I'll throw my two cents in as well.

First of all: this system ís an improvement in some respects. Gone are the arguments over flagging-and-still-attacking and it seems like PGA-ing is a less succesfull strategy now.

Having said that, there are some problems this version has created. Before you'd be able to survive by your wits if you had a bad start. I had games where I went from being last with one country left to being second or even first by the end of the game, simply by making the right decesions (and getting some luck in the die-rolls). In this new game you'd probably lose points, even if you became second, if you came from humble beginnings.

So now it's a free-for-all the first two rounds and after that, it's pretty much decided who's going to win (or be second). That's less interesting, because most of the time, you won't be one of those two players and you'll only be stategizing on when the best exit strategy is, in stead of how to build, consolidate your position and maybe - with luck - still have a change of finishing higher.

For me, that means the current game is less interesting. It's more mechanical and luck in the first two or three rounds has become more important than ever.

Still, I won't stop playing.

Bah. I think most of the "problems" with the new server are just a result of score reset and playing inexperienced people. Strategy looks like it's not working because someone who doesn't understand the points system will suicide on you, or an ex-1400 player will cut through you for no explainable reason. I'm giving it time to weed, and if building up a strategy is impossible even when people make sense, then I'll complain. I'm still mourning my old score though.

Make some changes.

so we had 30,000 users when this change was implemented (damn you Sinth!), and Ryan expected that number to go at least past 300,000. hmmm