Sorry for delayed response, another hectic week.
@Jostie, For the first version I don't know if I am going to add research and technology levels. I was leaning towards not doing it on the first version, but adding that to the next version. It depends on how things progress, but eventually there will be research and technology levels.
It's going to take me a week to get everything together and then I will get an example test ship out for some practice skinning.
Loco