I'm relatively new to SoaSE as I just bought the game a few days before Christmas, but I have become hopelessly addicted to it. I've never played a more engrossing game, but there is one thing in particular that is bothering me...

I just played my first game against hard AI on a random, large, normal speeds, single star map with 8 opponents, and I won quite easily. Far too easily, in fact, because without even really trying, I managed to get cease fires, trade agreements, and then peace treaties with every single AI opponent. I wasn't even paying attention to what missions I was being offered, but as I proceeded to pummel my nearest vasari neighbor into submission, I found I was fulfilling their requirements. I did research some diplomacy techs, and I did send out a total of 5 envoys throughout the course of the game, but I wasn't even playing a diplomatic strategy.  Is it just me, or is it too easy to get cease fires with AI opponents? I'm thinking next time I should lock teams to fix this issue, but there's so much less political intrigue with locked teams.

Or maybe I should actually suck it up and play against humans online........

Naaah.