To help with the testing process I was thinking of adding the SDK changes from jdog5000's AIAutoPlay mod (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=174812). For those unfamiliar with it (and who don't want to follow the link) it uses the underlying autoplay code which is already there but simply makes a couple of changes so that the human player isn't automatically killed when automation starts and temporarily disables the isHuman() check during automation.

There are 4 ways to go with this:
Don't do it at all.
Use the AIAutoPlay code during testing but manually revert to original code for the final release.
Use the AIAutoPlay code but limited (using ifdef checks) so that it's only in effect for Debug builds and therefore the original code will be used for the final release.
Just use the AIAutoPlay code all the time since it shouldn't have any effect on normal gameplay and could be useful to modders.

I'm partial to option #4 since I think AIAutoPlay will be useful and it's simpler than options 2 or 3 but if there's objection to having the AIAutoPlay changes in the final version, I'll have to consider something else. Anyone have an opinion on this?

I may not be an impartial observer ... but I'd say 4 also. AIAutoPlay has no effect whatsoever on the game if not manually invoked by the player and makes testing so much easier. Lots of other mods will use this patch and will be able to benefit from the ability to do testing without having to create their own DLL.

As long as there is no effect on normal gameplay, and it's not too easily invoked (like accidentally hitting a button), then go for #4.

#4 is fine!

I don't see a problem with #4 presuming that the only way to activate it is Control + Shift + X and then press some button in a popup dialog. I haven't actually installed it to know for sure. :)

It would actually be harder than that to activate. As I only intend to include the SDK portion of AI AutoPlay in the release, the only way to trigger it would be through the Python Console. You'd have to install the Python parts of jdog's mod separately to have a keypress trigger.