Well the addition of Entrenchment helped the game alot actually, it organized your defenses into a defensive tech tree. And gave suicide positions in multiplayer a better chance at holding against enemies.

Diplomacy had redone the diplomacy tree, it isn't to useful in multiplayer unless your eco wants to invest in getting in, but then you also have to invest in it as well which is kind of lame.

And as for time length in multiplayer I would have to say probably about 30 minutes-1 hour so pretty much standard RTS. With the new Capital Victory condition in rebellion I can see it becoming shorter as well.