"If you have excess resource production, beyond your storage capacity.. are they just "lost in space" ? ( this could be important in a finite resource game) Is the 50,000 storage that you start with, just part of the game ? or is there some structure that I am missing ?"
Extra resources go poof. The 50,000 storage is built-in (and modable).
"What is the rationale for spaceships using so many minerals as opposed to the other types ? Is this just a designer built bottleneck.. or is there some thinking behind it. I am just starting .. but I can't see how you would run out of the other stuff."
Design bottleneck. It IS possible to run low on one of the others, especially if you play an organic race or don't built enough resourcers.
"There seems to be a vague & tenuous relationship between the type of planet & the type/amounts of resources found on it. Very vague .. very tenuous."
It's more or less random.
"What is the true value of population ? There doesn't seem to be any relationship between numbers & manning ( aliening ? ) facilities. I take it that they are there for something aside from scoring. Along with that, what are the major & minor determinents of happiness/unhappiness ? Why is it that they don't eat anything ?"
More population = more production. More happyness = more production. It's assumed that each planet produces enough food for it's population, or if it can't your invisible civilian economy does.
"Is there a time limit on the tactical display, or if you come in on a planet that is loaded for bear.. are you just screwed ? "
30 turns.
"How do ships gain experience ? I gained some in various fights, but when I came in on a planet, had a tough fight & took some losses, but after I had prevailed.. I checked my ships & none had moved beyond novice ( 0 ) . Is there a table or something that I can check out ?"
They gain experience by being missed and killing with DIRECT FIRE weapons. You won't gain experience using missiles! (makes since, since missiles gain nothing from experience anyway- they always hit)
"When I obsolete older marks of ships, they stay as potential choices on the contruction qeues. This is really irritating.. & confusing too ! What am I doing wrong here ? "
There's a "hide obselete" button. Push it
"Some comments on modding... while I congratulate the people that have the time, ability & talent for this.. I would like to point out that it can get in the way of building a player base for MP. Several months ago when I was active playing MP ( multiplayer ) MGE ( Civ 2 ).. we used to run across this with just a half dozen options. Given all the options with this game plus the mods .. you can see what I am getting at. Opposed to this is modding the AI.. hopefully to improve it.. While I am a big advocate of playing MP... if your life allows for it, I think everybody realises that the vast, vast majority of all games are SP... so AI improvements are always helpful. Of course .. I don't mod, so I might be talking out of my head ( or some other orfice ) here."
It doesn't fragment the community THAT much. Hell, I'm either in, running, or planning games on two different Versions of SE4, on three different mods! Most people just play standard anyway.
Phoenix-D