Starlanes can be a good thing, if implemented properly. It makes certain systems more strategic, and reduces the problem in the later game in which fleets can deep-strike into the interior of your territory, bypassing your fleets and defenses.

I guess they could be trying to do it like Freespace ...

I personally see it as a chance for the defender to do something besides watch their fleet die.

I remember playing Master of Orion 2 and i was slightly more advanced then the AI i was attacking and since i had phasers with shield-piercing, their higher tech shields meant nothing, so i effectively ...

I would like to suggest you add in a tech tree, that shows all the techs, cause i have to currently hope i can find the tech i want by randomly clicking on techs.

I would also like the capability of editing races and so on....or atleast customizing my race ingame....or create a custom race all ...

I know this is way too late, but i think a good race would be similar to the Borg, where you have technology unique to this race where you can assimulate a population into your own....that would be awesome.