Great point.
I am planning to update pop to factor in the round length when determining growth rate. That should help make pop play viable again.
If I can get that done by July, then we could open a new econ-only galaxy alongside the next regular round.
Pop is still viable it’s just the players using it that are not.
Not sure a short eco round if worth while, it will get very boring very fast and players stop participating do to how repetitive it is. Mantha is good for the less active players.