1.2/1.3 Suggestion

Although I would prefer controlling my colonisers manually, I'd like a similar system for constructors. You can use rally points of course, but I'd like an option to give my constructors an order 'upgrade nearest starbase with modules available'. Not only would this save time directing constructors to where I want them, but it would also mean that I can make sure that all my starbases are fully upgraded (I always forget one!)

i forget more than1.Its usually an economic1 as well or military

Although I would prefer controlling my colonisers manually, I'd like a similar system for constructors. You can use rally points of course, but I'd like an option to give my constructors an order 'upgrade nearest starbase with modules available'. Not only would this save time directing constructors to where I want them, but it would also mean that I can make sure that all my starbases are fully upgraded (I always forget one!)

I love that idea!

I'd rather have a screen where you can see what categories of modules each starbase can get upgraded with: Influence, production, trade, ship attack, ship defence, and least amount of turns necessary for a constructor to get there. Click the base in the list to set a constructor to go there. The constructor selected to do so is the one of your idle ones which will use the shortest time to get there.

I use the rally points for the constructors currently, but I too tend to forget bases when they've been maxed earlier, and I get another relevant tech.

I would like to see more options for managing starbases added as well, but my main concern is these larger maps where I'm still colonizing new planets 10 years into the game. I'd also like to see an option of scrolling around the mini-map instead of zooming out, centering the map again, and zooming back in. Not a huge problem but still an inconvenience.

tatertot18. I think that the lack of scrolling is a huge problem that needs to be addressed ASAP.

The most anoying thing i am finding is when i want to upgrade ships in the shipyard, the little icons at the top left that tell you what the ship has are almost useless, their is no text or info and makes it very hard to work out what level of the item you have in your ship, I start taking ages to remove and check what the item is and what level and space it takes up. Upgrading is becomeing such a pain and time consuming, Can you have a description or some pop up screen that tell you the information you need when the mouse goes over the items in your ship.
Ideally i would like to click on the item, the left of the screen that lists all the items available will highlight the item and i would quickly have the information available and readily look at the left of the screen to see what can be upgraded of the same item type.
That would be the biggest improvement to the game.

On the subject of ship upgrades, I'd like an option to keep the same design of the troop transport/colony ship but just add new components. I hate how the game strips those ships back to just the basic hull when you go to upgrade them. My new colony ships seem so crappy even after 20 minutes of hard work on the design each game.

What do i want in 1.2/1.3?

Multiplayer.

In anyform, hotseat or idealy (causing people i know to purchase the game) LAN and/or internet play.

Internet Play ability most definately. Each player customizes their own race. Imagine a game with 60 races going at it, striking deals, creating Joint Space Fleets, being the Pirates... ( I like that Idea best.) Why research anything when you can just hijack a ship and steal it. What would be even cooler is as you meet a new player race You have to research translation for that race. Once you both have this ability you can then form an alliance. This adds discovering new races interesting. But bear in mind these would not be the simple 1 hour segments of gameplay that many internet players are use to. To make it truelly worthwhile your looking at several hours colonizing, researching building etc.. just like in the single player game only this time the Alliances would be better played out and the Tech trading would be more believeable. Consider 2 or more players with an Alliance and each one of them takes a different Tech Tree limb to research out then a massive trading takes place. But beware Alliances can still be broken and if you were researching planet improving tech and the others were researching combat techs your at a disadvantage fast if they decide to take you out by breaking that nice security blanket of an alliance. I think it would only work better if internet play would allow 2 or 3 techs to be researched simultaeneously. You have the research centers which you could simply have a research Center Screen and what that particular center is working on the more centers working on a particular tech the faster you get it. if you have 20 centers breaking them up into groups of 4 you have 5 different techs that come available at the roughly the same time give or take a week or so...
By doing it this way you would not be caught off guard by researching Shielding Techs and come face to face with someone that has thrown everything into Mass Drivers. etc.
Unfortunately I can also see a game where the static ships and techs are all fully done and all you do is just design ships and go hunting. Not much different that say MechWarrior build the Mech and go into the carnage.
But if they are smart the makers will build something similar to Project Entropy styled where you can join in and pick up where you left off sort of deal. Colonizing planets, Invading others etc. By going this route granted you would have some folks that become unbelievably powerful but at the same time they would not be able to stop everyone from attaining the same level because now your looking at hundreds of users and the shear scale of that alone would be simply impossible. You would not only be in space building ships, starbases, trade routes etc. but now your looking at an array of different factions that would come and go. Groups that would want to be police force types, Mercenaries, Pirates, Traders, Consider the old D&D styled game called Traveller and now your looking at what GCxxx would eventually be able to become. You could actually live on one of your planets, go to your Starbase, fly in your fleet or just go discovering other players planets and there would be a whole new assortment of items for commerce.
You could theoretically create and or join the UFP, visit a B5 style Station for Economic Trades, Search out Anomolies etc..

It's an awesome undertaking to be sure but just sit back and imagine what it would be like and I think you would agree that it would be totally coolness. There would be regions of space that Mercs and Pirates abound and you would have to learn how to deal with them or become one of them, Build a galactic empire get others to join with you.
Engage in total galactic wars or become a spy and sell your information to whomever you choose. Create a race of bounty hunters. A virtual Universe for you to roam around in. Of course the simplified Good / Neutral / Evil would have alot of grey areas once the human element is added to the equation but it would be fun. The game evolves only as far as the creators and the players imaginations allow. Couple all of this with something like Teamspeak and wow it boggles the mind. Hmm Teamspeak and Translators.. Hmmm..

DEEEEF A random event slider. I'm really missing those different random events, and I found that you would only get a few repeating ones. Those random events and colonizing events were one of the main reasons I bought this game. A slider would help everyone out, those who hate em and those who love em.

Also, Making diplomatic manipulation easier. Its too hard to get a starbase or to make a faction declare war on another. I realise these should be extremely expensive, but I find myself offering all my techs, all my planets, all my money, all my ships, and even my surrender for a civilization who hates another one, to attack them, and they still wont.