First of all, I think PS and Stefan need to consider making the game more 'Web 2.0'.

1. Connect social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, Hyves (Dutch facebook variant), and many others to the game. Also have mods work on a Twitter account, writing about the latest happenings in galaxies.

2. Furthermore create achievements which each player can achieve and are posted to your "History" page.

Achievements could be:
- Control one whole system until the end of the round
- Take 10 planets from an empire with higher NW then you
- Receive everyone's vote for leader
- Achieve 300 successful enemy attacks
- Etc.

3. Adjust the damn forum, it is not that hard to find a secured forum that allows BBCode and img tags permission to certain players.

4. Update sidebar picture, race pictures, unit pictures, resource/cash icons, planet pictures, attack result pictures, research picture, advisors, etc.

5. Integrate a mapgen into the web browser (or replace the whole map page) where (vice)leaders and fleet admirals can draw tactics and next exploration/attacking moves. Allow coloring different systems (orange/purple/white) which is visible for the whole family. (see link for example: http://i51.tinypic.com/2802zwo.jpg)

6. Create a 'general' fambank where (vice)leaders can withdraw cash/resources to. -If you think this will be abused, it's the leader's responsibility to select vice leaders carefully and it is up to the players to submit cash/resources to the bank.

7. Use web 2.0 technology to simplify gameplay (there are too many possibilities to write them all down).

8. Use widgets where the player can build/setup their own layout/page of the game.

9. Add a widget notebook that overlays each page where the player can add important notes/messages