Before I forget - I want PD to target asteroids.
WSAD panning of the screen.
I should be able to manage by entire fleet inventory on one screen - the PC has the real estate for that.
Please, please make the tractor beam useful as more than an anti-fighter weapon. I sooooo want to tractor down missile ships to pull them into general weapons range. Right now, all it's good for is pinning fighters for inaccurate weapons like rockets, and if you're going to put a tractor beam on there to kill fighters, why not a laser, with greater range, perfect accuracy, and a one-shot kill?
Is is possible for lasers to be able to refire quickly if they didn't use their entire beam on a missile? Switch to a 'heat' model that some games use. The laser fires as long as it likes, and builds up heat as it goes. Once it hits overheat, it's disabled until it cools down completely. This can result in exactly the same performance we see now against capital ships, but they would be able to quickly retarget missiles, and for the larger lasers, multiple fighters, instead of spending their entire firing cycle on one target.
Also . . . regarding depth and complexity . . . maybe look to space adventures like Freelancer and such. Include some third-parties upon which you can engage in pirate attacks, or defend from your enemies. They might ask for help or escort, and aid you later if you help them regularly, or attack on sight if you prey upon them. Some of these might be traders, bringing new stock to the stations. You might be able to pick up resources from destroyed asteroids to trade, in excahnge for the risk.
