Are you too becoming a ATM? The Communion of Minds reduced a worker of a larger empire. Truly sad.
At tick 100000000(binary), Nick is up to 102 stars and his alliance has a dominating advantage. Will still take him a while to get to 276 stars, but 7 players are eliminated with 6 others below 10 stars. Just noticed that Communication of Minds got wiped out … no respect for the game creator - D’OH! 
@Smulm - how about an early heads-up on your devious plans for round #2?
that is tick 256,
This game has custom settings 32 players, 32 stars/player, 12.4 LY between HWs, 33% victory. I estimate this requires typically 42 days to complete, so still needs 32 days after 10 days have past. Stronger veterans need less time, also depends on the strengths of opposition that Nick runs into, but in this case, I am betting that he needs much less time. Still, anything can happen.
Communion of Minds has 0 stars, 6 carriers with 497 ships. He still might land somewhere, and find Obi-Wan Kenobi. HA HA !
However, if he lands on Alderaan . . . 
I was thinking about this situation, and emailed @JayKyburz , but he has not replied back to me.
1
If @Smulm wins one of the top 16 positions, then this tournament proceeds normally. Smulm would probably create a custom password accessed private dark start 16 player map. The password will restrict this private galaxy only to tournament round 2 competitors.
2
If @Smulm does not win one of the top 16 positions, then this tournament needs some adjustments. Smulm could probably create a custom password accessed private dark start 20 player map, which would have 16 competitor empires, plus 4 non-participating isolated empires that are positioned + / - 60 LY (X & Y) away from the conflicts.
Because of random empire shape & color placements in a dark start galaxy, there is no way to know which 4 empires are isolated away from the 16 competitors. Maybe Jay can see those from the database ? If Jay can see those, he could tell Smulm which ones are isolated, so those 4 empires can be first taken by non combatants. The remaining 16 empires can then be taken by the actual competitors.
Smulm and Jay or myself or someone can take those 4 isolated non participating empires, and the tournament can continue.
3
Ask one of the top 16 winners to create the next 16 player map, with a password for private tournament access, but this means that Smulm does not become administrator of that galaxy. How would he continue running this tournament ?
All good points, xjhdexter. This was always a problem, originally. Perhaps Jay could set up the galaxy?
For some stupid reason, I thought I could create a 17 player game, with me being a 17th player for hosting purposes. That, of course, is not possible.
Now, the AIs aren’t that weak, so long as they have ample time to set up and trade. Is there a way Jay could make them hyper-aggressive? That way I wouldn’t mind having a 20 player game with 4 AI empires, counting myself, who would quit soon after formation, or perhaps act as a human AI. I am firm in my belief I could pull that off, and be quite the malicious one.
But I’d prefer just 16 players. We veterans are not so easily tricked by the AIs under normal conditions.
IMO, if the 4 isolated empires are + / - 60 LY away from other empires, then they will not be within scan range to trade, and will be unable to fight. Do not bother researching HR tech. It becomes a 16 player tournament plus 4 out-of-the-way empires.
The premium player who creates the custom game is the administrator of that game. I think you, Smulm, should be in it at least to spectate, and read intel charts, send emails, etc. . .
Jay and Penny had plans to make some new AIs using genetic algorithms, but that eugenics ( HA HA !! ) war project is on hold indefinitely.
@xjhdexter is a master of maps - all good advice.
Am confused - are you in the game … and if so, playing as who?
Premature death call on @Smulm - my bad. Still has zero stars, but a bunch of ships en-route somewhere.
Note that if you have AI’s in the game as @xjhdexter suggests, you almost certainly want trade-scanned enabled … which I think is a darn good parameter anyway.
FYI that if the current game goes another 32 days (highly doubtful IMHO) and I’m in the top-16, there is no way I can play in the next round … as I have a week off-the-grid planned. I would be happy to bequeath my position to @Smulm.
I am not in this tournament. I am only spectating from the outside.
My health problems fluctuate randomly up and down. When I am well enough, I can spectate some, and volunteer my 4X skills to help Jay on the forum. This helps to keep my mind sharp. When I am worse, I do not get much of anything done. 
