[PvK]

Yes, the speed of gameplay is (should be) the same on different-speed processors. The frame rate suffers on slower ones. If on a really slow system game events actually take longer, then that's a bug and/or a system that isn't strong enough to run the game properly.

I don't think the game will ever run faster than designed on a faster computer, though. It should just have a higher frame rate. Again, if that's not the case, then it's a bug.

However, I would agree that the default game as designed runs quite fast, resulting in almost arcade-like gameplay. Many players don't seem to mind, but I think that it's designed to be more of a "Diablo in space" action/strategy game, than a large ship simulator. Apparently it's designed to make manual piloting, keeping the enemy in view, and making instant decisions, part of the gameplay.

You can mod the game so that ships are slower pretty easily, as Phoenix-D did. However it will take more work to adjust the balance appropriately, in terms of times allowed to complete missions, and the difficulty of fighting enemy ships when you no longer have the major obstacle of trying to figure out what is going on and decide what to do in a fraction of a second.

PvK