How about this: (5 years from now!)
You start CIV-style...10 factions on your own planet. You have to either conquer or unite all factions on your own planet before you get interstellar travel.
At the same time, 10 alien species are acomplishing the same thing on their own, far away planets.
Once you are in space, if you visit say, the Drengin and they are not up to interstallar travel yet, you can "sponsor" them and help them grow into an interstllar power (if you just invade & conquer them while they are still planet-bound, you will get very little, best to let them grow THEN conquer, heh hehe)
Once your pet race comes into itself, they can be "wooed" by other races and influenced by goo/ evil, etc. They "may" even turn against you!
Just writing this I get MANY ideas....can I get paid to do this?