How big is your galaxy and why do you play it?

[Avenger]

400 Stars, Slow research, Sandbox.

[Malevolence]

Unable to complete a game thus far running 400 stars and 5 empires, no pocket empires become majors.

Despite +100 diplomacy/allies, eventually the universe runs into complete chaos, because bases and colonies become mixed inside the same systems and apparently everyone really really hates their allies who are more successful.

[Wade1000]

ORIGINAL: Malevolence

Unable to complete a game thus far running 400 stars and 5 empires, no pocket empires become majors.

Despite +100 diplomacy/allies, eventually the universe runs into complete chaos, because bases and colonies become mixed inside the same systems and apparently everyone really really hates their allies who are more successful.

I imagine that's how a full galaxy might end up where there is no alliance/union victory and each race/empire is striving for control, power, and ensured existance.

[Erik Rutins]

When I'm not testing, just for my own fun, I like 250-400 Stars, Scattered Alien Life, Starting Expansion, Unstable Aggression, Very Slow Research Speed, Normal Space Creatures and Pirates, Normal Home System, Starting Size, Basic Tech Level, 7-10 other races and independents allowed to form their own empires.

[JonathanStrange]

When I'm not testing, just for my own fun, I like 250-400 Stars, Scattered Alien Life, Starting Expansion, Unstable Aggression, Very Slow Research Speed, Normal Space Creatures and Pirates, Normal Home System, Starting Size, Basic Tech Level, 7-10 other races and independents allowed to form their own empires.

Hey, those sound like good band names! Unstable Aggression! Normal Space Creatures. Scattered Alien Life. Slow Research Speed. Not bad.

Well, back to the arguing with the Docking Master that "Yes, I have authorization to upgrade the ENTIRE fleet".

[BigWolfChris]

ORIGINAL: Wade1000

ORIGINAL: Malevolence

Unable to complete a game thus far running 400 stars and 5 empires, no pocket empires become majors.

Despite +100 diplomacy/allies, eventually the universe runs into complete chaos, because bases and colonies become mixed inside the same systems and apparently everyone really really hates their allies who are more successful.

I imagine that's how a full galaxy might end up where there is no alliance/union victory and each race/empire is striving for control, power, and ensured existance.

Personally, I would prefer some form of "border system" so empires planets aren't mixed across random stars, but with how the travel mechanics work... I can't really think of a way too make it work

[EisenHammer]

250-400 stars, slow tech, 7-10 empires.

[Gertjan]

It seems that everyone likes the slow tech here. I agree, it makes it much easier to keep track of your ship designs (otherwise you'll have to redesign/retrofit your ships every 5 minutes).

[Anthropoid]

I recently discovered that my Galaxy is 1400"! Between that and my 42" big screen TV I may never leave the house, as long as the supply of NOS, dorito chips and aloe lotion doesn't run out [:D]

[Webbco]

Gertjan, this is a great point! It's really obvious but I hadn't thought of it!

I've been struggling to keep my ship designs up-to-date with research on normal and it's been seriously annoying me having to release a new version of each class of ship every few mins.

This is an obvious solution that I'm gonna try with my next game

[Gertjan]

Good to hear that I may have helped you

[Grotius]

I like slow research too, and right now I'm playing with just 100 stars so that I can learn the game better. If you go to 1000 stars, the actual size of the galaxy doesn't change, does it? Just the star density?

[Okim]

100 star galaxy, very slow research, other things set to minimal. Peaceful atmosphere, 5-7 races, 25 years of play. I play with everything switched to manual, no automation at all.

I figured that strategical supremacy is much more interesting than sandbox 'kill them all' or any of 33%-games. By the year 15-20 all empires are already expanded and the real game of diplomacy, intelligence and war begins. I enjoy splitting my more powerful rivals into two/three factions by inciting revolutions or provoking the most powerful foe by blockading his planets. While his ships are hunting my intruders his reputation falls down to a point where asking others to declare war on him costs no more that 10-25K

Tried to play 1000 and 1400, but quickly abandoned it. That`s too much to control there and its not so funny to have hundred of stars in 3-4 sectors. I honestly thought that larger games will have larger galaxies, not just tightly packed versions of 100-400 galaxies

[Titanwarrior89]

Same here 1000 stars-20 empires. Takes about 5 to 10 minutes for the game to save.[X(]

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

1000 stars 20 Empires with very slow research.I like the the long expansion,exploration phase with large empires that you do not meet until much later.The new patch will help with some issues that hurt large galaxy playing.

[Fishman]

I play on the 700-star one, not by choice, but because every bigger size causes the game to meet with a horrible and gruesome demise.