Race creation and starting techs?

[Shadowlord]

I noticed that the different races start with different techs, some with far more than others. When you're creating a custom race, how are your starting techs determined? Do you choose them, or are they dependant on the bonuses you pick, or are they random, etc?

[Gufnork]

You pick them. You get a set amount of points to pick techs for and different techs have different costs. Unlike the standard races you have to take all prereqs to get a tech as a custom race.

[tetley]

It's too bad you can't start with Impulse Engines.

[Badtz Maru]

A lot of the races have far more techs than you could afford for a custom race, but some seem balanced by not having as many bonuses - if you go to customize these races after choosing them, you'll see that they have points for bonuses left over (they didn't use up all 10).

Unfortunately, you can then assign these spare points to make them even more powerful, and they'll stay that way even when you play another race in the next game. I beefed up the Drengin when playing with them by giving them some population growth bonuses and I think luck, the next time I played as the humans the Drengin dominated the galaxy.

[AoA]

Badtz...you're positive that if I build up a preset race with bonuses, they'll maintain those bonuses in the future when I play against them?

If so, I think it'd be nice to have an option to play against the default settings, at least while I'm learning the game. Even later, maybe the game itself could choose to fill in the extra bonuses (since I tend to give everyone extra luck) as that would be more balanced gameplay wise.

[Peets]

Yeah, I have noticed the same.
Last game I played with the Iconians and I made them research heavy. Now in my next game they are very good in research.
I actually don't mind it, makes it more interesting the game.