Huge map experience on "brutal"

[bjg]

Playing for Orphin on a 500 stars map - game_1603, stardate 1345. It's probably only an early mid game yet. I understand that it's experimental - so no complains, just observations.
There are no serious performance issues on my supposedly weak laptop yet. A bit annoying are some weird (about 10 seconds) long pauses then meeting pirates and harpies after clicking a (single "choice") dialog - feels like it's doing some (unnecessary) global search or update every time.
Names database needs an expansion - did you thing about importing some stars catalogue. Anyway, it's just a cosmetic one.
The planetary report needs rework. The population details is "critically" missing, as well as an ability to sort on a bunch of parameters. Looking for and transferring particular colonists is a pain now.
The science isn't scalable at all. I've already learned everything useful (and almost everything in the list). Probably should've built more factories and less labs, but that would change terms just a little bit. Had the same problem with 99 stars too (just in the early late game). The obvious solution is to scale science "prices" to a number of stars, but that would be very confusing. Some (expensive) "quality" (n% smaller, n% cheaper, n% more population, etc.) science is needed I think. Or maybe some sort of technological "spell of victory".
Pirates and harpies could be mach tougher further from "capital" planets. Now newly discovered groups could be defeated with one or two upgraded destroyers.

[bjg]

Some more "fine" events filters are needed. The easy to implement (I think) would be assigning an individual "do not show if the queue isn't empty" "switch" to each planet.

[Chasm]

That option already exists, look in options. And yes, it is very handy once activated.

[bjg]

That option already exists, look in options. And yes, it is very handy once activated.

It exist as a global one (not very useful in my opinion), and I'm asking to make it planet specific. Or am I missing something?

[Chasm]

No, I thought you meant global.

[bjg]

The Trade Pool doesn't scale well. Than you click it to get a transport back from the pool it draws all 3000 of them into relatively small area - looks funny (a swarm of tiny something), takes forever and drops fps almost to a freeze.

[bjg]

I've finished it. Took me a long wile.

SiS_GC_Results.PNG (1.16 MiB) Viewed 22750 times

The idea was to do an "edge case" test, and that went well. On a five year old ultrabook with i7 and integrated graphics I've played a 500 star game to a domination victory (it's called "diplomatic", but it's really not). The game didn't crashed and didn't freeze on me. Occasional errors where reported and than "ignored" or worked out. There was one time than I couldn't load/continue, but that bug was worked around and (supposedly) fixed now.
The game scales well, except for the trade pool maintenance, which looks ridiculously and slows almost to death with 3000 trade ships (but you might play the whole game and never open it, I needed only once). Closer to the end game felt a little slow, but acceptable.

As for a gameplay late game turns where too long even for me. Some of that could've been avoided if the "diplomatic" victory where really diplomatic, than everybody vote for 2-3 top candidates and not just for themselves.

I've expressed some wishes earlier in the topic, here are few more thoughts on how to cut micromanagement a little bit:
Colonize Artificial Planets right away - one project instead of two. Allow to terraform Barren directly to Garden or Islands (if the climate allows) like you do with Inferno - one project instead of two. If you allow to build Gardens, Islands or Hives it will be one (expensive) project instead of four - multiply it to at least a hundred (in my case a thousand) to feel the difference.
Add a "buy" button outside of the planet screen. Maybe on the "event" info panel (lower third of the screen). Maybe on a planet picture or on a panel under it (also lower third of the screen). That will significantly reduce hustle in the late game, than money isn't an issue.

[bjg]

Just 200 stars. Interestingly enough, the win stardate is almost the same:

SiS_GC_Results_200.PNG (1.18 MiB) Viewed 22710 times

This time I haven't noticed any significant slowdown. The micromanagement was bearable, but still could be improved (a lot) by tweaks mentioned above. The tech tree was over too early (again), will try "slow speed" the next time.
Wasn't at war with anyone even a single time again. There wasn't many rebels planets this time (just one - don't think AI improved, but some global moral penalties where removed). Marauders had cleaned up some significant space for me (it was mentioned by someone that Marauders make "brutal" much easier for the player). Yet it wasn't clear if I can reach the domination without a war, so I've signed up an alliance with the second large one.
Wasn't bothered much by "random events". A mine was destroyed at the beginning - and that was pretty much it. Got a message couple of times saying that pirate Nix was gathering forces (at some empty system), but both time "show ships" showed nothing - I guess, he couldn't get anyone to join.

[bjg]

Again Yoral 200 stars, but "epic" game "speed":

SiS_GC_Results_200_epic.PNG (1.18 MiB) Viewed 22649 times

It took less (galaxy) time to win on "epic" than on "normal", probably because this time I was engaging in wars. I guess "you get a lot more from a kind word and a gun than from a kind word alone". Poor Ashdar Colonials declared a war thinking I was an easy target. Ashdar Imperials where the last to meet, by that time I've already agreed to help Humans against them.
Having every haul up to a Dread Star researched for a while, did not build anything bigger that a Destroyer - just didn't need to, Yoral Heavy Destroyers are awesome!
Finished the tech tree almost the same time as the win. I think it would be appropriate to change the default "speed" according to the map size ("epic" after 150, "marathon" after 300).
The "Diplomatic" victory seems really unfinished: why are they still at war with the Galactic "Supreme Leader" after the election (or, if they choose so, why the rest of the galaxy is not at war with them)?

[bjg]

Phidi, 300 stars, marathon:

SiS_GC_Results_300_marathon.PNG (1.17 MiB) Viewed 22506 times

Science is even more expensive than on epic. In addition buildings, ships and diplomacy actions (including buying slaves) are more expensive (unlike on epic). 300 stars seems like the right size for the marathon and didn't make the engine slow.

[siyoa]

supposedly weak laptop

five year old ultrabook with i7

glances over at his Core 2 Quad (not a laptop)

[bjg]

supposedly weak laptop

five year old ultrabook with i7

glances over at his Core 2 Quad (not a laptop)

You can read about my iteration with weaker hardware (including Core 2 Quad) here - it starts, but doesn't really play.

[siyoa]

You can read about my iteration with weaker hardware (including Core 2 Quad) here - it starts, but doesn't really play.

surprisingly, it runs quite ok on mine, but in all honesty mine is a bit beefier Q9550, 8GB RAM, and ATI Radeon 7870 HD ... 150 stars