Hi Guys
!
I have only just begun my reading of the threads in an attempt to figure out how this Demogame will work: the info is quite spread out, I must say.
I am going to have quite a few questions. With that in mind, a good first one is probably: where should I post questions I have for the team?
I do have a few thoughts on the civ choice, but please keep in mind that I have almost
NO experience in Multiplayer. I am also working on the assumption that any team can declare war on another at any time they choose (ie, there are no "restrictions" on how we play, with the exception of exploits).
I would rank the traits in a multiplayer game as follows (and please forgive me if this stuff is obvious. Like I said, my MP knowledge is sparse):
1) Financial
For the extra commerce, of course. It's quite an advantage, and lasts from turn 1 to the end of the game.
2) Philosophical
Great People can be used to make Oracle-like tech jumps to superior military and economic techs. And even better than the Oracle, they can't be snatched away from us by another team. I could even see a possible strategy where GPs were hidden away and stockpiled, then used in succession to make a quick leap to Chemistry/Grenadiers when the other teams least expect it.
3) Aggressive
I expect we will be fighting a lot, so this one's a beauty for obvious reasons. The cheap barracks are a great advantage in the early game, and the extra promotion is of value all game long. I do devalue this tech just a bit in multiplayer vs. single player, because tactics become so important in the former. We will definitely need mounted units for both defense and offense, and aggressive won't really improve those.
I don't think it would be wise for me to say much about the other traits, because their value would depend a lot on how much military action we can expect to see in this game. In general, I don't think they are as valuable as those I listed above. I haven't lurked or played many MP games, so I don't know whether to expect opposing teams to constantly be beating on each other, or for pretty solid alliances to form and most of the military action to come late in the game. It the fighting starts early and lasts for most of the game, then I would value the organized trait for the cheap courthouses. But if the military action can be expect to come later in the game, I would value Creative more in order to control borders.
Its hard to say much about starting techs because which ones are good can depend so much on starting terrain. I usually prefer Mining and Agriculture, but it seems that Mysticism could be used to great advantage in an MP game. The ability to "spy" on other players cities via religion would be very nice.
With all that being said, this would be my list of top leaders (and some of them may seem at odds with the above):
Huayna
He gets the awsome financial/aggressive combo, and he also starts with mysticism for spreading an early religion/spying. I should also mention that, barring terrible starting terrain or a lucky hut, it is impossible for any civ to beat Huayna to Meditation/Buddhism. That is a nice surety to have.
Elizabeth
Philosophical would allow us to use the sneaky leader gambits I mentioned earlier. She's financial too of course.
Qin Shi Huang
I don't think Industrious will be worth too much unless we are lucky and also have stone or marble, but at least he is financial. I also think the Cho-Ko-Nu, which is already powerful in a single player game, would be even better in an MP game. I would expect most players in an MP game to have fewer "Archery killing" units than they have in a SP game, because that would seem the better strategy against other humans. That might mean our Cho-Ko-Nus would be going up against units that had poor promotions to defend against them.
Alexander
His UU pretty much ensures no one will come calling on us early in the game with mounted units and Phil would allow us to use leader gambits.
Caesar
I couldn't believe that no one listed him! The Praetorian is the most overpowered UU in the whole game, and his traits support an early military campaign. Did no one list him
because he is so powerful? (ie, is choosing Caesar like painting a big bullseye on our heads?)
so maybe he will chime in! 
