Finally

[capnq]

The AIs are hardcoded to claim any system they colonize, plus every system adjacent to the colonized system.

The AIs' mood is controlled by the settings in the individual RaceName_AI_Anger.txt files. The file is a bit cryptic, but it will give you some ideas of what the race dislikes.

------------------
Cap'n Q

The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the
human mind to correlate all of its contents. We live on a placid
island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was
not meant that we should go far. -- HP Lovecraft, "The Call of Cthulhu"

[This message has been edited by capnq (edited 16 September 2001).]

[dmm]

quote:

---

Originally posted by capnq:
The AIs are hardcoded to claim any system they colonize, plus every system adjacent to the colonized system.

---

Which is why dead systems (asteroids, nebulae, and black holes) are helpful. Let the neighboring AI claim them; they can't colonize them until much later in the game. Expand in other directions. In the early-to-middle game, the ideal empire will have a dead system at each entry point, with an AI on the other side to provide a cushion against human players. (Good luck getting something like that! That's why it is "ideal.")

[rdouglass]

I have also found that if you turn OFF the setting "Auto claim any system colonized" (or whatever it says), that will lengthen the time it takes for the AI to get upset. For some reason, IIRC it gets mad at you for claiming the system, not necessarily colonizing in it......