I imagine game design has always been a conflict between detail and usablity, micromanagement and accessability. I've always wondered why more games don't use internal scripting languages to allow user to create 'on-the'fly' bits of automation to reduce workload.
I've been playing around with the governors, and either I'm using them wrong or they're not very flexible. Depending on how flexible the tools they're built on are, I think a basic scripting system could be much more useful.
For instance, extend things like the rally governors to allow patrol routes to be constantly restocked with picket ships from allocated production. Use the fleet governors to link fleets to production, so that losses are automatically built and sent out. Allow players to define rules that are triggered by game elements like money reserves, happiness, etc to affect tax, spending, or construction. A 'starbase governor' that uses allocated production to build up starbases to defined levels would dramatically reduce constructor micro.
All extremely ambitious, but limiting micro while still allowing that level of control is always neat.
