For all those interesting Observations, running from reply #18 to #25 -- Thanks, Guys!

Just to review the bidding:  my principle purpose in starting this Discussion thread was to provide a place where folks could identify  Currrent Features that they now  Really Like - so as to provide some feedback to the E:FE developers, on what aspects of the game are already nearly perfect,  OR  at least, Good Enough ... Here are two more features that I currently  REALLY LIKE:

AI Surrenders.  I love the fact that AI controlled kingdoms and empires (even the accursed Magnar-ians, and the always annoying Paridens) usually have the good grace (or the wisdom) to know when to surrender!  When I think of all the 4X games and Strategy games I've played, where I spent hours engaging in end-game mop-up, I am very grateful for E:FE.  However much they may pontificate (and threaten or cajole) the AI players don't usually insist on fighting down to the last man (or woman, or critter, or  THING).  I am sure there are folks who love this part of a game, where they can  slosh  the earth with the blood of their enemies.  But for my part, when I am sure I have turned the corner, and have nothing left to do but mop up, that's when I want to start a new game!

Right Number of Levels of Play (difficulty).  When v0.915 came out, I was overjoyed to see that two new levels of play had been added to the existing seven.  The range of play difficulty now runs:  Novice, Beginner, Easy, Normal, Challenging, Hard, Expert, Ridiculous, and Insane.  I think this is about right -- 5 levels above Normal, and 3 levels below Normal.  Previously I had worried that all of the hard-core players' constant calls to make the game more "challenging" would result in there being no levels, that were relatively easy, for more casual players.  Now I am pretty confident that all of us can find some level (or levels) that we are happy with.  This still may not be  Perfect, but it is plenty  Good Enough! 

(On the other hand, if Stardock feels the need to offer another, even harder level (let's call it "Suicidal-Masochistic")   , I would have no problem with that.)  

(But better that Stardock should use the resources to solve some real problem ...  ) 

I like that cities sprawl across the map and are not just a single square. (I realize that some see the teleportation from one side of an extended city to the other during transit as unrealistic, but that could be fixed by slowing to road rate within cities.  It can easily be explained as cities having their own very efficient mass transit system and your army just took the subway.   )  But the organic growth of your metropolis is very cool.

I've only played a single small game so far on easy.  I encounted Torax and managed to best him with sunder spells and fracture.  But I had my ass handed to me with the gaggle of dragons in the main victory quest.  I like that monsters run the gamut of difficulty and can be very tough.  (Deadly really means deadly)

Now I've paid my dues with the praise, I'd like to ask for a few additional features.  Please provide some way for characters to direct their choice of spells once they obtain a new level of mastery.  Also some way to manage the quick spell list in combat, perhaps some number of spells per level or slots equaling some combination of spell-lvls per school based on one's level of mastery.  Maybe I'm mistaken, but it appeared that on gaining a level of mastery my soverign forgot an earlier lower level spell.  Giving the player some way of managing the spells learned as well as which ones are available in the tactical quick spell list would be greatly appreciated.

Secondly, I really appreciated the clock and alarm feature of CIV.  I rely on the clock in window's toolbar and losing it to play a game can be irksome.  Adding a UI option to show/hide the clock would be a nice feature (and hopefully, really easy to add)  Adding an alarm feature would prevent me from getting in such trouble when I realize it's 4am and I'd been playing way longer than I had thought.  Great game.  I'm glad I bought it.