How to test Ideas / How Things Work in SE IV

[Atraikius]

When building an AI, I create a game that I save on turn 1.
I set the Ministers to Full AI, switch off some of the confirmation windows, such as colony types, end of turn confirmation.

Then I run the game and watch the AI I am testing to see how it does against the other AIs. As I make changes I reload the saved game on turn 1 to test the changes. F12 is a useful button ....

This is actually a rather enjoyable way to actually play the game; only controlling your race by altering the AI files (plus helps to learn how the files work). Some of them you need to exit SEIV, and then restart SEIV, and resume your game where you saved, other files can be modified with your game still running. It puts you more in a position of your empires ruler, not being able to control everything yourself; having to trust your ministers to do what you direct them to.