I would like to see a few small multiplayer enhancements:



1 - Game lobby, where you can chat with anyone on the "join game" server before you enter a game, and get back together if a game crashed, or something like that. I know you can do with steam to some extent, but a lobby is a lot easier and should be very simple to do.



2 - Game name - where you can write in some brief string describing it - such as certain ways you want to set up the game, maybe "all endless war" or "no endless war" or "standard factions only" or who knows?



3 - Maybe some options as another suggested, like being able to eliminate tech and system trades, or being able to specify certain factions/faction traits.



While we are at it, how about a "random ai faction" that is randomly exclusive (i.e. you cannot get 3 random sophons - once sophon is selected, it cannot be randomly selected again!)



random human factions would be cool, too.



4 - In-game chat - so you can secretly speak to players without everyone else seeing it! This could be integrated into the diplomacy - i.e. can only be used to send a message with players at peace, or something along those lines.