Feature Suggestion: Diplomacy auto-balance

from GalCiv2 Forums
I hope this isn't a RTFM moment, but there's a minor annoyance on the trading screen. Once I decide what I want to trade (say Tech X & Y for Tech Z), I then try to balance the deal by tweaking influence and/or credit sliders....those just are tough to operate...it seems like they are too sensitive when I mouse drag them...and typing in different increments and then using cursor-left or cursor-right to find the "sweet spot" isn't much fun, frankly (and it seems that sometimes the color-coding has some lag in changing from green to red).

I would really love to be able to set up the basics of the "deal" and then either press the middle mouse button or double-click or something to have the game auto-balance the deal with credits, influence points, etc. As emperor/president/whatever, I want to set the broad-brush guidelines and let my State Department minions work out the fine print.

So if I'm missing something, I'm sorry...if not, what do the rest of you think?
ideas
8,079 views 11 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
A related suggestion: the "What do you want for this?" feature in Civ4's diplomacy is great, but I don't know how easy it would be to implement here.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
I agree with the suggestion.
Maybe it could be handled as in Rome TW, where you suggest something and they make a counter-offer and so on.

As for your question M-5 the cursor is indeed very sensitive to mouse drag, specially if you have a lot of money. . I get the right spot by draging it, finding aproximatively the the right spot that makes the trade acceptable, and then finetune with the mouse wheel (the cursor has to be over the slider). This way I can get a deal right to the 1bc that makes the difference .
Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
How about when you click on the gold and votes sections, those BEGIN at the best offer number rather than at 100 as they do now.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
How about when you click on the gold and votes sections, those BEGIN at the best offer number rather than at 100 as they do now.


Or that
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
I agrree with M-5, so far I just skip this portion of the game for now as I'm learning how to play in the campaign,
an auto update or a preview of there stance so you can add stuff to the table until you see, what they accept, then a submit, (hopefully the game/AI doesnt see you placeing and removing stuff in the window) until you submit the deal.

also if you trade techs with a race, does the game remove it from your tech tree and then you have to research it all over again?

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
There are various methods to change the credits offered, including the slider bar, the buttons on the slider bar, the buttons next to the number, and editing the value itself. I guess we could just have made it give you the best offer, but wouldn't that have taken the whole point out of negotiating in the first place? I mean, even turning green is a huge bonus - most real-world negotiators won't give you instant feedback of when your offer is acceptable.

A note: don't think you can skip diplomacy just because you're in the campaign. Admittedly, some games will be more war, war, war rather than jaw, jaw, jaw, but it's always a factor.
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
A note: don't think you can skip diplomacy just because you're in the campaign. Admittedly, some games will be more war, war, war rather than jaw, jaw, jaw, but it's always a factor.


completed the 2nd mission in the Campaign, thus far it hasn't been an issue yet.

However I'm starting the 3rd Campaign Mission tonight, but before I do I'll re-read the manual and check the forums, before I start..... the tutorial and manual dont really give any details on how to operate many things like this, it just tells you what the sceens are, not really how to operate it in detail, it's kind of a learn as you go, figure out the details yourself kinda thing.

also if you trade techs with a race, does the game remove it from your tech tree and then you have to research it all over again?

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
Key Points - Some things you're NEVER going to get in an outright trade. Weapons techs if the other Civis fear you.
If another ruler says "Over my dead body" or "Have you been drinking again? " that's another way to tell you're a LONG ways off or you don't have a chance in hell.
Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top
Mousewheel is your friend. Mousewheel on the slider moves it by one, mouse wheel next to the numbers moves it by 10.
Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top
I hadn't realized the mouse wheel worked here; that will help. Will have to give it a try.

My point is that emperors wouldn't be negotiating the nitty-gritty like that...tweaking the fine points of the deal is for the State Department to do.

It reminds me of some of the comments in the Civ4 manual about eliminating things that weren't fun and finding alternate ways to get the same effect.

If I decide on what techs I want to trade, after that playing with the sliders is:

1) taking up time I'd rather spend doing something else
2) not really enhancing game play

How about this:

Choose techs/ships/planets to trade, then have a "negotiate" button with a slider (i.e., do I want cash, influence, or some balance of the 2). You hit it, the system pops back with their offer, which you can either decline or accept.

Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
Choose techs/ships/planets to trade, then have a "negotiate" button with a slider (i.e., do I want cash, influence, or some balance of the 2). You hit it, the system pops back with their offer, which you can either decline or accept.


Great Idea !