Hello Games is definetely listening to us when we say we want to be able to customize our own ships and I believe the Voltaic Staff was not only a new thing they wanted to add but also a way for them to test a system for us to actually customize something part-by-part and then by color.

I thought the system worked well except for having to create a whole new staff if you found a new part. There's also the state of contention on whether or not it's better to unlock parts permenantly like in the player customization system or if the parts should be as they are, cosumable. I know why they chose to make them consumable, HG doesn't want to do anything to harm or discourage players from exploring No Man's Sky. Their procedural, 18-quintillion planets is their top selling point and it needs to be explored and all things involved or added should not only encourage exploration but compliment it.

That being said, I think if ship customization is added, the parts should be found through missions and exploration, like the current voltaic staff customization, but due to the vast, growing types of ship and their parts and colors, they should be permenantly unlocked upon discovery.

There is also something I've been feeling that I may be alone in but the newer ship-types(sentinel, solar, living, and the new expedition ship) all have unique upgrades and animations that are beginning to overshadow the use and cool-factor of the original types. If ship customization is implemented should it only be for the original types or for all types and if for athe newer ones as well would that then make them less special or even lesser than the latter by way of not being able to customize them?

Food for thought. Penny for yours. I'd love to see what the community thinks about this.