this game is going really good.
the pathing has been fixed.
i rarely have to drop my taxes but once in the game. all other empires are willing to trade with me. at first just all or most of their tech, research treaty, and colonies that don't much built on them except for a star port.
so i am able to double my empire in size and colonies each time i talk to each of the major AIs. and am able to increase my research with all AIs.
i have been assuming that the techs with * is a tech that i cannot use so i don't trade for those.
but the AI is only to happy for me to give them my tech that they cannot use.
the only other thing is that when i go in the hole. it no longer comes back up to -2000. but that is OK that is when i trade for cash instead of tech usually.