Consider making a packer race that gives bonus in food growing on farms and regular run speed on river bed. This race could also include bonus to factories on river bed since there are only 4 spots.
I have seen some of the initial comments on 3D auctions, but wanted to add that although it is different, it's something you get use to. The way you might be able to improve auction confusion is make the font bigger on the values, but i think if it isn't causing the dysnc's then it is better then the 2D traditional model. I wonder if some people must have it if we could have a toggle switch for players to choose the view they prefer.
Between non-land auctions seems to be a popular place for the game to stall. Often through communication with other players they are still in the end of last auction while a few have transfered to the beginning of the next auction. Both are frozen of course.
Might be good to save time to pass auctions when no one has enough money for minimum bid to skip by them much like other auctions when no goods are available to be sold
I think that most of the changes are welcome, although some points are perhaps unbalanced and need tweaking.
Consider the race that not only needs no food, but can hold onto it without any spoilage might need to be adjusted as they have not only a power to avoid food but can store mass amounts of it without disadvantage. The rest of the races seem interesting without being overpowering in my opinion.
The AI needs an upgrade in that sometimes they don't sell resources unless the prices are maxed out. Other times they miss selecting plots.
The land selection might need to be adjusted as it can get choppy with multiple people.
under the hi score section if you finish a game with only computers it counts as not finishing legally, and if the game stalls and you leave it counts as an abandon.