[shatner]

I'm game. I'll take T'ien Ch'i since they're about the only EA nation I'm really familiar with at this point. The Sharivar map seems fine, as well as all the game settings you propose. I am still in the process of playing through my first MP game so I can't speak from experience but based on what I've read in the forums, the victory condition should either be "Hold X capitals for Y turns" or "Hold X victory point provinces for Y turns". Doing that causes the game to be decided before too many people are eliminated or go AI, which is certainly desirable.

The other game I'm playing has 8 players and victory is from holding 4 capitals for 3 turns. That seems to be working out there so I'm suggesting that here as well.