Suggestion of game change.
1. AS far I played your mod in early era (before crash /CTD) in deity difficulty. AI didn't expand not much aggressive, don't use benefit of city-state civic. Yes, it cost 500% upkeep but setting city early are important of infrastructure. The part essential for late outcome. even some AI didn't build worker at all and there worker number aren't enough compare busy player like me. This need to fix.
2. Early operation or game play city-state civic keep important rule but to simply choose city-state civic you must need wheel, pottery, animal husbandry to simply don't expect huge minus income. Trade good tech but you can't research it while not delay setting second city time.
3. developing Code of law before monarch is suicidal for you civilization. When you can't adjust and only get tech diffusion Player Civ under City-state Civic tend to have at least no - income. but when code of law researched then can adjust science rate. tech and auto income adjustment with Tech diffustion gone. you usually get -20 around of income. That why the reason monarch researched first to low civic upkeep to avoid ton of DEFICIT that will destroy your civilization.
4. Need way to get gold and early game. In 10.0 revolution difficulty you constantly donate city for Quell down anarchy chaos or inevitable rising revolution point plus unit upgrade. I use to produce worker then delete to get 113 gold and eternity speed. sadly it is only way to survive Player. This mod need to get a way to earn little gold before trader unit comes and trade route-enough to clear ways of barbarian units to other city capital.
5. Planting animal matter. Planing animal is great layer of game strategy with hunter units but it lack AI don't usually planet animals or guard it with units and simply having animal mean great upkeep-its against hunter meta of game- There should be way to take cost of animal upkeep before or after-to save for second city or third- animal husbandry. And, planting animal means your are full and animal resources. tons of them and almost cover every Capital city tile with animal. This make resource trading less useful. That's problem.
6. New section Civic needed, Resource mechanism need to be changed. There should be benefit for having more than 2 same resources or people lost interest on getting it and so many building need resource. Like add more resource on map than give more benefit when you have more resource. For example you get -25% strength when you lost source, get more resource get benefit of 15% strength until 3 same resources. more than 3 are subject for trading.
6-1. Civic Resource category. Subdued animals - support some free animal units, Standard - You lost animal upkeep but start to take extra resource benefit, Over Spending - you get more benefit from resources but get higher chance resource depletion even in animal resource, Recycle - late civic but give high chance to get additional recourse for free less chance for depletion.
7.Wild Card slot. when breakthrough some tech Wild card slot open and and increased number 1,2,3,4. You can put -other civics matched allowed- civics in wildcard slot.
That's most of my idea. I hope your game goes well. cheer!