36 years into my current game (using a standard start with 2 billion people on Earth). I now have 12 colonies in 8 systems, one system has 3 planets. Colonized Mars first off (after terraforming) and that helped kick start my civilian shipping. Explored all systems immediately around Sol and have been able to put colonies in all of them. I have 2 planets with more than 500 million, 3 planets with over 100 million. Earth is down to 1.6 billion, I'm going to have to stop shipping people from Earth soon. My goal was get the immediate planets up to 500 million each, at which time I'd start concentrating on the second ring of colonization. My second ring has started, although currently pretty ragged.
I've encountered 2 races and I know from looking at the logs that there's at least three more, plus Precursors (no other spoiler races). Currently relations are good and improving. Ran into what I think was the homeworld of one race, haven't found the homeworld of the second.
Civilian shipping has 7 lines, but one line has 89 ships and over 3 million tonnage. They were around for the Mars-Earth runs.
The remaining lines have 20 ships between them I have jump-capable freighters but the civ's haven't bought any.
I know of 94 systems and have completely surveyed 79 of them. Trying to explore in a circle out from Earth but it's hard to do.
I've made very good use of fighters in fighting Precursors. Have had no other conflicts yet.
Technology: Drives are Internal Confinement Fusion, I have Jump Drive Efficiency 6, 25-cm Soft X-ray lasers, Theta shields. Grav sensor 28, EM Sensor 14, Thermal 18.
Using version 5.2. Don't want to upgrade because that means I'd have to start over.