FTL Mapmode: Based on Birdy's work, shows the highest FTL technology researched in each empire.

Setup: Probably want more AIs than you usually prefer, since several of them will likely still be pre FTL by the time you get FTL. AI production bonuses will help them less (less turn advantage), so you might want to increase difficulty as well.

Builds: Science & physics builds will get a head start on average, but science builds aren't great at rushing and everyone gets plenty of time to build an in-system fleet, so that's probably OK. The +1 research alternative government (and tech) is very powerful here. Agrarian and pacifist are fast growers and unity powerhouses once you research hydroponic farms.

Rough start is intentional, I want it to be interesting while you're stuck on one planet. Give you some problems to solve versus Build All The Things! The Starvation, Rationing, and Death mod helps a lot by allowing excess pops to starve to death. It takes a while for pops to starve to death. And if they do, well, that's less food you need to produce, so you can get minerals faster.

Nerfed science production until you discover the specialized labs. Returns to normal at tier 2. Tier 3 labs now give a bonus, because by the time you get to tier 3 labs, +25% research rate isn't a big deal compared to your colony and pop penalties.