How to optimize technically Multiplayer game?

[Lucascp92]

It is being planned a multiplayer game with 15 people and another 15 IAs empires and 4 FE, 1.000 star size.

So, my question is.. if we want the game running good at the late game, which affects it?. The numbers of empires in the game? (more empires, more groups of shipts, etc?).
Or maybe is the numbers of solar systems?.

Another way to ask it, technically speaking, Which is the most consuming thing in a multiplayer game?

Thank you for your time!

 

[Science-Recon]

In terms of FPS, the number of ships onscreen is the biggest thing I can think of. In terms of server lag, that's mainly the auto save at the end of the month, which is affected by the number of countries, fleets and (discovered) systems. Also, the number of countries will probably affect the games responsiveness, but is marginal in a normal sized game.