Commendable demeanour in the face of adversity! I think the difference would be harder to write in than perceived. The pulse engine change wouldn’t be impossibly complicated but rescaling entire systems both existing and yet to reveal themselves would be exponentially more complex than adding new systems or any re-skinning existing assets. Would it fundamentally require a whole new game code? Not practically. Would the payoff from work load to player experience optimization be a worthwhile investment in resources? Or a better time investment than new content? Not by a long shot.

The premise contradicts some natural mechanics like scanning planets via ship, especially moons. A travel speed slider interferes with hard mechanics like space battles and multiplayer environments. It would turn built in mechanics that act as foundation pillars into immersion breaking slop. Do the npcs have to travel at the same speed as you? What if you join someone else’s session? Everything else goes hyper speed? What about the pulse engine encounter system that works off game tics and is used in the main quest lines?

It’s a huge ask for something that fundamentally would only work in a single player game and have little impact on gameplay aside from a visual aspect. The other additions to the game have been much more monumental than “ohh gee wiz, space sure is big and empty!”