For those who want to see a roguelike in action: 
www.nethack.org
Download and play. It takes a while to get into it but believe me it's worth it.
 
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		| Well, maybe with someone to give me ideas and prod me on, I could at least get a 4X project off the ground... any you want to suggest off the top of your head? | 
	
 Well, i guess the thing to do would be to start from the basics and build upwards from there. 
I would propose a co-ordinate/vector based 2D map rather se4's squares (too limiting in terms of scale) or hexes (too much hassle to code, I would imagine). Realistic starsystems within it, with stars, planets, moons etc. Having all those bodies orbit around one another would be nice, but probably far too much of a pain coding, interface and autopilot-wise. Travel could then be slower or faster than light depending on game settings/ player tech, and wormholes/ warp points (natural and artificial) could be included as well.
 
 [ January 23, 2004, 09:19: Message edited by: dogscoff ]