I was just looking for the comments section, but I'm 100% picking up what you're putting down with this game and I want more!! This puts me in a natural decision making process, where I have a min-max goal, but also have to consider what I'm capable of each turn maybe I can earn more of a less desired stat, etc etc.. Yes I want to improve my planets a certain way and then play them a certain order but I'm also at the mercy of what's drawn. AND the randomized "tier 2 resources" on planets, the more powerful mods you unlock later, the asteroids and moons, the tech tree - all of this variety each playthrough gently pushes the player towards a certain victory path. It's really not hard to understand anything in the game, you just have to play the game to see it happen. I was never confused as to *why* something happened the way it did, I mean at least not after seeing it/testing it 2-3 times. The only unclear language I remember hesitating on was the effects of like, "+6 but -1 each turn", and it wasn't clear that meant each time *played* one way or the other. I also didn't pickup the one "smart person" icon upgrade cause it read +2 score to points *not* earned or some such. I'm ranting but the language makes sense after I see it in action. Could use some more precision to understand it "blind".
This is beautiful. It recreates the simple intuitive start of 4x games, that grows into something so layered I get fatigued just trying to mentally conceptualize how it all interconnects. But my intuitions knows something is right. And my 2nd time playing I managed to achieve the science and defense victory conditions on the same turn, despite having that crisis that randomizes science goals twice lol. Wishlisted and awaiting full release!!!