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The mechanics of having only 1/3 chance of the highest possible tier aspect bothers me. It promotes repetitive activity as one reiterates a set of actions (resource, upgrade 1, upgrade 2, upgrade n...) until one gets the desired result, and it seems that giant actions should be precise with a single possible outcome. It is the only feature of the game I can really quibble over, so I've given it some thought.

The simplest alteration would be to give the highest quality aspect all the time, but the problem with giving a 100% chance of getting the higher quality is that it renders two active abilities obsolete and increases the rate at which change can be effected. Recognising then that the virtue of the current system is putting a premium on change in terms of time leads to what I think might be an interesting change in mechanics, and would like to make a suggestion: Activation timers on aspect slots.

This system would see only the lower quality aspect placed on a resource. After a duration of time, however, it would mature to the more powerful variety (the most obvious representation of this, to me, would be using the coloured border of the aspect icon as a radial progress bar). This could occur either on a per aspect basis, where each slot's upgrade timer begins as soon as the slot is occupied, or sequentially, with only one timer being active per resource. I think the merits of this system is that it preserves the time cost implicit with the present system while removing the need for repetitive action, which I see as contrary to the appeal of the game.

The fertilise and monsoon abilities would also only require changing to act as accelerants to remain relevant. For example if it were to take 60 seconds per aspect under a sequential system it would take two minutes to unlock a top tier resource, and six minutes to upgrade that resource fully. Under time pressure in the form of the game ending or project timers expiring cutting those times significantly through either monsoon or fertilise might be the deciding factor in whether a player can reconfigure an area and see it reach sufficient productivity in time.

I would be interested in opinions on how people feel this might work mechanically.

I agree somewhat, however it seems there is something you have overlooked?

If you upgrade your monsoon or fertilise abiilities, They can drop greater/sublime boosts. They need to be upgraded via the apropriate ambassadors. once upgraded, these (when in use) have given me 100% hit rates on greater aspect boosts - I havent progressed far enough to try it with sublime, yet.

I don't think that anything really needs changing, however you do provide an interesting idea.

I've not done significant testing, but having given it a quick look right now top level Fertilise indeed seems to give sublime boosts 100% of the time, but Monsoon gives sublime boosts roughly half the time (my methodology isn't rigorous, though). This does seem an appropriate way of differentiating the two, but does leave Monsoon as being considerably less useful fully upgraded later in the game.

It's not really a matter of an urgent change though. Simply a means to replace a chance based system with one where one could know precisely what an aspect would do, which seems appropriate to the game, while retaining a form of limiting mechanic.

I agree completely. Aspect randomness is the only questionable mechanics element of the game, and your suggestion looks smart)

However, I have another suggestion.

I'm thinking about the possibility of adding cooldown to Giants' aspect abilities. I mean the REAL cooldown, not 1 second. One, however, will still be able to use it, even if it isn't fully charged. The better aspect will be summoned only if the ability is fully charged, otherwise the aspect will be worse.

I consider my suggestion a bit more 'natural', since it adds not so much new mechanics to this already great game)

As for moonson and fertility boost - I dunno, and this is a weak point of my reply)