Suggestion: Expand the alliance feature in diplomacy





At the moment it appears to me that the usual process is as follows: one signs a peace treaty, then signs open borders, and lastly enters an alliance. And then it ends.



Somehow, although admittedly I haven't quite fully thought this through yet, I feel that it would be nice if an alliance with another faction contained more than just an alliance... after all, not all alliances are the same: is it an alliance out of expediency intended only to keep one war front quiet while one is engaging other factions (such as the usual bad boys cravers and hissho) on the others? Or is it inteded as a real lasting long-term thing?



That's why I think it would be great if the process didn't stop with the alliance but rather if one had options available to further define the nature of the alliance one has entered, which perhaps could be done via expansion of the alliance feature to offer additional deals such



- exchange a lot more trade and resources much more easily



- benefit from each other's galaxy exploration knowledge and sensor ranges



- benefit from a border system being located near friendly/allied space (whereas a border system located near neutral space could be in a state of weariness and a border system near unfriendly/hostile space could be in a state of fear)



- be able to repair, regenerate and retrofit ships and fleets in an ally's system using one's own dust but his installations



- "consultation function", which enable one to suggest deals with other factions and in return be asked for one's own opinion by the ally regarding major deals with third parties. The logic here is that if for example one is at war with the

hissho and wants to continue it then the ally shouldn't suddenly sign a peace treaty with the hissho behind one's back without asking me first if that's what I want as well... otherwise, well, he's not a great ally, right?



I'm sure you guys could suggest many more additional options to exist as sub-categories for the alliance function and I would very much like to hear them so by all means go ahead

The alliance tech does not seem to be working at the moment.

I have been able to form an alliance. But, does anybody know what in-game effect it actually has?

Definitely agree with this. I know all sorts of things are already being planned in terms of diplomacy, though I don't know what exactly, but I'd consider a certain amount of complexity to alliances a must. I hate it when the only thing an alliance is "good for" is getting dragged into somebody else's war and nothing else.

ElegantCaveman wrote:
Definitely agree with this. I know all sorts of things are already being planned in terms of diplomacy, though I don't know what exactly, but I'd consider a certain amount of complexity to alliances a must. I hate it when the only thing an alliance is "good for" is getting dragged into somebody else's war and nothing else.

Ow the real life irony!

Hey, we play games to escape reality! Keep that realism away from me!



Then again, I wouldn't mind so much if diplomacy in games also offered even a fraction of the "features" of real-life diplomacy...

AngleWyrm wrote:
The alliance tech does not seem to be working at the moment.

it has been working for me and I was able to enter into an alliance with the sophons, although this only seemed to work when the sophons suggested it to me, not the other way round. Not sure they would've accepted if I'd offered....



Anyone else also find that alliances only work when offered to one and not when extending the offer oneself?

Can't speak of alliances (never been in one yet), but it's been like that with me for peace. The few times it's happened, they made the offers, and even with low (but positive) relations.



I've tried offering peace even by "sweetening the deal" through bribes (tech and dust), but they've always declined.

davea wrote:
I have been able to form an alliance. But, does anybody know what in-game effect it actually has?

In one game I had an alliance with the sophons for some 200 turns after they had offered and we had horatio sandwiched in between us were sharing the conquest of the horatio empire - I felt like I had a realy ally in the sophons, although I'm not sure this can be called an in-game effect... hence the suggestion to make the alliance feature a thing really worth aspiring to!



Is that what you were referring to davea?

you're right ElegantCaveman, I've once or twice tried to buy some tech etc from another faction and no matter how much dust I offered it wasn't enough for them... and I have to say, I was unwilling to spend 50.000+ dust on a single tech....