Planets for New Game Mod

With the game mod for Space Empires IV Black Knyght and I are working on, we have already created new planets and asteroids. Well he created most of them. The micro planet I will post is entirely mine, and naturally rather small. This strategy game doesn't always use such small planets. The ringed ice world with methane atmosphere was developed by BK from a picture I gave him. He added the ring, then I adjusted and resized it to make a set of six planets, from extra huge, down to small.
Another modder, has created a Star Trek version of the game, and is currently working on a Star Wars version.
Currently we are working on a major rework of the Space Empires IV game, which luckily was designed to be modded fairly easily. The work so far has included creating new weapons, which not only entails creating the pictures (usually done by Black Knyght), but also matching text files that tells the game how to use it, and which picture to access for it. At the same time, we have worked up over 20 traits, so that each time a person starts a new game, they have 20 plus choices, so its always different.
Each trait is distinct, and can be anything from organic technology (and therefore distinct weapons etc), to traits like B5 (Babylon 5), Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Megascale (they get super large ships), to Stealth, Drone Masters etc.
Ships are designed by selecting a hull size and type first (you can't do any of this in Birth of a Federation - Star Trek), then adding components until you have whatever you want. Currently we have been creating more new components, and apart from weapons already mentioned, I have revamped the bridge, crew quarters, life support and even engine pictures to update them. The originals are now 10 years old!
Whilst there were 2,600 of them, we have pushed this up to 3115 and still going. I might point out thats 3 people who have done that in the last few months, with another waiting to add his!
So I have included one of Black Knyghts new weapons, and a totally new cargo bay which is a component to use on any starship you wish. With transports, you would find you must (usually) fill the hull with at least 50% of these.

So whats left to do?
I lot! I am just starting to think about upgrading and creating new facilities which will take some time. The files for ship hulls, plus fighters, and troops still needs to be finalised, and then there are the Races! Probably about 32 existing races will need their files re-written to use what will be available in this mod. Even solar systems have to be updated to make use of the new planets, then the galaxy files updated as well.
The game allows for up to 255 systems on a map, and with each system having from almost nothing to 30 or 40 planets plus 1 -5 stars, warp points and storms and asteroids, thats a lot of scenery!
Well that's enough for now, I really need to get back to working on it!

Alikiwi, System Lord of House Hermes (a PBC game of Space Empires IV) at www.spaceempires.net