I Have An Idea for IE2, you escape but your boat crashes, you have to set up camp & you start with some basic materials from the boat, you have a friend/captain who will give you some quests for EXP, which you can use for upgrading weapons in some new thing, maybe a weapon upgrader. You can research enemies by reasearching some of their loot in a new machine, this research can be used in the upgrader to make the weapons more effective. I hope this helped!
I think that you should add an "expeiment mode" where, instead of the invetory, there is different items for you to equipt, you can place them infinetly, weapons never run out of ammo, you have unlimited health, that kinda thing. Please rate + so LilleJohn can see this.
I've Just Come up with an idea for the game, Books! you could by one in the towns, and they would tell you all about the game, how to craft stuff, planned features etc. Please Rate + so LilleJohn can see this comment.
My plan for IE2 is kinda like your idea ;)