[Slick]

I've found that a 19 AI player game is not as challenging as, say, a 12 or 15 AI player game. This is because the individual AI's end up with smaller empires and fight amongst themselves. Having less than the maximum empires allows the AI to expand more before it goes into defending its territory. With bigger empires, their construction bonus (if you give them a bonus) really begins to make a difference because they have more spaceyards. This leads to more and bigger AI ships, more and bigger AI fleets, etc. Just something to think about.

edit: Also, I have noticed that if you set up the game to allow the AI to get a bigger empire, they can more easily achieve the higher levels of stellar manipulation (and other costly techs) - and they will use them.

Slick.

[ June 11, 2004, 16:29: Message edited by: Slick ]