Sandbox mode suggestion

[4brkfast]

First and foremost I thoroughly enjoy the game. It's a very cool concept and is well made. One of the few of it's kind in my experience that really captures what space combat in a 'Star Trek' sort of atmosphere where crewmen skill and tactical decisions spell a difference between survival and death.

This is just a suggestion for possible future game modes.

A sandbox oriented game mode. That is to say, exploration opposed to a time-oriented game, where you do not have an enemy fleet on your heels the entire game and you are free to go and do as you like on your own time. So a game will last as long as your ship and crew can survive with no true end-game, that is, no final boss but rather a limitless generated universe to explore, fight or flee your way through.

This could include:

Factions to join or make war against.

Pirating or hero style gameplay, what you choose to do is what you are - this game already sort of has that but in a smaller or shorter time-oriented game mode. It plays more like a traditional arcade game, where the longer you survive the higher your score will be. This isn't good, bad right or wrong, it is what it is.

Trade perhaps? As a merchant.

Larger or smaller ships. More specialization. I enjoy games where the life of the game is dependent on what you decide to do.

Famous or infamous crewman or ships. This can include bounties on said crewman or ships, whether for good or bad.

Multiple ships, the making of one's own fleet or faction.

A tall order perhaps but I like the game so much that I want more!

Once again, I appreciate the game, I like it a lot and can't wait to see future developments.

Thanks for reading.

[Sleeper Service]

What you suggested has to some extend been done with modding already. The Infinite Space mod basically adds infinite sandbox gameplay, and so does the Infinite Addon for FTL Captains Edition. Captains Edition also makes piracy available for certain factions and pretty much anyone who is willing to risk a crew mutiny and it also adds a rather complex trade system (inspired by the likes of Freelancer).