Best game settings to scale into an epic but manageable late game?

I like my games to last long and scale well into the late game. What are the best combination of settings to achieve this?

Galaxy size?

Number of sectors?

Habitable planets and stars?

Number of Races?

Does the variation in race alignment matter here?

Research speed?

I'm asking, because I'm tempted to attempt a Huge Galaxy, Slow Research, Low Habitable Planet, max Sector and Max races game.

Would that work? Any draw backs?

Anything else I didnt think of?