Matthew,
Thanks for the feedback and AWESOME video describing your points, it really means a lot to us!
I've tried a few camera angles and distances back from the spaceship myself, and it does really depend on the player's preference. I think adding a scroll wheel (or maybe even a menu slider?) might be a great solution.
We have also tried a following camera (so it lags behind the player's movements), and I really don't remember why we ever stopped using that method. I think it may have had something to do with trying to keep the aiming lined up correctly, but we will try and figure out a solution as it did make it seem much easier to cope with quick movements.
Targeting is something that we have added very recently and the idea to add an animation between the normal view and targeting is a great one!
I will add all of these to the trello board! Anyone else have any additional feedback on these topic?
Thanks!
-Ryan