I had initially mentioned these ideas in a different thread, but I happen to like my ideas enough that I may as well also put them up where they may do some good.
I woudl like to see a few additional diplomacy features in this game. Some may be trivial to implement, some probably arent, due to the AI implications.
I would like to have some diplomatic penalties beyond being fully allied. I would like to see Non Aggression pacts, Truce / Cease Fire, Ultimatums, and a per turn tribute scheme. I would also like to be able to threaten a trade embargo from the diplomacy screen. I would also like to see some diplomatic repercussions for things like offering peace and then attacking the very next turn (deal breaking for lack of a better term).
First, I would like to see morale diplomatic repercussions for things like declaring war. The morale element would vary depending on alignment. Evil races would suffer no penalty. Neutrals would suffer a morale hit for instigating a war with any civ they have at least trade relations with. Good races should suffer severe repercussions for declaring war against any non evil race. The morale hit should persist until the end of the war, or for a set amount of time (say 20 turns).
Diplomatic repercussions are dependant on some of my subsequent suggestions. Basically, right now, you can offer a peace treaty, and then the very next turn, start up the war again. If you tend to break treaties, the other races would be fools to trust you.
Non Aggression pacts are pretty much ripped off from Master of Orion 3. I would like to be able to have some formal way keeping my neigbor from attacking me when I am in the midst a war with someone else. I would also suggest that there could be an option for restricted tech trading where you can only trade tech with someone you have a non aggression pact with. Entering into a non aggression pact should probably give you a minor diplomacy benefit to the race you have it with, since they should be able to operate under the assumption that you are much less likley to attack them. Of course, they should also be able to recognize that even under a non aggression pact, having several transports parked around their planet is a hostile act. Ending a non aggression pact via the diplomacy screen should not be a negative penalty.
Truce / Cease Fire would basically be just what it sounds like. It should have a slider for 2 to 20 turns turns of no attacking, or you would suffer severe diplomatic repercussions. This would not replace the peace treaty option, but be an alternative to it. If you break a cease fire, the good races should come down harder on you then the evil races. And the race you lied to should have a massive diplomacy hit beyond that (ie: even if the war does end later, they should remember that you screwed them).
Ultimatums should basically allow you to make a demand and invoke a threat. The demand would be selected as normal. The threat could be War, a trade embargo, or leaving an alliance or non aggression pact. If the AI refuses, the user should be given a yes / no popup to give a human a last chance to back down. An ultimatum will always have an adverse affect on relations.
Trade embargos are already possible, but you can only invoke them from the base relations screen. I would like to be able to use a trade embargo in the diplomacy screen. Threatening to end your trade with a race should be a signifigant threat if they have a substantial amount of their income coming from you.
Per turn tribute is what it sounds like. Rather then demanding a set amount of credits, you demand a set amount of credits per turn. If you are paying or collecting tribute, you should have an option to end it in the diplomacy screen. Tribute should also result in a non aggression pact. If you demand tribute, and the race gives in, and then you attack them later while they are still paying, you should take a diplomacy hit. And good races should suffer a diplomacy hit towards any race currently collecting tribute. Of course, you can always choose to demand greater amounts of tribute.
I would think that the tribute and embargo suggestions are the easiest to implement, but the tricky part would be in guaging how much the AI's should value them, since losing X% of your income for a long time could add up.
END COMMUNICATION
