I've been looking into the asset xml, and while I'm still absorbing the way things are organized, I think I've got enough understanding to start asking questions.  I'm *really* excited at the degree of flexibility I'm seeing in the xml.

My first and biggest question is this: How will modding of asset xml be handled/supported?  Something simple like "a mod can specify its own version of the Assets folder, and files will be added or overwritten by name when the mod is loaded"?  Or a more elaborate approach where it boils down to adding or modifying by specific ids (where, say, a mod would define a new <ShipComponent id="BasicEngine" .../> which would then overwrite the previously defined basic engine, and a <ShipComponent id="CheshireKattAmazingEngine".../> would add a new component with my id, which then could be modified by later mods in turn)?  Either way would be useful, though the per-id one would make it easier for multiple mods to coexist, while being more complex to implement.

Next up -- some general setting questions:

1. Can we configure battery regeneration *amount* vs just tick rate?  Instead of just "regenerate 1 battery every X sec", it would be "regenerate Y battery every X sec".
2. Can we set battery regeneration to reset its interval while a weapon is being used?
3. Can a weapon use crew as a cost?  If so, can it be configured to allow or prevent the last crew from being used?
4. Can a weapon provide battery when used instead of costing battery?
5. Can a ship component used in the ship editor modify max crew/max battery/crew passive regeneration or decay/battery tick rate, battery tick amount, ship mass, and so on?  Thrusters and engines cover acceleration and turning, but what about the other ship properties?
6. Can a weapon provide modification to ship properties?  Hold down fire and now you strafe instead of turning (Supox Blade secondary-style effect), or you turn really fast, or your battery regeneration goes up, or your ship stops moving, and so on.  Ideally combinations of those changes would be all doable in one weapon effect
7. Can a weapon have multiple effects?  As an extreme example using existing assets, can I create a weapon like Laser Bola that applies a Tractor Beam status effect to the enemy, drips an Ink Blob every 0.5 seconds as it travels, explodes with a Black Hole if it impacts something, or Insults the enemy if it expires without hitting anything?  So basically "projectile with a targeted effect while active, a placed effect while active, an impact effect, and an expiration effect".

I'm sure I'll be back with more questions (and will probably be making more posts about other areas), but this is what I've got for now.