(Note #1: maximum economic capacity means what is the absolute maximum this civ can expand it's economy to by using gather rate techs and cards)
(Note #2: economic growth speed refers to how quickly a civ can expand it's economy both early and mid game)
(Note #3: I should've specified this right away, "mid game" military strength is actually everything from about 9 minutes in till the rest of the game, including going way into Imperial)
By which I mean, identify what are the important abilities that are required for a civ to be competitive in TWC. Make sure that no civ is left behind so completely as to have no chance, in that ability. Identify what combination of abilities leads to too much strength. Identify which combination leads to too much strength too quickly. Etc. Address those major issues. For example, say you've identified that the Spanish combination of early economy growth speed, their early game military strength and their FF strength combine into a force that most other civs have a very hard time dealing with at the time it comes together. Evaluate how, perhaps, if you toned down any one of these three abilities, what kind of effect it would have on the overall matchup between Spanish and other civs. By looking at these civ abilities, you can note confluences that lead to too much advantage. It isn't hard to notice how a civ that is very strong at too many things too early is going to dominate so much, early on, that it'll never actually give other civs the opportunity to get to the point where At the same time, if you see a civ that has too many very strong abilities/capacities mid/later game, would become impossible to compete with if not defeated early on. It would follow then, that the matchup would be simply impossible for a civ that doesn't have that many (or any) strengths early on to capitalize upon, and hopefully defeat the late game monster. Anyway, enough rambling. Hopefully you get my drift. [This message has been edited by Ender_Ward (edited 04-25-2007 @ 01:56 AM).]
Boom: strong
Economic early growth speed potential: very fast
Economic mid game growth speed potential: moderate
Rush: weak
Turtle: weak
Fast Fortress: weak
Military strength early game: average
Military strength mid game: strong
Max economic capacity: very strong
Boom: moderate
Economic early growth speed potential: fast
Economic mid game growth speed potential: moderate
Rush: strong
Turtle: weak
Fast Fortress: extremely strong
Military strength early game: extremely strong
Military strength mid game: strong
Max economic capacity: very strong
Boom: moderate
Economic early growth speed potential: moderate
Economic mid game growth speed potential: moderate
Rush: weak
Turtle: weak
Fast Fortress: moderate
Military strength early game: weak
Military strength mid game: strong
Max economic capacity: very strong
Boom: weak
Economic early growth speed potential: very fast
Economic mid game growth speed potential: weak
Rush: very strong
Turtle: weak
Fast Fortress: strong
Military strength early game: strong
Military strength mid game: strong
Max economic capacity: strong
Boom: moderate
Economic early growth speed potential: moderate
Economic mid game growth speed potential: weak
Rush: strong
Turtle: weak
Fast Fortress: strong
Military strength early game: very strong
Military strength mid game: very strong
Max economic capacity: weak
Boom: strong
Economic early growth speed potential: moderate
Economic mid game growth speed potential: strong
Rush: moderate
Turtle: moderate
Fast Fortress: weak
Military strength early game: average
Military strength mid game: strong
Max economic capacity: very strong
Boom: strong
Economic early growth speed potential: moderate
Economic mid game growth speed potential: very strong
Rush: moderate
Turtle: weak
Fast Fortress: strong
Military strength early game: average
Military strength mid game: extreme
Max economic capacity: very strong
Boom: strong
Economic early growth speed potential: extreme
Economic mid game growth speed potential: moderate
Rush: moderate
Turtle: extreme
Fast Fortress: strong
Military strength early game: strong
Military strength mid game: very strong
Max economic capacity: weak
Boom: very strong
Economic early growth speed potential: fast
Economic mid game growth speed potential: extreme
Rush: moderate
Turtle: strong
Fast Fortress: moderate
Military strength early game: average
Military strength mid game: extreme
Max economic capacity: very strong
Boom: strong
Economic early growth speed potential: slow
Economic mid game growth speed potential: very fast
Rush: weak
Turtle: strong
Fast Fortress: moderate
Military strength early game: weak
Military strength mid game: strong
Max economic capacity: very strong
Boom: extreme
Economic early growth speed potential: moderate
Economic mid game growth speed potential: extreme
Rush: strong
Turtle: extreme
Fast Fortress: extremely strong
Military strength early game: strong
Military strength mid game: extreme
Max economic capacity: very strong
Now, you might say that these evaluations are highly subjective, and they are, since they are based on how I view those civs. If you agree with my assessments, see if you can notice the problems. See if you can correlate how the civs with few or no weaknesses, and/or too many strengths perform overall.
See if you agree that perhaps ES should be thinking in broader terms. Instead of giving a small cut or boost to a unit here and there, they should be evaluating civ abilities, capacities as a whole. By taking a holistic approach to civ balance, they can achieve better results. Not just extend the never ending game of musical civs.
"One wants to be loved, failing that admired, failing that feared, failing that hated and despised. One wants to instill in other people some form of emotion. The soul shudders before emptiness and wants contact, no matter the cost."