Re: Is it me or...
Just like real estate, the three keys to winning this game are:
1) Location.
2) Location.
3) Location.
I started a game a couple months ago where I had the Ukra-Tal just two systems away on one side, and the Xi'Chung two systems away on the other side. And only two other colonizable planets in my starting systems. Needless to say, the neighbors got VERY angry when I tried to expand, and the game got nasty very quickly. I was reduced from 3 homeworlds and 8 colonies to 1 homeworld and 2 colonies in just a couple of turns (first time I ever saw the AI press an advantage - the Ukra-Tal actually destroyed three colonies in one turn!).
Anyway, I quit that game & started another, this time exploring like mad and researching combat techs as fast as possible; but this time, I only found one race within the first 50 turns, and they were 8-10 systems away. After another 50 turns, I finally ran into a couple more races, more like 20 systems away from my core systems and 8-10 systems away from my outermost colonies. THAT game was too easy. Fortunately, the new patch has come out, so I've started yet another game...
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L++ Se+++ GdY $++ Fr C+++ Csc Sf Ai AuO M+ MpTM S Ss RRSHP+ Pw- Fq->Fq+ Nd+++ Rp G++ Mm++ Bb---
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