We aren't planning to go to hexes any time soon. I don't hate hexes (I made it a requirement for GalCiv III) I just don't want them here.
Well... I guess I can thank you for saving me some money.
Personally, I feel like you're missing the boat with both designs. Distant Worlds is the perfect example of how a space game should function, complete with solar systems that are distinguishable one from another and planets that actually orbit their stars. Really beautifully done and the immersion is just light years ahead of anything GalCiv 2 ever did for me. Not squares, not hexes, but points in space.
And there there's fantasy strategy games... most have been using hexes for years, and the best of the new crop are all hex based, because it makes so much more sense from a strategic and tactical view. In fact, I would argue that continuing to resort to squares for a strategy game is making that game look somewhat dated right from the start.
Wait, I thought Hexes were 1990s: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_74Fj16-aWFo/S7XHeKSoxwI/AAAAAAAAKOo/_IUHw27ylxU/s1600/Foto%2BHeroes%2Bof%2BMight%2Band%2BMagic%2BIII+%2BThe%2BRestoration%2Bof%2BErathia.jpg
I can find lots of pictures of computer games with hexes, going back to Incunabula in 1984 (and I'm sure there's something prior to that). However, the widespread adoption of hexes in 4x games is a definite product of the 2000's.
