I’m definitely starting to see some new emergent gameplay from the new trade rules. I’m currently chasing an enemy carrier through a neutral empire’s space (whilst apologising profusely), because I can’t afford to let it go and give him all those extra trade options. He’s already plowed through my border once to reach a neighbour and get weapons!
I got totally screwed by the new rules. I only have two neighbours and both are attacking me. They both have heaps of tech and I didn’t start with weapons.
Such is life.
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Screwed by your own game!
At least we know you weren’t cheating 
I have noticed that in this new-64 that the priorities of technology have shifted. A lot more people seemed to grow in weapon capabilities than before, which - honestly - seems to decrease the value of it.
Really? I thought scanning would have been the go to tech now.
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I totally agree with you, but as was mentioned earlier, I don’t think people have quite cottoned on to it’s importance yet…
[EDIT] although what’s the point of having the scanning to trade if you have nothing to send in the first place?..
I think it makes sense that Weapons would be an early-game priority, with Scanning emerging as a priority later once it is easier to get up to Scanning 5 or 6.
Scanning 3 just doesn’t provide access to much more than Scanning 2. On the other hand, one or two levels of Weapons advantage makes it much easier to carve out a piece of your neighbor’s territory to access additional trade partners.
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I think most people are not used to the new rules regarding scanning. I’m sure scanning will have a lot more importance in the next 64 player game I play.
Regarding the AI trading tech that is a great idea. I like the new changes. I am playing a 64 player game now. In the beginning game then it seems like the AI has less tech than everyone else. I’m sure when the game progresses more, the AI will have similar tech. The AI near me is isolated from other AI players so he is a lot easier to take out. I have weapons 3 while the AI is still at weapons 1. I hope it’s not like this with all the AI players later on. The game is still in the early stages so I’ll see how it all works out. The players need the limits on trading tech within the scanning limits and I would like to see this implemented in all the games if possible. Limiting trading to people within scanning range is the best improvement I’ve seen in this game so far. It makes the game not all about a race for the highest techs and puts more strategy in the game.
I think the AI trading limits might need to be lifted slightly to prevent having the AI too weak in the early game. Maybe allow trading with isolated AI players until they have some AI players near them. By this then I mean the AI trades with another AI if they are both isolated. Then the scanning rule kicks in for the AI players when an AI player is within scanning range. Maybe 1 or 2 more 64 player games can help tweak the settings until it is good. Because there are so many players in the early game, this shouldn’t be much of a problem if they trade with each other a little in the beginning.
I got knocked out of the game very early, but I am waiting for the next to start. This time it will keep my head down and see if I can last a few weeks at least.
The 64 player game is a lot harder to play than a normal game. My first game I did OK but was behind on tech. This game I am doing better and the new trading rules help a lot. I am about even with my neighbors. The scanning tech limits how much trading I can do. Me and my neighbor have been wanting to trade but we haven’t gone for scanning 3 yet. I started trading with another neighbor as soon as he got close enough to start trading.
I am doing a different strategy than before and it has been working out good. My tech is similar to others around me with 1 big difference that gives me an advantage in the early game. I’ll see if it pays off later in the game if I keep the same strategy going.
I may have been one of those neighbors.
Lots of love. 
I was one of those neighbors. Sorry, Jay. Hope you’re still checking in on the game every once in a while anyway. An interesting alliance has formed.
Tell us how the game is shaping up? How are the new trade rules?
I’m not sure I want to give away too much while the game is in progress. Let’s just say it seems the new rule is not necessarily limiting, if you play nice. And I think a leading player recently quit mainly because of a large tech advantage against him.
Also, it seems some are trying to make up for reduced trading by investing more in experimentation.
Experimentation is always very powerful in the early game, and extremely weak in the late game. I have successfully run an Exp based research effort in two team based games. It gives you a great lead as long as the players working together are flexible enough to swap research tasks any time it makes sense to do so. Once you get Exp past the 10-15 range, your Sci points should have increased enough that each level of Exp goes from saving you as much as 36h down to 4-6h. Eventually the whole combined bonus only saves you a couple hours, and so it is only useful advancing the low level tech you don’t want to focus on.
The same problem exists with Banking. That’s why there are several threads discussing how to tweak them so they stay relevant.
Yes, there are some very strangely shaped empires developing, looks very much like gerrymandered congressional districts!
I observe that in early game the players at the intersections of two rings have an advantage over those on the top and bottom of the rings, as the former have access to more trading partners. Without the trading restriction the “intersection” players had a disadvantage as they were surrounded by enemies. So some interesting balance has been introduced.
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So far the game is going good. The AI player near me is still isolated and behind in tech. I think this should be expected between AFK members now. Their tech should be slightly weaker than a normal player. As more people become AFK, the AI players will slowly become stronger and become more of a challenge during the late game. As things are now, the AI players are weaker than everyone else. They are usually the first target because they are easier to take. Many AI players do not have the chance to get higher techs before they are wiped out. Maybe lift the trading limit a little but keep the rule where they can only trade with other AI players in their scanning range. Looking at the other end of the map, 3 AFK players were together but were still a lot weaker than me.
The trading rule is the best idea so far. It forces people to make decisions they would not normally do. They would rather trade than attack other players and most are going for the AFK players first. I wouldn’t change a thing with the new trading rule. Just increase how often the AI players trade would be the best way but keep the limit in there still.
Yes, I’m not sure the galaxy map selected was the best one to test the new trading feature, as early on it did tend to favor those at ring intersections. I was lucky to survive the early game, but at Jay’s expense. But it is driving changes in behavior, as our current strategy is probably not one I would normally pursue. Of course, it’s not the one I kept proposing to others, either; it’s just the way it’s worked out.
I agree with @jason3609, I also think that this scanning malarkey is the best thing that you’ve done recently. I’ve certainly noticed that people are a lot more willing of alliances as a sure fire way to gain tech, where as before you could have just bought it from the other side of the universe. It’s playing really well unless you’re top of the table after a while. Then people decide to hit you some…