I've upped mine to abundant of everything! It might be unrealistic, but after three straight games of no resources anywhere nearby, the four nearest stars having zero habitable planets, and a basic void around me I had to make the switch. It's like starting a game in the desert in CivIV at times.....Ctrl-N is gonna get hit!

I hear ya.

My first few games, I set everything to the middle level, but the past couple I've played smaller maps, with all set to abundant, and tight clusters.

Very different.

I also find myself abusing ctrl-N, very hard to resist beginning with some sort of production bonus.

I don't mind not having the intial bonus as much as getting nowhere nearby to colonize. It's pretty bad when Mars is your best choice for a while!

i use common or uncommon number of planets and abundant habitable planets so most stars have habitable planets but not many other ones.

Man makes me want to ask for being able to re-write a map script. Nothing like having a Gigantic or Huge universe only to be stuck in a corner with one or two stars and everyone else tons. What's up with that? Instant Ctrl-N when I get that.

I put abundant for everything but anomalies that are set to "rare". My opinion is that too many anomalies can ruin the game, the same way too many goody huts would kill a civ game.

I put abundant for everything but anomalies that are set to "rare". My opinion is that too many anomalies can ruin the game, the same way too many goody huts would kill a civ game.

Good point. At least you don't have to keep reloading to get a Colony Ship or tech though. ;)

Well, I like slow games where everybody has time to do something (especially me) and when you don't end up too fast with every single research available all around the galaxy so I go with:
- rare habitable planets,
- uncommon stars and tight clusters
- rare anomalies
- very slow research.
- gigantic map, 9 races on intelligent.

Takes a Loooooong time before races actually start something on massive scale since you need life supports to move around and the like. Research is also VERY important because is takes quite a bit and you don't end up after couple years with all races having all researches or so.

Personally, I always play (so far) as a trade/diplomacy race (human rebels turned merchants union) and this map configuration is the only one I found to be interesting on the long run.
I got waste twice so far (each game take a looooooong time) but getting better at it :)