I'd like to suggest the following gameplay improvements (maybe already proposed by some other members):



Main topic: strategic resources and ship modules:



I have played a few games so far and I have the feeling that strategic resources (Titanium, Anti-Matter...) are maybe not as "strategic" as they should be.

Also, by looking at the military tech tree, it appeared to me that required strategic resources for ship modules were quite random. In most cases these resources are not needed, and when needed for a specific module (for example: Hyperium for basic lasers), they are generally not necessary for more advanced versions of this module.



What could be done to increase the importance of these resources and to make their use less random?



It appears that modules are divided in 4 main groups (maybe 5, i'll explain hereunder):

- Kinetic weapons and Flak

- Missiles and Armor

- Power and Shield

- Beam weapons and Deflector

(A fifth group may be done with Invasion modules and System Defense improvements, but it is far less important than the others considering number of improvements and that system defense are not applicable to ships).



In addition, 2 generations of modules may be found in this tree:

- 1st generation: blue pictures (for example: shield module: Reflective Isotopes)

- 2nd generation: white pictures (for example: shield module: Quantum Damping)



We have 8 strategic resources available:

Adamantian, Anti-Matter, Hexaferrum, Hyperium, Orichalcix, Quadrinix, Siderite, Titanium.

It would be very easy to associate each module group with a resource. Logically module groups which appear early in the game should be associated with resources which may be discovered early.



I would therefore propose the following associations:

- Kinetic weapons and Flak: 1st generation: Titanium

- Missiles and Armor: 1st generation: Hyperium

- Beam weapons and Deflector: 1st generation: Anti-Matter

- Power and Shield: 1st generation: Hexaferrum

- Kinetic weapons and Flak: 2nd generation: Orichalcix

- Missiles and Armor: 2nd generation: Siderite

- Beam weapons and Deflector: 2nd generation: Adamantine

- Power and Shield: 2nd generation: Quadrinix



More details:

- No resource would be required for the modules of first level of military tree (for example: Hard Kinetics and Ion Torpedoes). Players should be able to access lowest military technologies without being forced to develop science tree first.

- On the other hand, last level technologies (for example: Agn Slugs and Entropy Missiles) would require both resources of their group (in case of Entropy Missiles: Hyperium and Siderite). It shouldn't be a problem at such development level.

- To help balance things, other ship modules such as Invasion modules and Tonnage modules would not require any strategic resource at all. Indeed these modules are "only" support modules and as such, fairly useless alone.

- At present time, controlling at least 4 units of these resources grants you a bonus of -30% cost to the related modules (called "abundance" in my version). It seems this bonus does not increase no matter how many sources you control. I would suggest adding "monopoly" (like luxury resources) for strategic resources which would grant an even higher cost reduction bonus, maybe control of 9/10 units providing a -50/-60% bonus ?



Take a look at attached picture for more understanding (to be added later). I think these changes could make the game and strategic resources more exciting (it is already a very enjoyable game).



Miscellaneous:



These minor improvements could be added with a small patch:

- Technologies exchange: when trading technologies with other players, full description of the technology (unlocked effects) shall be added. I have to constantly switch between trade panel and tech trees to know exactly what the technologies for trade really do.

- Multiple fleet management: When attacked by several fleets, defending player should be in position to decide which of his defending fleets orbiting the system under attack will be assigned to each enemy fleet.



Have fun and keep playing !