Not to drag the point on and on, but the first implementation was very very cool, you could start out as a diplomatic player, fortify your home planet and gradually build out, without worrying that the other ai had too many already. You could start relations right off the bat, it was wonderful!! Someone said they didnt want relations to be forced, but until now we never could, ai were always saying no, at least most of the time.
If the Devs could give us a choice, either start with diplomacy and build your relations, or go to war and establish relations as we go, then it would give players a choice to say, i want to play this way, or i want to play that way.
Just my opinion, but i agree with StarfallArmada, i really really liked it the way it was to start. This new way, well, im not so hot about...
-Teal