Research strategies

I think that would vary significantly based on map size.

Varies on starting position and how quickly I come into contact with other races. Key strategy isn't really what I research but to get ahead in 1 category. This allows you a strong bargaining position (if you trade)and an edge in the chosen category to further your overall strategy (be it influence, military, economic or otherwise).

Never try to research everything yourself - you can collect all the dead-end techs by invading planets, spying, selling trade goods to minors who are about to be conquered, normal tech trading or through tribute.

In the games I've been playing lately, I don't even try to choose one tech path over another. I'm normally so focussed on pumping out colony ships and constructors that I always fall behind the other races in tech, no matter what. I try to focus on the quickest, easiest techs to produce, and try to trade them with the other races for anything I can get (minor races are very helpful in this regard).

In my current game, I actually am researching most everything by myself. I'm playing a large map with everyone set to intelligent. I have a significant lead in tech over everyone, but the Drengin are close behind.

Anyway, I am using the dead end techs to trade with the minor civs and turning it into a cash cow. I have quite a number of deals for 200 BCs for 36 months. My treasury is approaching 200,000 BCs which I plan to use as a war chest when I go in for the kill. I haven't yet decided on domination, influence, or tech victory yet, but I think I'm set for any of them. It will eventually come down to me and the Drengin. I've kept them at bay with three trade routes with them. I've also helped finance their opponents in several wars. What they don't know won't hurt me.

So, at least in this game, I made early contact with several minors and have used them to finance my run through tech.

It's funny because, IN THE BEGINNING OF THE GAME, my research path is always the same...pump out the colony ships, but also research to get the bank, manufacturing center, habitat improvement, better propulsion, and trade goods first.

No matter what the scenario, I always get the stellar map and jump onto those yellow stars as fast as I can no matter how long it takes until the map has none left.

To achieve this, I need more range. During my expansion, my planets grow slow and steady in population with the bank, factories, etc.

Research later in the game depends on if I'm going for economy, trade, culture, military, or a combo of those.

For me, map size does control the start path quite radically. The larger the map, the more likely it is going to be a run straight for impulse drive at about a 25% research rate. Speed is life on a large map. A small map makes it more likely that it is going to be a run straight to trade or to a dual path of a couple of weapon techs and a couple of defense techs to get star fighters and defenders. Trade if I think that the nearby neighbors are friendly, military if it looks like there is going to be some early fighting.