New improvements to the farming system and also new stuff that you can do or create for making Planting more rewarding
How about copy&pasting parts of the electricity system in order to make a pipe / water system? Combined with the electricity system we could build water pumps, automated irrigation systems, etc in order to make farming more interesting. In cold areas, this might even be an interesting part for base defense: throw water at attackers and makte them freeze, etc.
I really like your suggestion Schreon, would add reason why you should have electricity
Farming should be a more important source of food. Feeding a zerg should be a challenge. Feeding three players should be not as hard. Food supply should be an good way to limit group sizes. I mean, the game should still be sandbox and anything possible but when you have 10 or 16 mouthes to feed it should be come a challenge where you are ofdering up meds to keep your ho at 100% or you are running with your friends with 60 hp and lowering because of how hungry you all are. Zergs might spare that little solo roleplayer farming and selling his food to supplement their army. It could be a real game changer.
My god @schreon what a visionary