When approaching mid game the AI are mostly dead from surrender or pirate raids currently. In PVP I imagine most people quit. Because everybody can see where the game is heading and who will win. This is the kind of game where somebody can get a 100 to 1 advantage, unlike most RTS games where the constant tactical fight often keeps things more even.
So to keep things interesting for the players on the ropes AND the people preying on them I suggest a few things:
- Exile - When a player is less than 20% the strength of the strongest player or simply has it's capital remaining. Then allow the player to negotiate an exile treaty and launch a special colony ship with all of their cultural and government belonging as well as genetic samples (think TITAN AE). This ship with whatever escort can be mustered MUST get to the negotiated treaty factions capital. Here it can settle as refugees and be allowed to build in the gravity well to recover. It can also be gifted resources and fleet ships to go forth again. Potentially after arriving at the host capital it can also be allowed to build in other planets owned by the host.
- Escape - Realising you are losing, instead of surrendering you build an escape ship and try to negotiate to an exit point deteremined by the game.... off you go into deep space. Instead of defeat you will be listed as "escaped into the void"... to be continued... you can come back from the void in a separate game using a point you earn in this category.
- Open up a new system - Realising you have some time but are doomed. You focus on researching jumps to other dimensions or systems even though this particular game is only allowed one system technically. You escape into the other dimension allowing random factions back into yours. You of course have a diplomatic advantage in this new system being the first one there.
Destabalise and destroy your planet taking the enemy with you - Realising you are doomed and that the enemy are on the doorstep. You have a higher chance of your scientists discovering a way to cause your own planet to crack. But don't tell your populace as if they find out their will be a coup. Your empire will go out with a bang.
But please do not go down the rout of a lot of 4x games like total war and stellaris where they think the solution to the mid game is simply to ruin all that players have worked for by inserting catastrophic events. I think this is demoralising for the player because it makes the game feel pointless.
