Add hardcore option*, that disable research (or, at least cant put) other modules, except those, what shipset was design (except, maybe, few things that cannot fulfill some modules).

Lets say, if empire use Arthropoid then it stick to only strikers.

But it's kinda tricky, and i dont think that gonna be good idea in long run, but with current """meta""" - everything use kinetic artillery.

would be hella cool to see russian localisation

@Башлятор Sadly i dont speak russian. Id need help with that.

Originally posted by MorallyGray:

@Башлятор Sadly i dont speak russian. Id need help with that.

i can help you if you want to

There too much strikecraft's, most of them share same purpose. But wierd stuff - some descriptions do not give clear info about against what those are can fight. Some works as P, some as S, some as M, some both, some all, some can strike missle, some not, its confusing.

Titanic weapons that aren't the Perdition Beam?

Organic weapons path would be amazing
Maybe they could be more strike-craft oriented with energy siphons, acid spewers, bone projectiles

Non combat-support oriented ships that stay in the back line (sensor ships, faster travel, mobile shipyard etc)

@Calvin 100% already doing that. Just not in yet.

Compatibility with UI Overhaul, or, more specifically, the Old Ship Designer mod from UI Overhaul, would be appreciated (or, alternatively, incorporated into the mod itself). Too much screen space stays unused.

I agree with that.

Adding to that, Loading Order seems to fix it. Putting RIG all the way at the top and UI Overhaul under it makes it look as expected.

Please don't get rid of the extra strikecrafts, even though some of them might share the same purpose, they're just too beautiful to look at!

Add building, that provide raw Energy production (similar to precursor powerplant, as example) in cost of Total production decrease on colony. Irony - it should be on Capital and limited by One.

Why that. Modules cost very much in energy, just Particle drones have x3 time more in it then in alloys. That help both in military and in economy way. At least, for player, becaue AI, well, they have much greater bonuses in early games.

I have been thinking a little about the 3 new machine ascensions and how you could probably implement them rather "easy" and without cooking too much new stuff.

Make it cost X + Living Metal
Focus on balanced gameplay / army play

• Remove the current default ascension of the machines and move it to Modularity I think the Living Metal goes well with the Plasma Repeaters and general design and esthetics of the current machine ascension.
  
• Change or remove the shields on the armor, I would lean more towards armor regen with this theme and rename it maybe. Kinda like the bio ascension but as machine edition.
  
• Other than that, I think everything else can stay pretty much the same. At the end of the day it should still feel like the classic allrounder, since the theme is Modularity it should fit quiet well.

Make it cost X + Nanites
Focus on quantity over quality / spam

• Nanotech shouldn't be too tricky to realize either. You pretty much already have a arsenal, just need armor/hull with hull regen focus and a reactor imo. You also could make use of the Crystal-Infused Plating and make a "Nanite-Infused Plating" or so instead of the classic armor component.
  
• You already got the Nanite Autocannon and Nanite Flak Battery. For the rest, use the Grey Tempest weapons to fill in the gaps.
  
• You will have a [G] slot Energy Sphere weapon that you can turn into a RIG version, a [H] slot Nanite Fighter and something new, something that has been talked about already, a [T] slot Energy Arc, "just" need to balance them lol.
  
• I would class nanite weapons as kinetic + energy maybe? And as nanite ofc. Most of the nanite weapons are literally shooting nanites lol
  
• This way you can also upgrade the Grey Tempest alongside with the new player balance and make it more challenging.

Make it cost X + Dark Matter
Focus on late late game?
Now that will be a little more challenging since it suggests the use of Dark Matter with the planetary feature Prototype Virtual Power Plant and so on.

• And here I haven't really figured out too much, aside from having a unique jump drive upgrade and maybe even a sensor upgrade. Perhaps better targeting computers, cause they simulate fights in realtime and virtual space lol.
  
• Maybe a variant of the psychic ascension but for machines. Shield is the only new defensive component? Give shields high shield hardening.
  
• Definitely needs a building to produce Dark Matter but nothing to crazy, somthing along the lines of 0.1 per building or 0.05.
  
• Perhaps make use of reality warping weapons, that penetrate shield and armor by 100% like Disruptors. Give them something like "Reality Disruptors" after Phased Disruptor.
  
• Maybe lean into "gravity" based weapons and create a gravity tag?

I also think that the upgraded racial ship boni should have boni to their respective ascensions in addition to the usual stats, maybe even change things up a little once ascended?

That's all I could remeber, I came up with this stuff while taking a shower lol. This is not meant to push you to do any of this any time soon, but before I forget everything again, I figured I should better write it down. Maybe it helps, maybe it doesn't xD.

Obviously alot of gaps left open to that need to be filled to flash it all out.

I would love everyones thoughts and criticism on this. And please expand upon it if you guys want.

@Daarath this is actually really good. I'll have a good think about this.