I like that the exploration phase is longer in this game, the Col Rush of earlier games isn’t as frantic as II or III at least with the settings I’ve played.
However I would like to request the ability to add “hidden” sectors to the game that are a late game technology to extend the exploration phase to the late game maybe make it a setting that could be toggled on and off. So a late game research and then mission that takes a load of production. So like if their were 8 regular sectors there would be 4 late game sectors that link to other sectors so that instead of the map going one way it is connected at the very very end with a lot of research and a lot of production.
I also think you should have to perform the mission inside the sector you are looking for a connection to hidden sector in. So that each sector has to be built up. Before even beginning the hidden sector exploration.