[Taqwus]

At least in the demo (UPS says my copy should arrive tomorrow...), you could set the starting tech level to 'high' (something like 'Game Settings', if memory serves).

Low = base tech. Medium = tech at a higher level, according to the text files. High meant *all* tech available to your race, including organic etc if you had the trait.

Curiously, in such a start, IIRC I usually had no research centers (perhaps a product of taking -50% Intelligence? So my empire is moronic... but fecund, industrious, and brutally efficient.) The AIs, on the other hand, usually had some RPs coming in. So perhaps the percentages you take affect your initial facility distribution? Hrmmm. Needs testing.

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-- The thing that goes bump in the night