Honestly, I like that you care about it. Respect! And the fact that GO was on autopilot and still running for a year shows that foundation is very sound. I am playing it constantly, visiting the site a couple of times (make it ten) daily. Slowly grinding up in prestige and rank.

About some of your ideas:

• $PART and $SHARD - I find $SHARD much harder to obtain. I occasionally swap $PART to $SHARD to finance research and quest unlocks. Without this supply it would be hard to progress.
• Conquest - I don't use it except when I realize our guild is short on blueprints.
• Shortage of blueprints is actually the biggest blocker in research progress. I guess it is designed this way !LOLZ
• Seasons - it could liven up the scene, of course. But some aspect of continuity and steady progress needs to stay.
• Blockchain aka host platform - I don't care. Being bound to $HIVE is restraint, that I recognize and understand. And I won't go into toxicity of social environment. Yet technical foundation is very sound.
• space scene - I love space scenes. atm I am playing Foundation Galactic Frontier. Massive space scene there. I fell into this rabbit hole because of Asimov's books and TV show, of course.

Anything else? I don't know. However you decide I will respect it. It's your playground after all. Good luck!