[klausD]

I would also like to have a much bigger game. The number of systems, mapsize and races a SE4 game offers should depend on your PC-system.

Or how about a concept of "galactic sectors". Every sector has the size of a normal huge SE4 game map. But the maps are connected. This means you can jump from one map to the another if you have the appropriate interstellar drive. Each time you jump the game loads the map you choose. (with all its races, wonders, systems etc.)
This means that at the same time is only one galactic sector is active, untill you choose to activate another. (of course you have to have some assets there to do the activation)

Of course this kind of game is not good for a quick MP game over the internet. But it should be good for each long solo game or for a hosted PBEM game too.

The tech cost should be multiplied if such a monster game is played to avoid "running out" of techs in the middle of the game.

Lets see what the map editor and the future in general adds to this topic.

klaus