Just a quick suggestion for Mike regarding the glaxy map generator.
Before I go through the idea I'll briefly explain my thinking behind it;
I think it's top of most people's wish list that that Galactic map is larger, much larger! We want to be able to send out Galaxy class ships for long range exploration, and as such there needs to be space to explore very late in the game. Also, ship ranges must gradually increase over time, to facilitate new frontiers becoming available for the latest ships. In addition to this, your borders will constantly expand outwards.
The problem I forsee is this, with space being so vast, and early ships being so short range, you might end up going through the entire Enterprise era without meeting another major race, hell maybe longer. Especially given the homeworlds are randomly placed.
The solution....
In the initial setup screen, (where you choose map size, starting tech level or other majors etc), have a proximity setting for each of the major races.
The 3 proximity ranges are, Close, Medium, and Far. Selecting Close will make the map grerator place that race's homeworld randomly within around 20 sectors of yours- Ensuring you meet them early, and have space bordering theirs. Medium would ensure that the race isn't too close, but you would meet them by around Excelsior level or so. Far, would have a min distance, but no maximum- Ensuring you won't meet them until late on. Of course you could just select random, meaning they could be anywhere.
Additionally, you should be able to give the generator 2 options to randomly select between.
For example, I'm starting a new game as Feds, I choose Klingons to be Cllose, Romulans either Close or Medium, Cardassians either Close, Medium or Far, and Dominion Far. That way I know I'll meet the Klings fairly soon, I could meet the Roms and Cardies any time, and I won't meet the Dominion for a while.
Standard setting could be all races set to Close or Medium, meaning there's a total element of surprise, you you'll have met them all by Ambassador level.
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