...very unfavorable NPR settings...
Would you mind specifying the settings you use? I might try your setup for my next empire.
I will start by saying that unfortunately it's been a few busy and unfun months, so I have not had time to play nearly as much as I would have liked. Because of that (and the research rates/survey rates I use) I have still not been in any major war yet. I preface this to make clear I don't know if these settings would result in a fun game long-term XD
I like to simulate a very "full and old" galaxy, and a dangerous one. Keep in mind, a lot of it it's RP, I'll explain what I mean by this later on.
So, let's start with the race.
Mine is a semi-conventional start. By this I mean that I start conventional, then SM-research trans newtonian tech AND SM change the conventional factories to TN factories/minets/etc. This way I do not have to slog through the conversion, while still starting with literally zero tech besides TN. And only 8 research labs and 2 shipyards.
Now, for the galaxy, to start with I activate all spoilers. Then I set research rate to 15% and exploration to 10%. This ensures that exploration and research are slow, and that spoilers remain relevant for a longer period of time. (Well, the
invaders always are. You might want to deactivate them, if you don't like that. I don't mind losing a game so I leave them on)
Now come the part of the NPR. I want a "full" galaxy. I also generally want a galaxy where the race I play is last to the stars. The young upstarts, so to speak, or the few survivors of a disaster. Unfortunately in Aurora you cannot easily say: "the NPRs will have the first two tech levels in everything researched" or "the NPR will start with 3 systems controlled" or similar.
So the only solution I have is increase the difficulty. I roleplay it as the other races being advanced but "decadent". But once they do find potential enemies, they start to properly use their pregressed knoledge etc.
The settings I chose this last game were just one starting NPR (as I'm still a bit wary of performance) but 130% difficulty and NPR generation chance by player and by other NPR set to 66%. NPRs will also activate ancient races.
Basically, two thirds of suitable planets will be inhabited by NPRs, and it does not matter whether I'm the one discovering them or an NPR is. This should ensure that the galaxy will be "full" and dangerous, and that there will be very few unoccupied high value planets.
Incidentally, if you remember my posts in that thread about the fuel usage/retrofit of commercial vessels/importance of gas giants etc. These settings are the reason why I treat fuel as valuable. Unless I luck out in the very first few systems I explore... I am afraid of exploring TOO much.
While knowledge is important, activating a strong enemy early on can be instant death. So I explore within a certain "range" from my systems. The galaxy is a dangerous place. No reason to immediately risk activating a strong enemy while exploring systems that with my current engine tech are too far away to meaningfully exploit. This is also the reason why I make dual-task survey ships, I don't need infinite survey capabilities. It's much better to be flexible imo.
Once I can decently defend myself, I will start increasing my rate of exploration and go further away.
I understand it's a very... particular way that I play. It is likely not for everyone. But I have fun with this, and I think it explains why I may put value in choices that would seem un-optimal in a standard settings game.