I'd like to see more random spaceship encounters, landings, and less "abduction missions" proportionately kind of how you are suggesting. I think drawing out the strategy layer timewise would be more interesting. I want more time to shoot sectoids with bullets before moving on to mutons and lasers. Perhaps increasing everything by a time factor of 5, and including more UFO sightings would make that part of the game feel more substantial. I've restarted enough times to know that the progression is strictly scripted with certain events always happening at the same time. That is... disheartening. I know it would make the game easier since you'd have far more access to alien resources, but honestly I'm fine with that. I'm playing to kill aliens and have fun doing it for as long as possible. Unfortunately the strategy layer seems hollow and artificially challenging by just making you rush through the game in a linear fashion. That is not very XCOM. I love Firaxis' reimagining but it is astonishing that the 18 year old game has so much more depth in strategy. I'm not even sure any of this is possible without modding tools, unfortunately.