1) Max share limit for moviestocks increased around Fall/Winter of 2010. First they increased from 50k to 75k and then later they increased to 100k
2) There were mixed reactions to the share limit increase, but most of the negative reaction was targeted towards the fact that when HSX increased the share limit they also increased the volatility of the price change.
Back in your time, price change was tiered. HSX recorded the amounts of trades made for each moviestock and when a certain amount of shares were invested then the stock price would move one noche (by 0.13, 0.26, 0.50, 0.63 increments depending on price of the stock). When HSX changed the share limits they also changed the price increment change. Instead of having a threshold and moving noches based on price, now every trade moves the price of the traded stock by pennies. Players at first really did not like this (because it caused chuckage on almost every trade) (because it is almost impossible for penny stock players to get any stocks at 0.01 anymore).
3) I personally liked the change to 100k shares... it makes it easier to do math for costs, for profits and for comission.
It changed many people's strategies. About 1/3 adapted to new strategies and thrived, 1/3 got stuck in place trying to make/learn a new strategy and about 1/3 kept going with their old strategy and lost lots of money.
My new strategy is to focus on larger stocks that are moving. Because of the new volitility and the chuckage it causes it is harder to invest in smaller priced stocks that require more precision (if something if ARB by a small amount it is usually not worth playing anymore because the new chuckage will eat most of that profit)
Like you said, smaller ports have a harder time investing in 100k shares of the larger priced stocks. It is easier to have all your money tied up and no on hand cash available to invest in news items. This is what really messed up the 1/3 that failed during the change.
Instead of being a precise sniper and hitting each target for maximum damage, now we are throwing hand grenades and hoping to get a piece of anything that is still moving. Quality vs quantity is your question. 1 stock that moves 10 points vs 10 stocks that move 1 point. The balance seems to keep changing. That is the new HSX.