OK dokie . . .
1. Get a start in the 'middle' of the map (or as close as you can)
2. Make sure you have a nice Sol . . . PQ 19 or 20 (I'm pretty rough on my citizens early on)
3. Save the game
4. Load your saved game and build a couple scout, set spending to zero (reduces your own pop-ups) and scout out as far as your collony ships can go . . . draw a little star map if it helps you remember where the nearest good systems are . . .
5. If there are 5 or more habbitable planets within range reload your previous save and you should be able to get to them first with ease (millitary spending at 100% until all your collony ships are built, sending them out as you go) . . . note you can click on stars you know you want even if there is a fog of war on the reload via the mini map.
5a. If your exploration turns up a bad position (i.e. not many habbitable plannets nearby) just restart . . . you've only lost about 5 minutes . . .
6. As soon as you've built your last collony ship switch to full research spending . . . I go after all the diplomatic pics then the Manufactuing Capital (Nano-something can't remember) pics then all the 'ready next turn' techs then stop researching.
7. By this time your survey ship and other AI's Frieghters should have found each other (thats partly why you take the middle first up) Around this time you set Social to 99% (with 1% research incase your scout finds an annomaly bonus) . . . .
8. Go after Diplomatic Translators if they havent been built already otherwise condstruct a Manufacturing Capital pronto . . . the AI is very slow to build it (it's focused on millitary techs I guess?)
9. Its cheesy and I know it . . . but befor I go after a TG/Wonder at this stage I save the game and 'occasionaly' reload if someone else beats me to it (esp influence/diplomatic bonus TG/Wonders) early on . . . most of the time you'll get them though, or you should with practice.
10. While I'm building these along with my 'economy augmenting' social projects on all planets at full speed I trade like a 'Wall Street Stockbroker' everything I have as I get it . . . after a bit of practice you'll have 'all' the techs the AI has except some of the millitary techs. I always use influence here to see what a techs relative worth is (since they rarely trade for cash) If the AI won't trade me for something I ask for Influence instead (As Ray the Wanderer said they'll get it from someone very soon anyway) . . . The only exception is when I have a Tech exclusive to a project I'm still building . . . they can have that after I'm finished with it! LOL
11. About now you might notice your almost broke (-500 bc), this not good! There is no alternative other than to decrease overall spending until you've got a positive cash flow (asking for Tribute isn't a good idea on maso . . . hehe). Since you've built alot of social projects a 'slight' reduction in Tax will make your population shoot up sharply hence increasing revenue until more trade ships come in to take up he slack . . .
12. It goes without saying that you keep an eye on your relationship with all the AIs throughout the early game and throw them a bone or two when they start looking at you sidways . . .
13. Since your in the middle of the map by default your everyones number one choice to trade with . . . to keep it that way start bribing AIs to war with each other, this also wastes thier resources and reduces the threat of them attacking you instead.
14. Early-Mid-game. The Minors are strating to fall behind in tech (to few planets). Your economy should be booming by now so you can offer the weakest AI something substancial for Battleship tech . . . once you have either this or Disruptors all the AIs will probably want to ally with you . . .
. Send your combat Transports out using constructor base bridges to all the Minors you can find. While your doing this beguin reasearching again . . . Cultural Modules and Troop Techs.
15. Send out constructor fleets to each minors sector you plan on invading and build palaces to defend against the AI flipping you after you've invaded each Minor.
16. Now you have a foothold in another AIs space increase millitary spending further (making constructors) to try and flip as many neighbouring systems as possible . . . Culture bombs are so very powerful, I luv it!
17. All the while watch what the stronger AIs are researching and grab the tech off them befor they have a chance to build the associated Wonder/TG (esp Cultural conquest, Historical Preserve and later Dark Side and 4 Philosophy) . . .
18. Basically you don't really want one AI to dominate the others so help out your allies where you can so things are equitable . . .
19. Ussualy two of your allies who arn't coping too well will surrender to you befor the end game starts . . . yeay! great! Be careful to have a few constructors on stand by since some of thier planets social improvements won't be up to scratch (high flipability?) . . .
20. If the Dregens are still around you'll be able to save at least an hour of research in your game virtue of the fact that you can steal so many techs off them (this inclues all the long techs at the end of the game!). Increasing espionage to exploit this well intended feature . . . lol
21. If all goes well by the time you finish your research they'll be only a dozen AI systems left . . . If they don't seem likely to flip send 10 constructors to nestle up againts each, build Terror Stars, break your alliances and Destroy them (Ouch thats nasty!)
Hope that helps . . . I know it's a bit patchy but that basicaly what I do
Stardock Forums
. Send your combat Transports out using constructor base bridges to all the Minors you can find. While your doing this beguin reasearching again . . . Cultural Modules and Troop Techs.