Also, could you post a bit about why you like Space Empires V? I've always been curious about it.
SE V is fairly similar to GC2, but not quite as pretty. The learning curve is there, and it'll take you a bit to get used to the control scheme and at time annoying menu system. Also, you really shoulddownload a few mods to get things really rolling (they have a balance mod and some AI updates that make the game much better imo).
I can go into depth if anyone really would like me to, but essentially you start on your planet (depending on settings) and have to expand outward. There's the colony rush, and you have to tech up for weapons, mining, improved culture, better weapons, starbases, bigger ships, satelites, mines, mobile starbases, etc. There's your standard diplomacy options, with treaties playing a big part of it. It's a very long game, but you can adjust the tech speed. Eventually you can obtain ridiculously cool tech. Overall, It's not as polished as GC, but is very well done and highly enjoyable. Honestly, I like it better than GC2.
Things I love about this game that I can't get in GC:
1. Tactical combat - you can (but don't have to) have basic movement and firing control over your units
2. Carriers - also mobile shipyards, mines, satellites (spy and armed), computer drones, etc
3. Cloaking - and other forms of stealth
4. Ground Units - and battles, including fighter/bomber support as well as weapon platforms
5. Boarding Parties - I like that ship, mind if I come aboard?
6. Different "Races" - by that I mean you can have organic, machine, telepathic, etc, which opens open up new tech tree options
7. Retreat from combat - so engines have more than one purpose
8. Weapons - have effective, max, and deadly ranges. Point defense actually counter missiles, torpedos, etc. It's not a rock paper scissors affair, but it's not overly complicated.
9. Supplies - you have to stock supplies, life support, and ordinance for your ships to remain functional
10 System damaging weapons - blow their engines and weapons but leave the hull in shape, then steal their ship and analyze it steal their tech
11. Damage systems - like the previous, you can damage ship components, making them useless until repaired. In GC, the ship works great until it has 0hp left. in SEV, you've lost your weapons, engines, sensors, etc. And if you lost life support, well, you've got a derelict floating around.
12. Awesome high level tech -"I really hate you and your species, instead of glassing over your planets with planetary bombardment, or sending troops in to kill your military, I'm going to turn your star into a blackhole. kthxbai"
- you can build Ringworlds and Dyson spheres, create/destroy planets, stars, black holes, space storms, nebulaes.
13. Races don't vanish - it bugged my in GC that if I was the Torians, and invaded Earth, the Humans were no more. If you invade a planet in SEV, whatever percentage of the race you didn't slaughter in your attack is still there, Your race will start living/breeding/migrating there now too. You can have planets with multiple races, and set treaties so you and your allies' people will live amongst themselves on the same planet. I love this. Or you can eject their remaing population into space when you take over. It's whatever really.
14. Each system (stars and planets) is connected by warp points to other systems (like in sins), so you can have closed borders, choke points etc. At high levels, you can also make/close your own warp points,.
15, and 16. Multi and Player
Things I like better about GC:
1. You can build your own ships - SE uses ship sets
2. It's prettier, and has a better UI - SEV's is a bit clunky, but if you're a graphics whore I doubt you're into GC anyway
3. Mod-ability - SEV is moddable, and there are great mods out there, including Star Trek, Star Gate, Star Wars, Babylon 5, Battlestar, Homeworld, etc shipsets out there, but GC is easier for someone with no idea what they're doing to mod.
4. AI - the ai isn't as developed as in GC, but with the balance mod and some other optional AI updates if wanted, it'll still bomb you to hell (you'll be pissed when you loose your battlefleet to a minefield)
5. I'm sure there's more, but I wasn't asked to explain GC.