I really liked the idea of an empty galaxy, populated by almost abandoned mostly automated stations, lost outposts, and empty planets. An ancient universe, with everybody just sitting around and waiting for closing time to be called.

Now it's all busy, there's bustling spaceports a quick stroll away from ancient untouched beacons of unknown knowledge, it's lost the....mystique and melancholy, I guess.

At least, that's how it's seemed from watching both the earlier builds and the post multiplayer versions. Maybe the feeling hasn't changed as much as I think it has from actual play.