[Talenn]

Ok, the AI is definately more hostile, but there are still ALOT of problems with Diplomacy in SE4 IMO.

As I've posted before, there are no penalties for reneging on an agreement or for simply ignoring a message. Fine. That can be handled by simply manually responding to every message and always following through on your agreements to break treaties etc.

Unfortunately, the OPPOSITE is also true. The AI will tell you that they will break their treaty with another race, but then never do. I've had them agree to declare war on another race, but then they remain in 'Partnership' with them forever. Wtf? Requests for 'help with an enemy' are cheerfully agreed to, but again, they 1) never lift a finger to attack and 2) they dont even break their treaties with the offending race.

So, overall, I'm beginning to conclude that Diplomacy is completely broken. There is no sense in having alliances and military treaties or whatnot if they do nothing but generate points. It seems that their is no connection between what a race agrees to in diplomacy and how they actually conduct themselves.

IMO, this kind of stuff should be top priority for the next upgrades. The immersion factor of the game is totally destroyed by bugs or omissions such as these. There is no feeling of 'Alliance' or coalitions at all...just economic trading partners, nothing more. And that means the game is pretty much reduced to combat and fighting it out. There is no sense in trying to forge alliances and cultivate diplomacy if it does absolutely no good at all.

Has anyone actually been able to get an AI ally to break off treaties with others and/or get them to attack an empire that you requested them too?

Talenn



[This message has been edited by Talenn (edited 25 December 2000).]