One of the major problems in the game, at least for current implementation of certain high tier quests, is that you are required to find specific items generated only in specific dungeons, which so far as I understand are generated randomly with regard to each planet. If there was more logic to which races' settlements and installations tend to be where in space, then players will have an easier time finding the kinds of installations that they are looking for, and the overall interstellar map with all of its stars will have more purpose. I propose that denoted on the map in some way are particular regions or territories controlled by each race, while being completely lore friendly. (Note that I know little of the lore as of yet). Players would be more likely to find settlements and dungeons owned by that race on planets in their sector of space. All of this is within limits. I am not saying that they should be guaranteed to find that race's stuff on every planet, and I am not saying that only that race's stuff should be in that sector. It should just be something the procedural generator takes into consideration, to help the universe make more sense on the large scale. Various notes and ideas: Large settlements (cities when we get them and things like Avian tombs) would be more likely to be in the middle of that race's space. Small settlements (like outposts and small colonies) would be more likely to be toward the edges and stuff. Military installations and prisons (depending on if you're Britain) would be more likely to be toward the edge, in contested space, or as incursions into another race's sector (think of the Hylotl Floran conflict). This would not mean that you won't find the odd Floran settlement, Apex lab, or Avian tomb on a planet in human space. It would just increase the relative probability of human stuff being in human space. This would allow for interesting points in interstellar politics to be made real on the star map, as well as for that kind of lore to be more fully developed. The sectors would also be randomly generated, just as each of the stars is, but the relationships between the sectors perhaps would depend on lore. -- - - -- - - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - -- -- - - - - - - - - -- - -- - - If the main quest is considered vertical progression, and procedurally generated quests (to fill out content / technically prevent you from running out of content at any given level in the game) used to buffer the edges of that progression, then this more detailed universe would allow for a sort of horizontal progression. Its quests would let you do things for different races aside from the main quest (basically fulfilling the same function as the faction quest lines in TES games). Certain star systems (e.g. core worlds (in the manner of this suggestion), big military installations) can be protected and prevent you from gaining access to them. Do certain quests, or reach a particular reputation with that race. Meet important NPCs like that one guy along the way. Gain access to their core worlds or whatever and special race-specific items and tech.
One of the things I really dislike about this game is going to a planet with, say, a Floran tree village, and then going to its moon and finding an Avian village. Thus, I think this is a good idea. Maybe there could be different colors for the different races (green for Florans, light blue for Humans, orange for Novakid, deep blue for Hylotl, etc.), and the territory controlled by each race would be shaded in that color. And when you entered a system, there'd be an icon (the same ones as the character creator) showing who claimed it in case ya missed it.
Yep. That's what most of my grand vision is about! Giving the game world a little more sense so that its mechanical systems feel tighter as you move about them, and so that its procedurally generated elements have a greater sense of identity associated with them by rules-enforced order on the system. Something like that would fit very well over the sector map or whatever. Pure colour for racial control. Grey with coloured crosshatches or stripes for contested space or something like that. Easy graphical interface. If different faction categories were established that the player would gain or lose status with depending on their actions / the kinds of quests they do, then depending on on your status with various factions (interrace: Floran vs Hylotl, intrarace: miniknog vs rebels) and whatnot various settlements and installations would react to your presence differently, and this could interact with the racial faction quest lines mentioned in OP.
this would actually go well with what i just wrote about there needing to be a couple planets in a "war" state, in other words, say on those contested planets, random sieges or even just the whole planet is a constant war zone between the 2 species on those planets until you complete a mini quest on the planet for one of the two "like going and destroying an apex shield generator, or blowing up a critical structure for the opposite faction)
