Okay, so I'm fully aware from reading the forums that everyone else has posted thoughts. However, I figured it wouldn't hurt to post my own. I enjoy Sins quite a bit, but there would need to be more than a few additions to the game in order to push it well over games like Civilization 4 in my book.

First off - diplomacy. It's pretty bare bones right now. Civ4 does diplomacy excellently (if you haven't played the game, it's well worth it just for diplomacy). However, I'm looking at Space Empires V as a model of just what diplomacy could accomplish. I'm quoting from their site when I say...

"You can offer peace treaties, declare war, ask for help against another civilization (such as help defend against or request that they go to war against another society), trade, offer, and accept gifts, and engage in a few other options. In Space Empires V you can do all of that and much more, and with significantly more depth for each option. For example, when you enter into a treaty with another civilization you can attach almost any condition you can think of to it. A treaty between equals may require both parties to share all intelligence, refitting and resupply capabilities, technology below a designated level, mutual defense, maps of systems and minefields, and such. But if one party feels they have a significant upper hand, they may make demands such as limiting the other civilization's access to their systems, forcing the weaker party to provide more access to information and technology than they will receive in return, or preventing the weaker society from engaging in further research. Other conditions can involve moral restrictions, such as a ban on viral warfare or bombarding planets."

Wouldn't that be a great addition to Sins, which has a great hold on graphics, combat, and ship balances?

Here's a screenshot from Civilization 4:  math.mercyhurst.edu/~traley/images/influence_data.bmp

Explanation: When you mouse over an empire's name, it gives you your relations with them.  It seems that Sins would already use some sort of algorithm for influence, so why not display it?  My leader's name is Bendak, by the way.

Secondly - the economy. I quite enjoy the Black Market concept, and I've abused it several times, but your empire's economy needs more abilities than just the trade buildings. For instance - why aren't there natural resources that can be mined? If gold is found on a planet, it should raise your income slightly, as well as provide some modicum of happiness to your empire for having a precious resource. The same process with, say, space sheep - you found them, so it gives you an increase in food production (and therefore population).

Here's another screenshot from Civilization 4: math.mercyhurst.edu/~traley/images/trade_data1.bmp

Explanation: Should be self-evident, but it's the diplomacy screen.

Thoughts, anyone?

By the way, is there any way to embed an image in a forum?  It doesn't register the HTML code (<img src="">)