There was a good idea behind it.
several good ideas.

but the execution was horrible.
The later implementation of spark teleports was based on a flawed idea. to allow players to get faster to other terminals but without their robots, so no instant transportation of goods, so no transport mission exploiting (which failed due to several exploitable bugs)

another issue in their traveling and balancing concept is their "holy trinity" base that lets them only expand the world ALWAYS in three directions equally. one factor in gamma fail was the circular pattern around alpha islands.

btw, that resource re-"balance" not only broke the traveling network, but also the balance between weapon ammos. since then, laser (you know, those light beams) consume more mineral per damage then anything else.