After playing with Space Race for two days, I find trading with rival colonies to be super-useful (first time I've needed more than two or three concrete extractors), however I think they're currently too passive - I've yet to see them do anything else than complete some milestones and offer trades.
I haven't tried to steal colonists because I needed Officers which I didn't have (IMO a good idea to make them useful since Renegades are pretty much non-existent without 'Rebel Yell'), and maybe they do try to steal my colonists or technologies if they're hostile, but that would require the player to be hostile first to keep relations bad as even the initial poor relation turns to neutral after a while before trades are even available.
Are they more active if they're at bad relations with the player?
Perhaps a game rule to make them more competitive may be in order?
I haven't tried to steal colonists because I needed Officers which I didn't have (IMO a good idea to make them useful since Renegades are pretty much non-existent without 'Rebel Yell'), and maybe they do try to steal my colonists or technologies if they're hostile, but that would require the player to be hostile first to keep relations bad as even the initial poor relation turns to neutral after a while before trades are even available.
Are they more active if they're at bad relations with the player?
Perhaps a game rule to make them more competitive may be in order?