i was reading a interview about the devs focusing on the sandbox, but there will be a single player campaign. The game has potential to make a great tool for story telling. A deeper political game, and story flags could really go a long way to giving the players that want to create stories a huge step forward.

One thing i found lacking in GCII, (at least the few campaign missions i played)  Was your goal was, said at the start, (capture X planet)  then that was it. the game played like a sandbox till you Captured the planet.  While i can see in some ways, how this might be liked.  Sandbox players are playing sandbox, just with an outside goal. 

But those that like stories this is pretty lacking. Simple tools to trigger in game scripts, and dialoge, along with a map creator players could basically create any story they wanted.  Trigger a speak dailoge with a race, give some verbal options, Demand trade, demand money, accept a truths ect..  Give triggers to start AI events off of these..   

attack X planet,  goto war with X race, spawn new worlds, new races.. Ext..  Much of what i am talking about is already done by the game already but it is much more random.  (think about the Mega events)

A deeper single player campaign topped onto the ability for users and fan fiction to go wild..  GCIII might be as popular in 2023, as GCII is still supported by users 6+ years later. I am new to this game, and community, but to say that i am shocked by how passionate people are about a 6 year+ game.. that just shows how great it really is.  Bringing in a deeper story, and tools, on top of an incredible sandbox..  I wonder if i would ever leave my house...