[Skulky]

For the ruins empire idea you could have the few old ships be like the voyager scenario where they have way more components than it is possible to have (don't know how he did that) and then these ships are there for you until they die, never to be built like that ever agian.

also the civil war thing sounds really cool. I don't get how you plan on setting it up, even though im sure it makes sense, but you might have a system where some people would be rebels and some not, even same sector. and the empire (non-rebel) headquarters could be a planet type that is cloaked to full level sensors (you need highest level to see or...you can't ever see it, you need to do intel operations to get it, or use a partnership from another race that you control (you could have multiple races under your control representing the multiple rebel forces that are seperated (couldn't communicate at start) but all have same ideals, when you meet hte weaker coudl surrender to stronger or stay separate)).

For PBW you could do the same thing. wiht cooperative players (there are a few a-holes out there even on PBW) you could have a civil war operation that costs intel points that are spent somehow out of game and then there are parameters as to what revolts and what doesn't and these would be gifted to one of several'rebel' factions waiting to take over from some homeworld on the side of the galaxy.

And the one way warp piont woudl be going to the ancient race, that way you coudl go and see them (and probably die) but they couldn't come get you until much later.

great ideas everyone.