Personally i never use quick start, so first thing i do is upgrade the final level of civilian infrastructure on the homeworld, followed by bulding two scouts (or one if using a small map) and five light frigates. Then it depends on the race, for Advent i always build a Halcyon and colony frigate, for TEC i build an Akkan, or a Kol and colony frigate depending on the availbility of neutral extractors, and since Vasari's scouts can capture them, always the battleship (though with Rebellion it seems their new cap is a better choice).

Then i map out my "core empire", nearby rich planets that can be easily defended by choke points, capture and fortify them, maximise my research capability and economy, and build an offensvie fleet and take the fight to the enemies. It takes me close to two hours before i get to figthing shape, before that i defend with the starting cap and 10 light frigates, in addtion to planet defenses.

Just a warning, this is not a multiplayer compatible strategy

Another tec opening is colony ship, max frigate.

2 civic research

Colonize 3 planet

Max planets income (population cap)

put 1 trade port per planet.

Rush to scouted choke points & grab choke point and expend reseach and fleet capacity. (remember to raise extractions tech with a ration of 1 or 2 per 2 fleet upgrades, it voids the upkeep cost kinda), Reinforce choke poitn whle you colonize...

Build 2 nd capital, send the colony cap ship already with the fleet, alone to clean all planet between Choke points and starting worlds.

at this point you should have enough incom to support an expendling fleet, building a titan and super colonization.

Expend until you meat AI.

 Destory AI with your super economy.

The in game speed adjustment basically just speeds up time. If your on x2 everything goes twice as fast. 30 seconds is equal to a minute in normal time. The speed options before you start the game determine the base constants for thing like resource income and stuff. So they do completely different things.