Finite resources or not?

[Cheeze]

While I briefly played in one limited resource game, it wasn't long enough to really comment on the overall playability of those games.

One thing that I think hasn't been mentioned is the greater necessity of using Value Improvement plants. In addition, the Religious Nature Shrine assumes greater value, and Crystalline (I think) has a particular facility which gives it an edge in a long limited-resource game.

A limited resource game can put several strains on players that can make a more interesting game. Super-large fleets are more problematic. Resource converters/Recycling centers are more valuable, as are storage facilities (already mentioned). Players have to consider heavy mining (as in laying mines) much more carefully, and each ship and facility construction becomes a more weighty issue. Players will have to balance trying to overcome opponents with only enough force, because too much can make them over-extend themselves and suffer later and lose...and too little can cost them the game more immediately.