yes, I mean it. With over 3300 h in your game, I didn't expect to be surprised by it apart from workshop content and custom scenarios. So let me list a few things that make me applaud: 1. Planets look fantastic, varied, vivid. Means alot to me as I'm more of the traveling explorer kind of gamer who switches all of the survival options off in EGS. Great job! 2. Starting from Akua, beeing able to explore the other moons without having to follow a linear story path or beeing urged to build a warp capable vessel in order to leave the starting planet early on opens the game in a relaxed, peaceful explorative mood. I enjoyed that alot and I guess this would even be a better default start for new players. 3. The four starting moons provide enough resources to build a warp capable CV, and the starting system provides enough resources (even without looting the Ilmarinen) to build a decent shielded T3 CV which then allows for a more aggressive gameplay against the never ending threat of the Zirax (which should be renamed "Putax" me thinks). So for me, Version 1.8 is a really great and promising surprise.
