A very interesting read, you sound like a game critic (Not a bad thing). I'll have to agree with your reasons for most people playing games, my most important points are strategy, fun, and lust. With strategy, I LOVE THE NEW TB UPDATE!!! (Kidding, let's not start that, haha) I'm satisfied with the strategy level as it is: when I want an easy game that I don't have to think about, I choose SM. When I want strategy, anything else. Or just a more thought out SM. As the game is continuously evolving, new features will certainly come into play that up the strategy level and make it more interesting. Pop casualties! Cargo ships! More diplomacy! Another TB update! This game is sure as hell more complicated than Stratego or Risk, some of my favourites, so I think we're good.
When it comes to fun, the multiplayer aspect and the "conquer the world" genre do it for me. I don't really like the idea of introducing more randomness, especially negative. The rares bug me already; it's horrible when my opponent randomly finds 10 merc legions or 5 heavies, and it feels bad to know that I've won because I rushed him with 10 partisans. I think negative random events would make it worse. Perhaps random stuff that doesn't affect games too much, but are just for kicks? Renaming units, events that alter income, stuff that brings in minute amounts of cash, (You founded Microsoft! 400 gold. You founded APPLE!!! 30000 gold!) With options, I totally agree, I've seen your thread before somewhere. Spicing up the game wouldn't hurt anything.
I have commitment issues with most games, but Afterwind has somehow managed to hold me in for half a year. Incentive for me is just to get good, win, and make friends, all of which I do often. Lust is great, but I'd prefer the devs to update strategy rather than visuals. If they have the time, of course, more explosions and sound effects would be cool. I got bored with the music a long time ago, one reason Civ4 is great in this aspect is the tons and tons of soundtracks for each stage of the game. Experience? Meh, the Internet will be the Internet. You really can't change how others act unless you get stricter mods (no fun) or more mods (unfeasible). Only the Americans are causing trouble though, there are NEVER any trolls and jerks outside of it. Ban all Americans! (Don't, I don't want to be banned)
Overall, I'd say 8/10, good game, great game for a browser, but retail games beat it in various aspects. B+. I don't think 7/10 is a C-, in that case, 1/10 to 5/10 would all be F. Harsh, haha.
