• Like the new setup.
• Spells are mildly enjoyable now. A major step up from the past incarnations. Global mana makes things interesting and keeps spellcasting a broad and powerful thing.
• Cities still feel too similar. For example, in one of my cities now, I have an air shard. Aside from that one structure, my city is the same as any other. It would be really nice is there were various buildings that could only be built when ohters have been prepared. So this air shrine could allow me to build the Temple of Winds, which increases the speed of units produced at that city. The Chamber of Skies spawns a permanent air elemental guardian for my city. A Tower of Storms will, during combat, strike one of my enemies with a bolt of lightning. Perhaps let me build a Cloud Castle, a special type of fortress that weakens enemy ranged units in battle.

Taking the above further: if there is a gold mine nearby, let me build a Bank which increases incoming taxes. A Royal Mint which increases revenue from trade. If I have fertile lands nearby, let me build Irrigation to increase the production of that farm. A Windmill to increase food as well. Crystal foundries? Let me build Crystal Statues that animate during battle, becoming Crystal Golems during combat. Maybe allow for there to be several forms of Crystal Golems - Archer Golems, War Golems, Guardian Golems. Weak physically, but possessing some sort of magical benefit.

Ultimately, what I'm saying is this - our cities are built around these few extremely powerful structures. Gold mines, farms, the shards, crystal clusters, etc. are all massively important. Yet aside from their initial impact, there is nothing out of them. It makes sense that if I have a shard of magical energy in my city that I'd be doing whatever is humanly possible to make that shard useful in more than just one direct way. Throughout history, a city that has been able to capitalize on one thing, such as rich iron mines, gold mines, lush forests...they have taken them a step further. In Elemental, structures have little to do with each other.

Will also point out that, with the above, it will allow you to specialize your citizenry in a city. So instead of merely sitting back and having so many benefits for nothing, it's a trade off of population, and perhaps mana, additional gold, resources, etc.

• Why exactly do I have to pay 4 gildars per season for a pub? To the best of my knowledge, if I build a pub, that means that someone in my citzenry is taking that pub over, people will go there to drink, and I'll get tax revenue from it. I don't like having to pay money to keep a business around, especially since that business should be doing things on its own.
• Would be very nice to start out with a basic combat spell. My city was attacked in the first few turns, and I ended up losing poor Janusk because my mage-king had no spells with which to defend himself.
• I find it amazingly hard to believe that it ultimately took over ten years for my people to learn some basic things. Would it be possible to have a 'Lore Research' ability, letting our researchers simply pursue their own findings. I find it really odd to merely sit back and realize that in ten-fifteen years my people uncovered absolutely nothing research wise.

Will keep playing, and will keep putting forth any comments that i think are useful

Nathikal