First off if this is nothing more than Sins 1 using 64 bit architect I'll be happy, and I'll buy all the expansions.  This is a great game.

However, I feel like their are severe limits to how the game can be played at this point (yes were still in alpha).  With the orbiting planets we do crash into another players system, but we don't have a strategy specific to when that happens.

For instance if I see that I'm about to get phase locked to an enemy star system I pull back some of my fleet and maybe build some planetary defenses and it feels very linear.  I would like to see a different part of the game where you harden your inner planets to prepare for war with a neighboring star system.  I think there should be an option to switch your economy to defensive posture which increases garrison units, special garrison types, locked down planets with defensive structures/weapons.  Maybe also an offensive posture if you want to take out the enemy with whom you're phase locking.

I would like to see increased options for orbiting structures such as a false phase jump beacon that create erroneous phase jumps to all a certain star systems planets.  That way I can mask where I am going and the enemy has to figure out if I'm attacking or just messing with them.  Their just isn't enough structure variety to make any decisions about what to place nor is there sufficient space in gravity wells to really need to make that decision.  At certain points in the game everyone basically has the same gravity well setup depending on defensive/offensive posture.

I think a nice mechanic would be the longer I own a planet the more I can upgrade/populate/add orbital structures/research something special.  At the end of the game my planets in the back are just there to do a single job and I don't do anything to them really.  It would be great if their is a reason to defend your planets from being bombarded and losing them.  As it is right now if someone comes and bombards my planet and I lose it I just go back, retake it, then recolonize it.  Their is no real penalty for losing a planet.  As an example the planet closest to my home planet would gain "experience" slower than planets farther away from it.  This way players expanding and taking risks  will be able to upgrade their outer planets faster than defensive players.

I am also hoping that the factions auctions will be severely increased both penalty wise and also the magnitude of what they are auctioning (maybe bid to be King of the Solar System?).

Having a lot of fun with it as is though.