Yes, the diplomacy is lacking in this: but really, diplomacy lacks in all games.
An Example:
In Age of Empires: there is NO diplomacy. I've tried to talk to the AI's believe me. All they say are useless chatters, even ones allied to me.
Sid Meyer's Civilization: I have not played this game *yet* but from what I've heard, it's not like talking, rather like sign language.
Sid Meyer's Alpha Centauri: This is like talking to a person actually, when you begin. After a little while, after you become the superpower, everybody begins to declare war on you for not giving you technology, having a specific Social choice, not giving you money, or just for the heck of it (!).
Space Empires: It gets boring with the diplomacy, but they respond, and it must be the only game I have seen with the choice of "General Message"
