quote:
Originally posted by Sinapus:
Has anyone noticed that when you have a large number of races with the same atmosphere, then the number of planets with that atmosphere type appears higher? (Haven't really tested it out yet, it just seems that way.)
When that happens, I find at least one of the AI races (usually TDM) with that atmosphere type will suddenly have its score skyrocket. Usually getting higher than mine and ending up with a HUGE fleet of ships. Tactical combat becomes a survival necessity. 
I think that the way SE IV places the empires includes adding/changing planets to the correct type occasionally. If it does this several times per empire (i.e. it rejects a location sometimes & starts over) that would increase the number of planets of the given type. If you have lots of empires using the same atmosphere type, that would create this effect you are seeing.