hywminstrel: Hmm...We really didnt change anything with the background of the main map (if that's what you're talking about). Check your settings and make sure the num of nebula are at a reasonable level (if it's at max, it's probably unplayable like you say).
As for anyone complaining about bugs that weren't fixed, or features that were left out (yes, we didn't include Multiplayer in a free update, go figure), realize that there is a finite amount of time to spend and, while we try to address the large issues, some items may get overlooked.
We hope that the UI changes make the game easier to manage, and the fixes in the map display improve the framerate, and the mod support help people to tweak the game to their liking, but know that complaining just for the sake of complaining (I'm looking at you, bingjack) will not help your cause
But thanks for the kind words from everyone else...your support makes it easier to push ourselves a bit harder to make the game as good as possbile 