[jimbob]

Tradable and/or Scocketed Components:

As it stands now you can only trade technologies or whole ships to one another. But what if I can make UberParasite Missile IX but I'm only at Propulsion level I. There's no way that I'll be able to sell off my Uberparasite weapons to other races becuase 1) they can't research Parasite missiles without being Organic and 2) nobody would want to buy my ships if they only have propulsion level 1. And as a result, little (in my experience) trading goes on in the game, and specialization in one are of research or use of special tech trees guarantees that nobody will want to trade tech with you... so much for playing a Ferengi or Pirate like race!

But if there was the ability to trade individual components, that would open up an entirely new role within the (PBW) game - the role of arms dealer!! Maybe it should be a racial trait, being able to buy and sell components. Now wouldn't that be cool?