Will a science focus be the objectively optimal way to play (like almost every other 4x game)?

[Chilled Legumes]

Considering that, for instance in Civilization 5, you can build all of the buildings without any regard for space in the city so long as you have the time and production to do so, I think that technological advances are going to be on the back-foot, in Stellaris. You only have so much room per planet, if you stack tech buildings, that's less slots you can have for food, minerals, energy, or other useful buildings that could be there instead of labs. I think technology is strong, but it has its drawbacks.

 

[Belty]

I've never noticed an early expansion penalty in those games. in fact I'm notorious for french city/wonder spamming to the point that my industrial capabilities are so large due to quantity of cities that I annihilate turtle/science based civs

Which is the plan I'll be going for in Stellaris

 

[ikki]

Given that we just watched the Blorg, an economically powerful but technologically backward empire beat up their neighbors I think its safe to say that Tech isn't the answer to everything.

Large powerful eastern empire, technologically backwards and having vast armies & located to the north-west of a sleeping giant.

 

[Chaos_TLW]

Large powerful eastern empire, technologically backwards and having vast armies & located to the north-west of a sleeping giant.

At first I thought the comparison was Blorg:China::Fallen Empire:Australia????, took me a while to notice the Fallen Empire is supposed to be China.