Here is what I want.. I want to be able to use 3d models directly in the game. Converting them to flat images is very 90s. Heh. And, most importantly, I want the model to be something that I can directly export from Blender (
http://www.blender.org) because having to buy something like 3DS Max is unrealistically expensive -- I KNOW that all those mod makers for other games pirate their copies
Also, you lose a lot of detail converting.. being able to move the map around in a 3d fashion and zoom in on ships and stuff. Battleship eye candy to go with my Gunboat diplomacy