[brianeyci]

SE:V requests... I'm sure these have been mentioned before but I'll just say em again. Before I start, I've only been on the SE:IV scene for... one week lol. The below suggestions are more related to my general observations of the game compared to current games... if you want SE:V to be more than a patched Version of SE:IV, I think you got to "popularize" it... but despite the old farts (j/k lol) saying what this will do to gameplay, I think it is still possible to preserve gameplay and make the game more attractive and accessible... If SE is ever to come out of its niche market and attract a general following... anyway these will be controversal suggestions that will probably not be accepted, and I will probably be flamed for this, but here it goes.

* 3D engine. SE:V does not have to turn into a RTS, but you should see 3D models superimposed on a background when viewing a specific system... and be able to travel through the system and click on planets ala homeworld would be nice, but maybe going overboard... have a highlighting option so small planets are not hard to see (in the 3D mode) ... fleets could be represented by the actual static 3D models... It does not have to be cutting edge graphics, but at least get rid of static camera angles... perhaps the two-dimensional overlay could be maintained, or even superimposed on a 3D viewscreen... for example, when you click on a planet on the grid map, the main background of the screen changes to a 3D view of the planet. The customizability of this 3D image for mods, etc could be maintained through a scripting language...

* make races come more "alive"... sounds, graphics, images, 3D customizable races similar to the current MMORPG thing where you can customize your character... you can make races come more alive without sacrificing customizability... like, you could have a screen when a player chooses a new race, he could rotate a 3D model around and choose which features to add/subtract... similar in sports games where you can customize the look of your character. Also have something where you can choose the voice of your race, and perhaps have diplomatic interactions between "talking heads"... customizability could be also maintained through downloads of new race voices, new 3D models for races, etc... and of course if you do a good job in the first place, the number of permutations for the look of your race should be endless... 3 tentacles? 2 eyes? body armor? green skin? pink skin? patterened skin?

* centralized server, sort of like Battle.net, where you log on with no hassles and are able to start games hassle free. You could maintain the PBW and PBEM features, but on the central server you could have blitz games or quick games. At the very *least*, you should implement a timer for in between turns.

Anyway. If the game is just going to be a rework of SE:IV, then so be it. But I'm of the opinion (and probably part of a small minority) that appreciates the incredible depth of SE:IV, but believes that it is possible to make it more accessible and asthetically pleasing without sacrificing gameplay.

IMO, you should throw out the 2D engine, and work with a 3D engine or get a license for one. (Wonder if Shrapnel Games could afford that lol) Just like Starcraft is the pinnacle of 2D Real-Time-Strategy gameplay and Fallout 2 the pinnacle of 2D isometric turn-based roleplaying, it looks like SE:IV is the pinnacle of 4x turn-based strategy. The only thing left to do is to do something truly innovative, like combine cutting edge graphics and customizability with the depth of SE:IV.

Now that would be something.

I'm ready for the flaming =D

Brian