I try and focus on expanding research, manufacturing, and money in a synergistic fashion. I tend to specialize planets (excepting stuff like a farm/hospital that helps with population) by putting a lot of manufacturing centers (or whatnot) on a planet and letting them upgrade on their own, and I really try and get colony ships out fast so I can start this loop on other planets ASAP. I always seem to meet the AI with my power about 1k and theirs at 2k or even 3k. Am I missing something fundamental about how the planet facilities work aside from adjacency bonuses and special tiles? I am at a loss after playing beta 2 for a week and not really holding my own against a normal AI. So I'm just looking for some guidance here on why when I go into the diplomacy screen after meeting an AI they have at least 10 more techs than me and normally several more planets as well (considering I'm trying to get planets and research techs ASAP myself)
A note on the ships - I do understand that shipyards split the manufacturing output of a planet based on the slider.