I've a far more infrequent poster on this forum than i once was, so im late to this thread. I played this game quite a bit back when the 1st version was in beta and then released and in some respects it is my favourite space 4x game, in other respects i hate it.
I loved the ship building system, i loved the the full 3d seamless galaxy map, i loved the proper physics ship movement. It gives me that Alastair Reynolds or Ian M Banks space opera feel in away that no other game really has.
I hated the fact that like many 4x games winning is basically a case of solving the production expansion research equation so that your empire expands faster with better tech and more monies that your opponents. The game i felt basically had a lot of great chrome, but underneath boiled down to whether you could micro manage your empire well enough to get you 3 tech levels ahead of your opposition and smash them. Often the actual military maneuvers and ship designs were slightly irrelevant if someone was a tech level or few ahead of you.
What i would like, is not to have to solve that equation at all, and basically just make strategic decisions on the direction of my economy or technology rather than good/bad decisions that effectively eliminate me from the game before the fighting ever starts.
Also i look forward to an improved diplomatic model/system.