I like your research tree - I think it might be laid out better than the original, it's certainly less confusing.

The sheer amount of new toys is fun!

The research icons often don't match the component or seem pretty random (Intelligence Centers for example) but I presume you know that.

Oh, I don't like the Metropolis art as much as the (updated) one from the core game. Your Factory art reads better for sure, but does look a bit more out of place... kindof fits with the Forge though. Still not sure whether I like it or not, but I don't actively dislike it :)

There's an (I) Materials Development node at the top of the research grid that says nothing about what it actually does.

There are some other (I) nodes... do they do something special? Is there a manual I should read? Are they perhaps Infinite? If that's the case I'd really like to know what Materials Development does :)

You have significantly more FTL tuning available on the grid than the core game - I checked recently and was surprised to find there are only THREE FTL Tunings on the original research grid - it's because they're spread out near each edge in a big triangle, there always seems to be one fairly nearby. I think this will result in a lot more FTL use and FTL crystals will be less important. If it were me, I would probably swap around all your tuning and containment nodes. You also have an FTL tuning available right away.

Any specific reason Gate tech can be unlocked with 80 influence but the other FTL methods can't?

Ion drives list their very high turn rate as a negative. I like what you've done with them though, as a straight upgrade over rocket engines of sufficient size. However, I think some sort of purely turning engine may be required early-game. Maybe it costs as much as a rocket engine, but provides zero acceleration, must have an external core but needn't be rear facing? Turning thrust of perhaps 4x rocket engines?

There's obviously less percentile bonuses available overall, and the effects seem smaller also. This is probably a good thing, and it does make you think hard about the tradeoff techs like the flagship or support specialization. That's a really nice mechanic by the way.

There's an incorrectly rotated link between carrier hull tech and control computers.

Not sure I like the Graviton Condenser being a flagship upgrade path only component - its use is not particularly relevant to big combat flagships, is it? (I often have what amounts to a specialist for it, like tractor beams or miners or whatever).

Maybe put the superlaser unlock here instead? That said, I have no idea where that unlocks from.

There seems to only be a single Accuracy on the grid, which makes me sad. May I suggest another one slightly down the flagship branch, just next to the heavy railgun unlock?

More comments to follow as I play out a game.