Seems to be going fine on my end, though the upgrade trees are still my biggest issue.
Also: I have no idea what a civic center does. It never seems usable, I cant place it anywhere at all.
EDIT: Okay, things still go out of control WAY too fast. Way, way, WAY too fast. It's not just diseases: It's EVERYTHING. It all happens in the space of ONE turn, whatever "it" happens to be (crime, currently), and all numbers instantly go completely berserk. It seems like something in the simulation is *really* off. The only solution is to save very, very frequently right now.
Okay, I have been able to place a civic center. I have no idea WHY. It gives me a new city.... which is directly attached to my main one. ....I'm not seeing the point here. What is this supposed to do? Right now it's just confusing. I could have just expanded the city further with, I dunno, 3 farms or something. I cant seem to demolish it either.
Also: the "early game" seems to stretch until forever, I'm noticing. I'm 120 turns in, and aside from the crimesplosion (which I thwarted), nothing's HAPPENED yet. The total inability to interact with most of the map is not being a good thing right now... I'm still questioning the whole "no units" idea at this point. I have a feeling that another 100 turns in, and I'm still going to be saying "nothing's happened yet".