I just started playing this weekend, and have found myself in over my head a few times. (And I don't care what the Dwarf Fortress players say, your UI is much better. ) I just had some suggestions that should be easy, but make life easier for new players.
1. Resource abundance multiplier. In my first game, I spent a lot of time blocked waiting for various things (shipyard retooling, critical research, designing new components, etc. ) The result is that I was completely screwed when Earth started running out of key minerals and I didn't have the infrastructure in place to set up an alternative source. A resource abundance multiplier (as in, a constant multiplier to minerals every time they're generated or discovered - not a multiplier to how fast you dig them, just how much is on a given body) in the game creation settings would let you play a slower-paced game without so much expansion pressure while you're trying to learn your way around, and gain enough experience to see problems before they land in your lap. It would also be handier for multiplayer games if you have multiple players in the same system (like your NATO vs. Soviet Union campaign) or if you just wanted to play a game with less difficult to manage inter-system sprawl. (In general, I'd prefer it if the Sol system was emphasized more. If I discover minerals on Titan, I know what that means, and it's cool. If I find minerals on "Lalande 1842-A VII Moon 6," it's not nearly as interesting. )
I suggested something like this a few days ago. It'd be good to be able to customize the general mineral richness of the galaxy.
3. Qualitative descriptors in component design. When building a new system, I have no idea how its capabilities correspond to what might be considered "normal. " Is what *I* think is actually a long ranged, but weak missile really laughably short-ranged with a heck of a punch? I realize this could be tough to do given the steady increase of capabilities and the fact that your warhead research could far outstrip your engine tech. Maybe it could be based on the relative size or cost devoted to each stat? (Like, if more than x% of a missile's MSP is devoted to engine power, note that it's fast, very fast, etc. ?)
I guess this is something you gain with experience. It's hard to objectively define quality when it's ultimately relative to your general tech level. A cutting-edge missile designed in 2030 might be thoroughly obsolete by 2050, and a long range missile in 2040 might be actually considered a short range one in 2090.
4. Distance measurements are sometimes confusing / ambiguous. Almost everything is in thousands or millions of kilometers, which is okay, except sometimes I run into notes in the GUI telling me that a distance is (k) or "in k. " Is that in Kilometers? Or thousands of Kilometers? This could just use a bit of cleanup to make sure proper units are always given. (I seem to remember running into this most often in the missile design window. ) Alternatively, consider using miles, or light-seconds, or something like that to reduce ambiguity between "km" and "k km. " (Personally, I like km for the more authentic feel. )
I haven't come across with such ambiguity. The "k" is generally followed by something else. In the missile design window, the units are very clearly "km/s", "m km" and "k km/s", meaning kilometres per second, million kilometres and thousand kilometres per second. "K" is always a thousand (or 1000 kilometres in the space map), but if it turns out to be something else on a menu (like units of 10,000 km), the game tells you right next to the box (like in follow orders and point defense settings).
6. Locking a ship design should also lock the class name and type. I can't tell you how many times I forgot to hit the "new" button, and accidentally renamed my "Sparrow class Light Personnel Transport" the "Juggernaught class Battlecruiser" or something similar. (Also, the "unlock" button doesn't seem to work?)
The Unlock button is only enabled if Spacemaster Mode is on. Designs are generally locked when you start retooling a shipyard for their construction, and the reason the Unlock button generally remains unavailable is that any modifications to the design are automatically applied to existing ships of the class. Even if they're already in service.