Oh wow a new version
well i was about to give info in general on the last version, so if anything has been changed to contradict just ignore lol.
In brief: .7 is good, adds a lot and takes little away. Here is some things to consider. In general the biggest problem with new version is for people that like to fight a space pew pew sim, the new radar blindness, while intimidating and interesting, does cut down on one's ability to run from giant fight to giant fight like in the old versions. I kind of miss this, so here's some suggestions that could add while keeping what we've got.
1. Fights should vastly increase the radar signature of ships, to the point that capital ships fighting should be visible anywhere in realspace, dunno about hyperspace but this would give you more opportunities to rush in.
2. Option to "escort" allied fleets, so that your ship is glued on to theirs while they travel. Would be fun for easily traveling with merchant convoys through hyperspace, since they always get ambushed. Mission potential?
3. I don't know how the AI works in terms of strength calibration, but it looks to me that a fleet of strength 5 and a fleet of strength 5, rather than ganging up on a fleet of strength 10, will both run from it and either be defeated piecemeal or, worse, infinitely run from it, creating no battles fro you to join into. Might be wrong about this.
4. Create more regular spawns of planet defense ships, so if you want to go mess up some enemy capitals you can reliably find them if you're willing to travel around. In fact, you could make an "attack station" mission where once you arrive, a fleet generates to fight you, and if you win it decreases the enemy stability.
5. Hacking relays could allow you to see all radar signatures and scans of that faction in that sector, at least of planets and capitals.
6. High faction loyalty allows you to see what they see, again at least from their capitals in the sector. Warp space could still be "no man's land"
7. Destroying enemy ships sometimes yields "intel" that allows you to briefly see the location of all their ships in sector, capturing a ship yields a longer buff, maybe as long as a minute or more depending on the caputre size. This is the equivalent of "cracking the enigma code." Could also be a mission, capture x units of intel.
8. in general i would advise against defuffing radar strength. its already very hard to see, so the augmented engine debuff is griefy. IF you want to max out your signature, go for it, i actually prefer to be found a lot of times. In fact
9. Add an option for "hot running" where basically you just send out obnoxious blasts of radar static that anyone had his mother to find you. Would be fun for luring people, particularly in warp space where there's a lot of meandering. An "emergency signal" mode would also be neat, in case you are being pursued or out of fuel and there are some allies near by.
edit 10: maybe an options for allies to join YOUR battle halfway through? dont know if it's remotely possible but would be hilarious to be fighting a slow frigate grind and suddenly an onslaught bursts on to zap them. Or an enemy onslaught to zap YOU
edit 11: some radar mods for sure. Stealth armor. Sensor suite etc etc
That's it for radar. Let's see, the introduction of rare, slightly buffed ships is great, like the capital of the hegemony (17th fleet?) I would like to see A LOT more of that, basically for all ships. Mods?! It would also be neat to see the introduction of buffed weapons and buffed hull mods. I'm not sure how that would work for balance or programming but it would be real neat. Deluxe augmented engines: increases burn and speed, PLUS making engines more durable. Deluxe auxiliary thrusters, increase maneuverability PLUS acceleration. Overclocked vulcan cannons etc etc. I guess it would be a mod thing but perhaps consider the archetecture to allow this.
Overall good though!