yes, there wouldn’t be “no way to change it”. the game can autosave
If something doesn’t happen before the player. There would be too much safety. The game wouldn’t feel real. If there isn’t any real danger of losing.
Sci fi technologies that aren’t popular in the other games can be turned off by default. If they need to wait for you to do something, you won’t even believe in the theory of mind. It would be like using a cheat engine. It wouldn’t be immersive.
AI should always attack you when they become stronger. Very early on, if they discover technologies. Therefore you would know that you shouldn’t let that happen. The game should say in a notification “a civ is this much ahead of you, hurry up”.
Is there really such an option? If it takes 30 hours to get a sudden advantage boost. It isn’t really sudden. You can get small advantages before getting to that point. To keep you in track. Or you can get a prestige boost. Increasing happiness and decreasing revolts.