I was in the beta - from the get-go it was clear that EA was interested in using the beta to test their backend, not the game itself. There was no built-in mech

I was in the beta - from the get-go it was clear that EA was interested in using the beta to test their backend, not the game itself. There was no built-in mechanism for feedback or suggestions. It was a server-stress-test beta (heh, fat good it did), not a gameplay beta. Also, the beta is time-limited to one hour of play, and almost all buildings were locked out. There was not enough time for anyone to play enough to actually expose these problems (that come about only after your city has grown to some size).