Just depends on how one plays whether it turns into a war or not. Basically there are two things that will keep the AI off of me indefinitely and that is military power and political power. Influence goes a long was as well. I can get the entire map on friendly with wheeling and dealing and trading low techs when they are 1 or 2 turns away from completeing them anyways. Makes them like me better and eventually I get to sit back and watch the AI's just go at each other while I go for the influence or tech or alliance victory. Not going to tell you my strategy, part of the enjoyment and fun of the game is figuring it out. So get to work.

Basically there are two things that will keep the AI off of me indefinitely and that is military power and political power

Do you mean political power in your parliament? Or have I missed something?

The red lines in the diplomacy screen while playing 1.1 reminds me of the beta.The A.I is war crazy.It actually makes it very easy for the Human player to win.You just watch the A.I kill each other and choose a weak target.

They are warlike. Played my first metaverse game as the Drath on the beta, and I'm used to handing people there dignity (among other things) to them on plates.
They... trashed... me....
After years of play, it had settled to a pattern. My tech worlds were lost, I could do nothing. My ships were temporarily the best in the game, but with one plasma tech costing 30 turns it wouldn't last. I surrended in the end, and got a really crap metaverse score. 1.1 Beta seems to make the game rely more on your starting skills (IE torians with that bonus are now harder to invade, the Yor need to build ships taking advantage of their miniturisation), so it's harder yet more fun. If you watch, the small races WILL put their foot in the door, and if you don't break their ankle (probervially speaking) they'll kick your empire down. (another example, the Thalans were by far the weakest race,korx gave them 2 planets in a surrender, now they're the strongest)
If they declare war on you, crush them very fast, because the AI is a lot better. It's wonderfully human-like, attacking more often, sticking up for their business partners.

And as for the starting points, that appears built in. I have tried adding a few, but it doesn't work.

Aye the way the AI calculates millitary strengh should really be reworked cuz in its current form it simply doesnt work. Even if my ships are vastly superior the AI still declares wars on me with their armadas of junk ships.

Ive played several (3-5) games with the 1.1 beta and i didnt really notice the AI to be much more war hungry than in the 1.0x patch. I would like sumone to tell me wut exactly the negative modifier " we know what your doing" is all about tho.
I also have never seen the AI choose an alignment, they should prob focus on that a bit more. >.>

You can set how other races view you before you start the game. IF you want a purely non-combat game,set everyone to be your bestest buddy in the whole galaxy. Sounds rather boring to me, but hey, to each thier own

Eventually diplomatic ties break down and suddenly everyone "knows what I am doing", which is surprising, because even I don’t know what the hell I am doing, as I am not building starbases in the middle of other civ’s territory, nor am I planting a huge armada next to their home planet, so what exactly am I doing anyway?

I second that part. WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING?! NOTHING I OWN NO REAL MILITARY NO TRANSPORTS I TRADE AND I ALSO OWN 0 INFLUNECE STARBASES! Please explain!

#12 by psychoravin

Tough? OMG! When you come play in the big leagues give us a call!

and had 8 trade routes going with my nearest neighbours the Iconians

Spread it out a bit more - active trade routes is one way to help keep the AIs from picking on you. Try to have at least one with each AI. Can't say I've noticed too much difference in AI war tendencies with v1.1 - the only wars I've been involved in are ones that I've started, and I'm always near the bottom in the military power graph.

I have tech trading turned off (yea for that)... ...I really hope they tweak the settings before it goes live. I feel like there is only one viable path to survive now

So, all these people that demanded the ability to turn tech trading off are now going to complain that it makes the game uni-dimensional well what did you expect if you take away one of the fundamentally biggest aspects of the game - in that the AI is different for each race and they will focus on different areas of the tech tree, so you take away the ability of the Drengin to trade for their non-military techs and wonder why they then want to go to war with everyone... couldn't possibly be because that's all they can do now, and when they make demands of other AIs or you for tribute, they don't get paid because no-one has been able to sell any tech to be able to afford to pay them

OIC now so turning off tech trading which was one of the features to help keep the AI at least on a neutral or better relationship with you, you now expect the game to be the SAME without it? lol When you turn off a feature of the game you should expect it to change and wars are going to be more common without trading with the AI. Not saying it's impossible to get a decent relationship with the races without it, but, it's certainly going to be harder and you should expect and accept that. I certainly hope they don't "dumb it down" now for those that want to turn off tech trading.

And yes my head fits through doors rather easily, if you can't stand it cause someone is far superior and intelligent than you are playing a game or even in life, well, you best give up on life now cause no one is the best or the smartest at everything (even myself I get slaughtered in chess) I just happened to have figured out a strategy that works against the AI even in 1.1 sorry if it makes you feel dumb cause you haven't. It's still a challenge and it's still harder than 1.0X, but, not so much one can't use a well thought out strategy to maintain peace in the galaxy. Nothings broken, some people just don't have an IQ above 80 is all.

LOL! He's just after an argument I suspect. Best ignored.

Speaking selfishly, I don't mind a military campaign for now as it's only my second game. I'm sure the devs will not share a certain person's attitude and will rebalance for those of us who prefer tech trading off. But only if they know there's an issue (if there really is!)...that's what the thread is for...

When you turn off a feature of the game you can forget expecting it to play like it was meant to be played with all the features turned on. The trade off feature option was added for the whiners that didn't find the game challening enough with it turned on. Well, now you have your challenge and it will be a warring challenge, hell, what else did you expect? With trade turned on the AI hardly ever went to war, now with it turned off and it becomes a warring AI you gripe again? LOL Forget them Stardock they will never be satisfied until you make an option for every little nitpick about the game. You gave them their trade off option, now, let them eat cake.