Hey, my account still works! 
I just visited the PT store, again. I still think a Patreon would be good. I’ve posted about that before. I also had an idea that might be a bit of work, but would be a “purchase reward program”.
Next to the “Manage your skill tree” is a new icon, “Restricted Syndicate Licensing”. This is sealed until the account has made a purchase.
For every GBP total/final (post sale) purchase price, you get one Underground Syndicate Point. A Patreon account could also give a few Syndicate Points per month.
The Licensing work similar to the Skill Tree, but the all skills are available, and activation is done by points instead of time. Most Licensing trees should be finished by £50 or less.
All applications are final, but a Syndicate Slate Wipe (point reset) can be purchased for 10 Syndicate Points / £10 purchase.
Skills are designed to be small and useful boosts, but NOT “pay to win”.
The skills may or may not involve new equipment.
Some examples:
Exilium Core Hyperspace Scanner Array
Description: Your ship’s scanning array can be fitted with reflectors containing tiny flecks of the dark matter substance Exilium Core, allowing for very high resolution scans of hyperspace lanes.
No equipment.
Effect: For every level, there is a Level x 10% chance that a “ship damaged in hyperspace” event that would normally occur is changed to “Gravity shear avoided.”
Exilium Core Antimatter Fuel Injection
Description: You are Licensed to attached highly experimental fuel injectors to any reactor equipped, safely (mostly!) boosting energy output. Tiny specks of the dark matter Core Exilum infuse extra animatter into the fuel stream. The excess dark energy is not only certified completely harmless if you remain 50m outside your ship, but also makes drinks from your ship’s soda fountain extra bubbly!
No equipment.
Effect: Total ship power output is increased by Level x 1%.
Exilium Core Shield Emitter Casing
Description: You are Licenses to use highly experimental shield emitters which use the dark matter Exilium Core to infuse extra antimatter into the emitter generator, and increase cohesion with resonant dark energy quantum wavelets. Rumors that your shield will randomly shunt you into the dark prison dimension of Dark Lord Cthulhu have been officially declared “no”.
No equipment.
Effect: A boost of Level x1% to both shield strength and regeneration rate, round fractions up to next whole number.
Exilium Core Weapon Mounting
Description: You are Licensed to use experimental weapon docks that contain small energy boosters using antimatter from tiny Exilium Core fragments. While any direct manipulation of the weapon could render it unstable, power consumption is diminished.
No equipment.
Effect: Any device equipped in a Weapon slot (weapon, repair laser, salvage laser), has the energy requirement reduced by Level x2%.
Exilium Core Mining Mounting
Description: You are Licensed to use experimental mining laser docks that contain small energy boosters using antimatter from tiny Exilium Core fragments. While any direct manipulation of the mining laser could render it unstable, power consumption is diminished.
No equipment.
Effect: Any device equipped in a Mining slot (weapon, repair laser, salvage laser), has the energy requirement reduced by Level x2%.
Exilium Core Memory Processing Buffer
Description: You are Licensed to use experimental skill upload cybernetics that have increased memory buffers, and definitely do not brainwash you into a mysterious leader’s dark army.
No equipment.
Effect: When you complete Level 8 of a skill, some time is reclaimed and applied to the Skill Timer Reduction. Upon completion of a skill (level 8 is done), ((Level x 0.005) x total time to learn skill) minutes are added to the Skill Timer Reduction. The total time is for levels 1 through 8, or the time shown when you purchase the skill. If this skill is at level 1, it returns 7 minutes per day a skill takes to learn, while at level 8 it returns 57 minutes per day.
And for equipment,
Small|Medium|Large (skip Civilian)
Shield | Reactor | Antimatter Streamer (weapon) | Dark Energy Mining Laser | Dark Matter Repair | Dark Energy Salvage Ripper
The equipment requires the Civilian level for that base to be at level 8. (You must have Civilian Defense Weapon Systems to get any of the Antimatter Streamer skills.
However, you do not have to go small > medium > large. You can be certified only in large. This would let players simply use a Syndicate License Reset as they get better equipment, rather than purchasing a whole new tier of skills.
The equipment itself is a little better than regular equipment. Boost most stats 5-10%. While desirable, the Exilium Core equipment would be good but not game changing. It would be preferable if you can find or purchase it, but as stated above, it should never be “I’m buying this to win the game” equipment.
Thank you for your time. Constructive or polite criticism encouraged.
EDIT 01: For the multi-profiles, that can be handled in two obvious ways. First is “One Pool”. The account gets Syndicate License points, and all Captains tap into that. (I would make the skills cheaper if this path is taken.) The other is a Syndicate level that all captains mirror. If I spend a bit and get 15 Syndicate License Points, my three captains Alice, Betty, and Clarice each get 15 points to spend independently. If I make a new captain Darcy, she starts with the 15 points. (And if I purchase Exilium Core equipment skills, since the Civilian skills must be mastered first, a new captain cannot start with a Small Antimatter Streamer weapon or Antimatter Reactor, but can get it in a few days.)
