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I'd like an improved engine. A 3D engine, but one using sprites(like now) instead of actual 3D models. It should support animated sprites, which would make it possible to make significantly better-looking ships and weapon effects(like in StarDrive/Starsector), and it should have more 'physical' combat where you feel the ships and weapon impacts actually have weight behind them. Which would make the game very demanding CPU-wise, which in turn would require great multithreading.

On the gameplay/modding side, I would essentially want what's planned for DW:U. More, if possible, but definitely not less. I despise when sequels scrap significant portions of the features of previous games.

All planets in the game could start with generic names like "MLG420", and then be automatically given a randomly generated name that relates to the race that colonises it first. This is actually how we deal with most exoplanets today; I can't imagine we'll continue to refer to Gliese 581G as. . . well, that, if we actually start living there.

More intra-empire politics. Decisions that matter and have benefits and risks attached to them. From sponsoring political movements to dirty plays like assassinations and framing and criminal acts. At least 5 factions vying for power in each race (for example, lets start with generic examples of militarists, environmentalists, industrialists, xenopohobes and embrace-the-alien-crowd.... but alien races can have different religious sects, or some really nutty, fun stuff indeed, your imagination is the limit here [;)] )


A bit of a role-playing element shamelessly stolen from Crusader Kings 2. A popup message about what's happening in the empire (based on which faction is in power and what's happening OR just random) and you have a multiple choice answer. Each choice has its benefits and demerits, of course. Would help the game TREMENDOUSLY and help the immersion a lot.



More options to interact with other races. Right now we have trade, sanctions (prelude to war) and war. I want more possibilities to interact with other empires.
Aaaaaaaand having 5 intra-empire factions vying for power will open up the gameplay tremendously, as you can (covertly or officially) support one or more factions with PR, spying, or official government support.


More stuff to do pre-warp. Launching satellites... can't think of anything else, but pirates were added to the game as a crutch because the pre-warp was so lacking. Pirates out, pre-warp stuff in.


Each race SHOULD HAVE ITS OWN TECH TREE. I cannot stress this enough. And each race should optimize, let me repeat this, OPTIMIZE their ship and base designs using that racial tech tree. Of course you will be able to trade for/steal each other's techs.


For battles, have full 3D Homeworld style RTS battles once fleets meet.


Even more varied racial victory conditions. Again, going with intra-empire factions - a race XYZ can win when xenophobes are in power, no alien population on your worlds and you are top 5 empire in galaxy. Or, same race XYZ, winning means industrialists are in power and your race has the most industry in the galaxy.


DW does not feel epic. Yeah, I said it. Early hyperdrives should not allow you to go everywhere in the galaxy. There should be a definite distance limit for the early hyperdrives, and only the last researched kind should allow you to move across the map.


Got it?

Good.

Get to it, my wallet is waiting.

ORIGINAL: Timotheus

More intra-empire politics. Decisions that matter and have benefits and risks attached to them. From sponsoring political movements to dirty plays like assassinations and framing and criminal acts. At least 5 factions vying for power in each race (for example, lets start with generic examples of militarists, environmentalists, industrialists, xenopohobes and embrace-the-alien-crowd.... but alien races can have different religious sects, or some really nutty, fun stuff indeed, your imagination is the limit here [;)] )

A bit of a role-playing element shamelessly stolen from Crusader Kings 2. A popup message about what's happening in the empire (based on which faction is in power and what's happening OR just random) and you have a multiple choice answer. Each choice has its benefits and demerits, of course. Would help the game TREMENDOUSLY and help the immersion a lot.

More options to interact with other races. Right now we have trade, sanctions (prelude to war) and war. I want more possibilities to interact with other empires.
Aaaaaaaand having 5 intra-empire factions vying for power will open up the gameplay tremendously, as you can (covertly or officially) support one or more factions with PR, spying, or official government support.

Yes! I think Victoria 2 style internal politics would benefit this game massively.

I personally would not pay for just bigger and prettier. Such things can be nice, yes, but it's the inside that counts...

DW has many things right. Details of space determine your strategic actions. There aren't many artificial constraints (like sudden unhappiness after some critical tax-value or exponential costs for things (makes them binary).) AI empires have some personality. Planetary development is abstracted so that you can focus on just the strategic choices there (facilities that benefit the entire empire and local military facilities.) Combat strategy is based on actual locations and their details.

However, there are some things that could be still improved:
- Space combat not just where, but also how. Ships should have tactical roles and weapons too. More controls for tactical choices.
- Diplomatic institutions that enable more diplomatic maneuvers. More options for dealing with conflicts (tribute, trade advantages etc.)
- Research should not be just about what you research, but also how much. Research with a cost and thus a choice there too.
- A tool to decide: credits. All choices of how much of this or that, I should be able to make with credits. Be it by taxes, tolls, maintainance, gifts, contracts, subsidising migration to a particular planet or paying for extra workforce there, my credits should determine my ability to do so.
- The tool should be a sharp as my strength. Credits from taxes (slowing development of the planet), from traders by tolls (private sector), tourists paying for sights (their private sector again) and from all that other give unto me (diplomatic power).
- And I want to find the numbers where no one way rules supreme. I want to be able to modify game mechanics. Turn off and on those that matter.
- I want the game to stop me and wonder. Videos, sounds, animations and grim faces for happenings. Maybe planets could sing too.

That I would pay for.

Lots of great ideas here. I especially like suggestions about internal politics a la Victoria 2, and dynastic politics a la Crusader Kings 2. My two cents:

1. A more variable and somewhat randomized tech tree, a la one of the early MOO games. In one of those games (MOO1 or Moo2, I forget which), you didn't always get every tech every game. It made you play differently from one game to the next, which I enjoyed a lot. Very few modern 4Xs seems to implement this principle, nor do the Civ games. It's my top priority.

2. Galaxies that are larger and that *feel* larger, a la Aurora. As someone said earlier, I'd like it to be a big accomplish for one of my scouts to traverse the entire galaxy. Right now it happens pretty easily.

3. Better fonts, prettier graphics, smoother UI. I like the look and feel of Endless Space (though I much prefer the gameplay of DW2). Not sure a 3D galaxy map would be worth the price in system resources, and indeed it might undermine my first priority, by limiting galaxy size.

And yes, the core idea of DW is unique, and I trust that Eliot will maintain it.