@sinvega based partly on your MOO3 retro for RPS I reinstalled the game (first time in 20 years) and gave it a fair shake, and you're right - w/ the benefit of time it's admirable for having at least tried SOMETHING new, even if every neat new idea is undercut by some other system that doesn't quite work. Like the "sweet spot" colony thing, which makes diff planets desirable for different races (instead of just "Terran best") and hints at the idea of sharing systems with a different race... except that's a strategically terrible idea and you need to oust neighbors ASAP. Or the many small events which add charm, except it's quickly a flood of noise you must tune out! I did come around to liking a lot of the automation and it was noticeable which parts DIDN'T have it, like the spy interface, where my agents would die and no governor was keeping replacements trained for me... only noticed when my tech started getting stolen a lot