Here's my favorite galaxy generation/game start settings, that fit the current mod collection nicely (for me):
- Galaxy Size: Medium (600 stars), no more is needed (for me), and it is good for performance (I rather choose medium with good graphics, than large with poor and more lag)
- Galaxy Shape: Elliptical (I like better the tight gameplay of the Elliptical, versus the spread of the Ring)
- Habitable Worlds: 0,5 (to reduce lag, and to make finding habitable planets a "wow-experience" and something to fight wars over)
- Empire placement: Clusters (I don't enjoy too much room to expand, I like it when I get some space, and have to make war or build habitats/terraform to get more - "random" tends to give me too much expansion, and I end up with a too-big/-wide empire, with too much micromanagement and stuff.)
- Primitive Civilizations, Hyperlane Density, Gateways/wormholes: 1x on these
- Tech/Tradition Cost: 1,75x (slows down the game a little, and ensures that tech is not rushed too much - have a lot of mods giving more tech)
- Logistic Growth Ceiling: 1,3x (to reduce lag, and ensure that you have to "work for" your growth)
- Growth Required Scaling: 0,5x (same as the last one; reduce lag and make you work for growth)
- Caravaneers and L-Gates: On
- Xeno-Compatibility: Off (reduce lag)
- AI Empires: 18 (max on medium), ensure a crammed galaxy, not too much expansion, a lot of diplomacy and wars with StarNet AI
- Advanced AI Starts: 2 or 3
- Advanced Neighbors: Off
- Fallen Empires: 2
- Marauder Empires: 2
- Crisis Strenght: 1x or 2,5x
- Crisis Type: Random
- Difficulty: With StarNet AI, I tend to run either Ensign, Captain or max Commodre. Without StarNet: Admiral or Grand Admiral.
- Scaling difficulty: Off (if Ensign), but you might turn it "On" if you choose Captain/Commodore, so you survive the first wave of attackers, but AI gets some gradual boosts as years go by.
- AI Aggressiveness: Normal (with StarNet that is enough; AI will be very aggressive at normal)
- Mid-game start year: 2350 (due to tech and growth going at slower rate)
-End-game start year: 2450 (same as above)

Please, share your comments, views or advice on game settings or galaxy generation settings below?