[dogscoff]

3 new ideas, really, but they are all linked:

1- A component that can be built in orbtit of an uncolonised planet to gradually modify that planet's conditions and/or atmosphere.

2- A game setup option "colonise only [conditions] or better" where 'conditions' can be set to anything from optimal to deadly (Or whatever replaces the conditions description in se5).

3- Different environmental criteria for different races: Humans like warmish, wettish planets with approx iG gravity. The same is unlikely to be true for all races- perahps the Jraenar idea of an 'optimal' world would be an unpleasant boiling hot, dry, high grav place, and the Cue Cappans would want a far wetter, cold world than we would like.

Used together, these three things could create all kinds of interesting game situations.