A space 4X game with a twist

[Urban Ranger]

I see.

[Urban Ranger]

There are a lot of variations to space strategy (not necessarily 4x) games. All you need to do is to restrict some of the factors to create interesting situations.

The most restrictive is something like the Battletech universe. No FTL travel, no wormholes or alien artifacts to bypass it, and low tech level with no progression. Though there is lost technology to be rediscovered.

One step up is probably the Star Trek universe. FTL travel, worm holes, high levels of technology with very slow progression.

The focus of these variants lie in economic growth and expansion of the "empire." Victory conditions maybe something like having 70% of the total population.

Another form is "Davids vs the Goliath," or "Upstarts vs the Empire." Around the borders of a giant but declining star empire there appear a number of small upstarts. Each of these could be a different "race" with distinct inherent advantages, disadvantages, and goals. If you play the empire, you need to keep it from imploding and stop the upstarts from gnawing you away. If you play an upstart, your objective is clearly to acheive your goals, some of which could be fixed (racial) and others chosen or randomly given.

[Urban Ranger]

Nobody's interested anymore?

[Sandman]

Alas, I don't even have a reliable internet connection any more. I'm using a university PC for just this post.