I have just completed a 1.3 beta 1, metaverse game vs the Terrans on suicidal (ultimate AI) and the biggest change I noticed was the AI planetary development by the AI's which has vastly improved.
I completed the game by 22nd Dec in the 2nd yr (only shows as 1 yr in metaverse,

) and from this very early in the game, the Terrans had close to fully develeoped planets

. What's even more scarey is the Terran AI designed its planets vitually identical to myself

.
An example is PQ 10, colony, 3xfactories, farm then either research or economic buildings. As anyone else noticed this?
All the bonus tiles r being used correctly except food and influence, but the AI is actually employing the correct tactics in this, whats the point in using a food tile for a farm on a PQ 7 world? Better placing a factory/research/eco building there and when at war in a hostile galaxy what use is influence?
I have also been playing a metaverse 1.3 beta 1 game, gigantic, suicidal (ultimate intelligence), Altarians (me) vs Drengin & Yor & Dominion. I am 2 yrs into it and engaged in a early war with the Drengin (they have nearly 100 planets

, had to be stopped) and the dozen planets I have conquered so far r all being developed in the same way has above, like the Terrans.
Anyone else got any obsverations about planetary development or the AI in general?
This was a major bugbear for me so

stardock

for getting rid of this flaw in the AI!