Planet generation
Exploring the galaxy to find planets to colonize is more rewarding and intriguing. A new algorithm for generating the galaxy's planets and their production bonuses means that each galaxy's planets are more consistently varied and diverse.
Ancestral traditions
Several Ancestral traditions have been updated:
"Scientific" has been renamed "Explorer" and starts with an extra Scout ship.
"Defensive" now has Colony bases that can fire missiles.
"Utopian" gets a bonus to diplomatic relations.
Random events
Food overconsumption no longer reduces mineral or research production; it only affects happiness. The random event system has been simplified: random events are directly related to happiness, with higher happiness leading to more beneficial random events.
UX
Numerous UI, graphical, and informational improvements make the game easier and more fun.