When reading the recent blog post about starting equipment, it started me thinking on related game mechanics. Here is an idéa: What if you introduced a prestige system, where you start with a few points of prestige to spend on the initial settlement. Example: 10/10 prestige (10 of a maximum of 10 points) Prestige would represent your renown in the empire. You gain more and more "max prestige", by fulfilling projects and assignments for the empire, enabling you to tackle harsher climates and starting conditions. Gradually increasing the difficulty at the same time. This would allow for a minigame of sorts, that makes you think about your needs, creating starting strategies, and compromises. As it could be tuned in a way that you never really have enough to tackle all potential problems. It could also be tied into a political system, where you can trade in favours for temporary renown, by contacting various senators, shady organizations etc. The whole system would be quite elaborate, but i think it could pay off, as it could be tied into various parts of the game, and give you a sense of progression, if you are making a campaign.
... Huh. That's actually really close to what we're planning to do. Possibly you are reading our minds?
I would like to add the following idea: At your first games oyu can only include things native to the empire. In later games you should be able to include things in your starting "inventory" that you exported to the empire with former colonies. WOuld also make for a nice metagame. Maybe even be able to include artifacts you discovered and exported earlier (or bring them along as personal property of your avatar).