http://www.soldak.com/Drox-Operative/Overview.html

Actually just got a hold of this game and if at any point we get the colony-universe interaction-influence thing going ie u do an anti pirate patrol kill so many ships and the lawlessness factor of the local planet drops or if u assist planets it goes up etc

The drox operative might give quite a few ideas for storyliines, mechanics etc etc yeah i know already that is unliking at this piont for pioneer and the game is focused on graphics, and fighting elements and AI etc and the basic systems of elite. But this might serve as a reference and the game is quite indepth tis a 2d living world space universe thing some of the developers might want to check it out seperatley as its quite a fun game to and easy to get into.

The missions are many ie get supplies to help with terraforming, kill alien presenses, colonies world for us by taking a terraforming and colony module to uncharted planet. And so forth.