- the ability to make new draconians, minotaurs, dwarves/giants, & such (minor factions - Fantasy races with variable starting stats/traits) via generator

- the ability to assign 'leader, guards, & spawning rates to objects' / captain and militiamen for town's etc. via generator

- the ability for costume spawning 'villages' to spread & create additional 'villages' of the same kind

- underground and/or additional layers (Including hero-dungeons)

- dynasties/diplomacy

- an all encompassing, super easy to use map generator with all the bells & whistles (aow:sm's was the best I've found so far but would like Kohan Imortal Sov.'s spreading-spawning 'villages')

- an almost civ approach to land tiles (bonuses per tile that can be manipulated via road or irrigation or such)

- moats with drawbridge, city walls with buckets of hot oil, balistas, catapults, arrow towers

- and everything the modders could ask for (+some)

Some good ideas here. Part of this will depend on FE, and how it turns out. Based on what I know about FE, here are my ideas:

1) Expanded Event System: This has always been one of the big problems with Elemental. A quality event system could drive random events, quests, and make the world seem much more interesting and alive. Events could be triggered by a technology, a building, a character, or any number of milestones. Along with that, open up the event system to modders so that the community can add new events, quests, etc.  If properly implemented, a good event system could drive all kinds of new, interesting gameplay. Here are a few rough examples:

- You research Guilds. This triggers an event where a group of Merchants want to start a Merchant's Guild. You are presented with a list of choices to support them, ban them, extort them, etc.

- You build a Palace. This allows new events to occur at your palace, such as a petitioner asking for help, which if accepted will create a new quest.

- Every turn starting with turn X, there is a Y random chance of a group of raiders attacking your caravans.

2) Government: Allow for the establishment of a Council with various positions, city governors, noble titles, etc. Allow us to assign positions and titles to our champions.

- Council: Think Song of Ice and Fire, Crusader Kings, or Shogun Total War 2. A champion will perform based on their stats and abilities and will impact various things accordingly.

- Governor / Mayor / Whatever: A champion assigned to rule a city will impact that city based on their abilities.

3) Expanded Diplomacy: Allow for more interesting interactions based on a larger number of factors. Create a solid diplomacy AI that will use this system  well.

4) Expanded Champions: FE is already making Champions more interesting. Add new traits, skills, etc. that would interact with the above systems. Have non-combat skills for them to learn. Give each Champion a personality and agenda that aren't necessarily obvious. For example, Champion A has an aggressive personality and an agenda for power. With a low loyalty, this Champion is likely to openly revolt. Champion B has a high intelligence and the Subtle trait, making her a great candidate for Spymaster on the council.

Most desired feature for me would be intense and extensive ability to customize the game at world creation phase -so as to increase unpredictability, and re playability.

Maybe some Lawful Evil Options in the Empire Diplomacy Tree. War Profiteering, double deals, forcing wars. In adventure there could be some quests made that can allow you to start wars between two enemies.

I want some Evil.