I don't think I've ever seen any AI anywhere close to your figure below masochistic. |
Hee hee, yeah. I like to keep an edge.
In my current game, I've got one planet with over 3000 research (and climbing). It's a class 29 that's near a sector edge, so it can take quite a few more starbases than the usual four, plus it's got Hyper Computers on another planet and the Omega Research and Tech Capital for itself. And I just went to war with the Terrans over two research resources...
All hail the dark, relentless and ever-hungering--um, I mean, the gray, wandering, and vaguely satisfied forces of Neutral!
Edit: For the record, the game I posted shots of at the start of the thread was abundant/uncommon/rare habitable/planets/stars with tight clusters. Lots of worlds to use, but lots of empty space to trawl for resources.