Well, I certainly like the idea of including specific systems in your story. Most of the time the plot elements in a game happen far away, or in some place you can't really change, but if there are worlds in this game that represent something important to a faction, clan, or race, that would encourage action around that world. I love that idea. As for the naming, I'd say, for the most part, stick with registry numbers and allow the users to play with the names. I don't know how the names are going to be visible, but if they are the way they are in Mankind, this would add a better way of defining empire borders and a degree of stealth if desired. If a player didn't want to be found, they could just leave the system un named, but if a player wanted a system off limits, and could protect it, they could name it "STAY OUT". I think that's a great idea. However, going back to the issue of plot mixed with gaming, those special systems/worlds should have static names as to maintain their value. This way, if you don't want to link the stars, and I don't think you should for realism sake, you don't need to, just explain in the plot that these empires were around when the stars were in different alignment. That would create a sort of treasure hunt if you included relics and that sort of thing.
Wow, I'm really getting into this!
Go team, GO! :)
