[Arkcon]

Originally posted by Elowan:
... good thing or a bad thing?

If you remain isolated for some time with no contact - good or bad?

Then do you go looking or ...?

The purpose of the game of SE4 is to conquer the galaxy. You can play for an allied victory, but IMHO you're fighting against the games' design. The AI doesn't really like you.

Within that framework, if you don't expand early, to acquire territory, resources, ruin techs and deprive the other players of the same -- you have already lost.

Is it bad that the Ammonkre or the Rage share your homesystem? Is it good that there are no enemy colonys for two systems out from the homesystem? It really depends -- but I've had both, and I know what's likely to happen in each case.