The change does not effect anything that the admins claimed they were intending to change. Let me justify since the admins said that it was a test and they wanted constructive input.

First point, Im currently doing stronger than i previously have ever done, i changed close to nothing in my style of land trading.

Secondly ZIP is on 100% land built at 300k acres. Thats dam huge and the sets only half done. In addition if he had chosen to not build he would be significantly higher in acres. And thats with solo land trading! he hasnt even hit anyone else.

If i were to let the country Zip supports a mandingo (#942) 299,331 acres farm my countries right now there would be absolutely no doubt that he would finish as high, if not higher than most of the previous sets.

So this made no change to the game.
Get a member who is willing to let you farm them and Zip would easily achieve the previous sets acreage. Get 2 members who are willing to let you farm them and you will get who knows what!


Look it on a smaller scale, so making 16 countries even instead of the 1 huge country. As rockman said, doing it solo you can get 120K-150k acres average.
Get 1 friend that wants to exchange hits with you and you both easily smash that size if you so wish to.


Summary:
Landtrading solo with 16 even countries = As powerful as it has always been.
Landtrading with a partner with 16 even countries = Not required as you can do it solo
Landtradin solo to make a big country = Slightly less powerful as it has been, but ZIP is close on track to previous sets if he were to continue, but he will probably stock out the rest of the set from this point.
Landtrading with a partner to make a big country = Just as powerful as previous sets. << 31 countries at 130k acres average getting farmed by 1. = Munched. Or if making 2 big countries, then thats 1 country farming 15 at 130k acres = Fricken huge.