[dogscoff]

Here are the things I think se5 needs to truly make it a 'next generation' SE game. In no particular order:

-Galaxy wide and system-wide fog of war, range-dependent cloaking and ranged ship/planetary sensors to go with them.

-If we are to keep the grid-based system maps (as recent statements from MM imply) then at least increase the resolution.

-units, ships, bases and planets all programmed from the same 'stuff' to allow modders to blur the boundaries between these different items (ie planet-like ships with research and mineral production, ship-like planets that can move and fight etc)

-Less forgetful AI.

-By all accounts combat is in for a major overhaul anyway, so I won't bother listing my suggestions for tac combat, but more precise strategic combat commands would be nice. Oh, and we need a retreat option.

-More complex plague system.

-A few more variables and random factors thrown into the minesweeping process to make it a little less predictable.

-Ditto for boarding combat. (why mix in ship experience & racial ground combat stats?)

-Captured populations to maintain their racial characteristics, even if it was just their resource production bonuses.

-Refine the "doming" system so that you can have a few million non-breathers living on your homeworld without such extreme penalties.

-Overhaul of intel system.

-More complex population modelling and involvement to provide a greater 'peacetime' empire-management challenge.

-No limits (or extremely generous limits) on game size and number of players.