How about a "randomized" tech tree? I remember suggesting for SE4 something like MOO3 has, where you might need level 5 of Physics to get Hyper-Death BLasters one game and level 7 the next, but why not also randomize the effects of the technologies? There could be up to a 10% or some amount settable in the data files variation in all numeric attributes associated with any technology, so a DUC-5 might do 36-44 damage, have a range of 4.5-5.5 km, fire every 0.9-1.1 seconds, weigh 27-33 kT, etc. depending on who built it (or maybe even on which spaceyard it was built at!)
Also, even if this is not implemented, it might be helpful to measure the mass and hitpoints of smaller vehicles in tons rather than kilotons, both for realism and precision - it's kind of hard to have a 10% variation in size or a +25% increase in damage from a mount when your component is only 2 kT!
Regarding tech again, a more interesting model for analyzing vehicles (and facilities?
) might involve a list of possible tech areas you can get from analyzing something, along with a % chance, a range of points (not necessarily a whole level!), and a max. level you can attain (so you can't get level 12 propulsion by analyzing a bunch of C-T engines
) Also, you'd get a chance at tech for every component, not every ship... so a WMG-3 might give you a 50% chance at up to 50,000 points in High Energy Weapons up to level 10, but also a 25% chance at up to 20,000 points in Propulsion up to level 7 (what you need to get High Energy Weapons in the first place) Then you might get both... or you might get nothing!