My health is improving tiny bits at a time, and I see a good light at the end of my tunnel.
If I get back to playing, I will be looking for HULK . he he !!
Sorry to hear about your RL health challenges and hope you get better.
Maybe the “The Infraggable Krunk” (LOL!) could sub in for “The Incredible HULK” if I advance to round #2?!?
I also hope that your health improves.
Guys I’m 99% sure that smulm can simply make the game then quit… (If he doesn’t make top 16)
Tick 305, Cycle 15
Nick is coming down in full force, and has taken out Empire of Man but since hitting 107 stars at around tick
276, he’s only gained 1 in the next 29 hours…
It’s looking to be one big North vs South fight on two small borders with a lot of players, going to be interesting for sure.
The newly built galactic highway of 10 stars through 4 players takes 3 and a half days to cross even at warp speed lol. My generals wait silently and impatiently for battle!
I hope you get well soon @xjhdexter!
Well he said he cannot make a 17 player game. Also nobody wants an ai from the beginning.
Smulm and I are analyzing potential solutions, and close to solving this problem. Keep your fingers crossed.
The long term mental strain can be too much for me. I might AFK. So I probably will not join a game for a while. I need a lot of rest.
My most recent game was 2015 MAY. I think a lot about this game though. LOL I spectate when I can.
I considered joining Hardcore simulation game with you, but decided that my health could improve more if I did not, even though that game is 24 hr turn wait & 6 ticks jump.
Be glad you didn’t join Hardcore in my spot - I got worst starting position EVAR!
4 of the 8 players are over 20 stars (leader is at 31) … and I’m at 10. Had literally no place to expand for the longest time and now boxed in - happens … 
When you get back in @xjhdexter, strongly recommend turn-based. My last real-time probably was back in 2015 until the tournament game. Wayyyyy too much checking … and I’m not even a front-line player (although I’m just about to go into battle). But some good comedy in the chit-chat as the Rebel Alliance is trying to give the front-running “Evil Empire” a run for the money.
A turnbased tournament would be great! Can’t handle real time… 
You could always create one! More tournaments would be great.
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Just spectating here. It seems like there is some kind of massive Robin Hood underdog rally in the south going to attack the north.
It might have been something I said ? opps. HA HA !!
Latest long-winded in-game message from my ambassador below …
Not sure how the down-select to final-16 is going to happen since we currently have 10 KO/QUIT’s and one about to AFK. Maybe we could bend the rules and expand round #2 as it’s been a great game and be nice to let all advance.
As our carrier (Dragnar Liberation Army) pulled into the star system, we were happy to see that despite the “pumping Iron Man fist” military dictators installed by the Evil Empire, the Dragnar the Sad rank-n-file troops revolted and pulled their warships out so the peaceful population could welcome us with open hands.
We have started immediate humanitarian aid and are bringing up hospital ships for those most severely tortured and maimed by the Evil Empire. Rebuilding has also commenced. Finally, the rightful ruling party of Dragnar the Sad is restored to power and has renamed the star Peoples Republic Dragnar
While the focus is on helping the people, our Space Marines remain vigilant. While the leaders of the Evil Empire will need to be brought to justice/trial in front of the Surpremo Galactic Court, the Jolly Green Giant does not wish to inflict any more harm than necessary to the misguiding minions who fell under the Dark Side spell of Emperor NickMuzzio
So we will again repeat our gracious offer from many moons ago for the Evil Empire to unconditionally surrender.
I feel some of the ATM’s are more valuable dead than alive because they have stars with a lot of infrastructure. That’s why I haven’t built anything!
It’s pretty one sided now, just a matter of time until the game ends.
Tick 395, almost cycle 20
Hulk’s climbed to #2, trade fed to #3. Brand won’t last much longer and killdozer should fall after that.
Southern alliance for the win!
I don’t think it’s been addressed yet, so what’s the last game going to be? Will the top half move forward until a 1v1?
Personally I think the game after the next (so an 8 player) because I suck at 1v1s 