Let me start out by saying that Aurora is near and dear to my heart and it is arguably one of the best 4x games ever made, in my book. However, while Aurora's complexity is part of its amazing charm, it also makes starting a new game after a particularly long, arduous campaign really daunting, discouraging and even prohibitive. I'm finding that when it becomes clear that a particular game has run its course and it is time to start over, I frequently put Aurora away until a new patch is released rather than take on the challenge of starting anew.
Other than cheating with the SM, or even starting with TN elements, what are some other methods you guys use to avoid the onset of "Aurora fatigue" when starting a new game? How do you keep the experience fresh and encouraging through the early stages of a conventional start? Try new approaches to expansion? Experiment with new designs? Change the focus of your combat fleets from missiles to carriers?
Hopefully, I am not the only one who feels this "fatigue" at times.
Thanks.