[dogscoff]

For SE5, I'd like to see a "build your own treaty" system.

First up, instead of the current treaties and treaty grid, you'd have diplomatic status. Options would be war, neutral, allied, partners. Allied and partner can only be acheived by mutual consent. War and neutral can be declared.

The above would not represent treaties though. If I am partner with someone, I'm not necessarliy engaged in any trade or military co-operation with him. All the Partner diplomatic status does is to make trade and co-operation possible. Once a certain diplomatic status is acheived, you can negotiate a treaty within that level.

Treaty negotiation could be integrated into the "propose trade" feature. Treaty conditions would be things you could "buy" and "sell" along with other trade items like techs and ships.
Treaty conditions to be bought/ sold would include things like:

-Shared use of resupply depots (either across entire empire or specific locations)
-Shared use of Spaceports. (either across entire empire or specific locations)
-Allied ships repaired. (either across entire empire or specific locations)
-Trade allowed (like the current Trade Alliance)
-Research sharing (Like T&R)
-Intel sharing
-Shared view of ships in specified locations. (Like current partnership)
-Standing Orders (ie automatically pay 10000 minerals per turn, every turn)
-One off payments (like in current trades/ gifts)
-Automatic gifting of any new tech / comm channels. (Like current subjugation)
-Can view 3rd party treaties.
-Can / Cannot colonise in specified location.
-Can/ Cannot move freely through specified location.
-Maintain specified diplomatic status with 3rd party.
-More!

The items you can buy and sell would depend on your diplomatic status. For example, if I'm at war with someone, very few items on the above list would be available to buy/ sell. At partner level the entire list would be available.

For example, I want to set up a treaty with my neighbour. First we agree on a diplomatic status of "allied". Only then I can assemble a package (like the current "propose trade") to suggest mutual trade, with me giving him use of my resupply depots and him giving me 50,000 minerals per turn.

He counters with: mutual trade and research, he can use my resupply depots and he will pay me 30,000 minerals per turn. I accept.

As soon as I do that, I have to name the treaty and each item appears under that treaty name in a special "treaty window". From there I can suspend individual treaty items or cancel / re-negotiate the entire treaty.

For example, my ally does something to annoy me so I suspend his resupply priveleges. My resupply depots are immediately unavailable to him, but trade is still enabled and I'm still receiving his regular payment until he suspends it next turn. He also suspends the trade and research items. Although they are still enabled on my side, these would require approval on both sides, so trade and research sharing grinds to a halt and our 20% trade satrts dropping down to 0%.

It's a bit complex and slower than the current system but you can see how powerful this system could be, especially in multiplayer games. By seperating the diplomatic status and indiviual treaty items you have much more control over your relations with another empire: YOu can be partners with someone, but still kick his arse for colonising within your borders. You can cut off trade to your ally without your fleets going all shoot-on-sight on him.

Of course the AI would hate it...