After playing multiple games with the recent update I figured I would share some observations. I always do the default date with Modern resources.
1. Barbarians are out of control. Even on normal (not raging) they cause some civilizations serious problems. Of note are Australia, Russia, Mongolia, America, and I can't recall which civilization but the one around modern day Kazakhstan. I often find them overrun partially or even destroyed. There is a key denominator in many of them: Siberia. There is just too much FOW out there for Barbarians to spawn. Also Western Australia and Canada are a hive for endless amounts. It doesn't get too bad in South America or Africa, since there are civilizations on all corners that simply expand inward reducing the FOW. Except for parts of South America. But the natural mountain terrain in the West helps the Inca defend against it. I've rarely seen them have problems.
Another possible argument for having the Barbarians is it prevents those civilizations from expanding rather quickly in an un-occupied area (unlike crowded Europe). But the terrain where they exist is anything but optimal and their expansion is slow at best and bankrupting at worst.
Conclusion: I turn off Barbarians, which of course invalidates the Barbarian Mod. But i'd rather have good existing civilizations than possible variable ones severely handicapped with a late start. Though I do really like the Barbarians and the Mod.
2. Europe is too crowded. I know its been discussed. But from experience with other World maps it might be beneficial to remove a few and re-distribute elsewhere. I usually lose a civilization rather quickly from Europe anyway, often either the Germans or Hungarians.
I would remove the Hungarians. I think having two Chinese helps for balance, but you could remove one and re-distribute it to a better location. If you did that, I would move the Chinese south, Mongolia a bit more SE and that would also allow Korea more expansion too. You might even end up with a Japanese expansion to the mainland rather than to the SE Asia islands.
To re-distribute, maybe consider a second civilization in Australia on the West or North coast. That would amp up Australia some more and also provide more competition for the SE Asia islands, which are often the last areas to colonize. That would also eliminate much of the Barbarian problem there to keep that option available.
A civilization somewhere in Siberia. Again that would self-correct the Barbarian issue and would solve another problem with wierd AI expansion into that area by like Babylon. Lastly, maybe a third Civilization in South America, perhaps on the southern tip. Or slightly NE of that. You already have one on the West, East, and North. Maybe even put one in the center, since I notice that is also one of the last places to be colonized. Another idea would be Central Canada. That would again solve a Barbarian issue and also provide colonization there before mid-game.
3. Poland has an absurd start in counter to both Hungary and Russia (and indirectly Ragnar). I notice that Poland has entirely too much growth around their starting city and so always does a Settler rush. I have played as Russia a few times and I often find myself limited by rapid Polish expansion to the East. And i'm not even talking about legitimate city distances. I'm talking about minimum Polish city distances WITH rapid expansion. Perhaps you could nerf that initial wheat/flood plain area (I think that is what it is) to be more in-step with Russia, who really just has a Wheat spot. Otherwise Russia is at a huge disadvantage the entire time; and add Barbarians to that and you have a disaster, which is an issue Poland does not have to worry about.
