And no, that's not xxx games :P

I quite enjoy 4X games (explore, expand, exploit, exterminate; so Civilization and the like), but the last X (exterminate) does't really appeal to me. Are there any 2-3X games? Games where the focus is on exploration, (expansion) and exploitation?

I suppose one could play games like Galactic Civilizations 2 without ever resorting to violence, but the game is designed with some extermination in mind, which makes the other X's somewhat unsatisfactory on their own.
I'm looking more for a game that is designed with exploration and exploitation as the basis of the entire game.

ideas?

Pity... I thought some more virtual erotic was coming to GoG after The Witcher *grins evil and winks* Ahh! Much the same for me. Not that I'm aware of, but I guess that designing such a game would be rather tricky. If you're not talking about a simple 'simulator' (e.g. SimCity) and want to include an expansion and development point in the game, the main trouble appears to be finding a 'restriction' on the expansion that isn't an enemy and yet entertaining.
You could always have to restrict expansion with environmental difficulties (e.g. mountains that you have to erase or learn to live with), but there's no real 'thrill' in that.
Would you happen to have any suggestions on how to realise an entertaining game that way?

Colonization may be worth a look.
You do have to defeat the royalists once you declare independence, but you don't need to take on the other colonies.

Or maybe something like railroad tycoon?

Something from the Caesar series - aren't they relatively light on combat? Or maybe a financial game, where you're exploring a fictional economy and exploiting same.

edit: ninja'd

Perhaps something like Zeus: Master of Olympus?

Or the only one of its siblings here on GOG: Caesar III.

I'd suggest Pharaoh and Emperor too, but they're not here yet.

I've never played Caesar.
Didn't realise they were connected.

Those four are pretty much the same game focusing on different cultures, with some small changes for each iteration but nothing major.

If you're looking at City builders Children of the Nile is also an really good one.

And in some ways Grand Ages Rome, although that one certainly needs a more modern system.

I can second the Anno series of games. Brilliant!

This is my suggestion as well. Minecraft on peaceful really does scratch the explore/expand (build)/exploit(mine) itch.

Maybe the Europa Universalis games? I'm not sure if you don't have to resort to violence in the games though. I havent really played them.