 1
    • Infrastructure per level: 4
  •  Religious Variant:
    • System approval  is forced to happy
  •  Scientist Variant:
    • +3 science   per pop


Such possible developments will grant players much more in developing their systems while also allowing for more options to build tall with an extra layer of gameplay.


The infrastructure capacity allows players to fit multiple structures into a system but think about fitting in higher level structures, making them choose between certain structures to synergise the best with each system.


On top of that the political variants add more variety and impact that the political parties have, making political outcomes more significant.