Diplomacy problem...

Dhirvish · September 16, 2003, 09:40

Seriously, what the heck is up with the computer and their messed up trading needs? If I have one silk to trade and want one spice from them they dont think "Hmm, one equal resource for one equal resource, sure Ill do it" They say "Pff, I want a saltpeter, an iron, AND your silk and THEN Ill give you a spice. Its like that every game I play, I have to get totally screwed in each deal to be able to trade for anything. Doesnt matter that our govt types are the same and if theyre polite to me, I never get a good deal. Any way to balance out the trading aspect of the game??

Wazell · September 16, 2003, 10:02

If you are way bigger than them, their spice is more beneficial for you than your silk is for them (you get many more happy faces per one resource), thus they want more goods in exchange. It's not like "one resource equals one resource" when we are talking about luxuries.

Also, it helps to have monopoly of certain luxury, so you don't have competitors offering it for cheaper prices.

Dhirvish · September 17, 2003, 13:03

Ahhhh, now that makes a lot of sense. I usually do have a larger empire, and getting a monopoly is pretty darn hard. Ok, thanks for the help, Ill keep that in mind.

Wazell · September 17, 2003, 18:33

That's what I thought. Time to go for higher difficulty level, if not for anything else than to get equal trading partners.

Theseus · September 17, 2003, 19:50

Hey dex, why don't you join one of the AUSG teams?

Or start a new one for Machievellian play?

justjake73 · September 18, 2003, 17:10

What ticks me off is that they want a tech, a luxury, and 200 gold in exchange for their luxury, but if you try the reverse it NEVER works.

And then they get pissed that you're not trading with them.

Jaybe · September 18, 2003, 17:17

justjake, sure it works in the reverse.
If your civ is really small, and you are trading with a really LARGE civ, you can get a bundle for your lux. If you don't like their offer, you can counter-offer.

Personally, of course, I would prefer to be the large civ.

(nice sig! Which platform do you use?)

Arrian · September 18, 2003, 17:17

I developed a simple method of dealing with this: I take the luxury from them.

Basically, the AI calculates what the luxury is worth to YOU (number of citizens it will make happy). So if you have a big empire, and already have a good number of luxuries, an extra one is gonna be worth a lot (marketplaces, baby), and they know it. So they will try to charge a lot for it. It can be irritating, sure, especially when I offer 4-5 luxuries for 1 and still get rejected (and then investigate the AI capitol and see 2 entertainers being used to keep it out of revolt... the AI could have really used those 4-5 luxuries!).

So yeah, once I'm really big and strong (the point at which the cost of trading for a lux becomes ridiculous), I'll just go take it. It's cheaper.

-Arrian

Rhothaerill · September 18, 2003, 17:21

Quote:

Originally posted by Arrian
So yeah, once I'm really big and strong (the point at which the cost of trading for a lux becomes ridiculous), I'll just go take it. It's cheaper.

-Arrian

Don't forget more satisfying.

I'm pretty much the same way. If another civ has a luxury I need (or want), then I'll try to get it cheaply from trade. But failing that (which is what usually happens) then I'll go take it from them.

LordVipper · September 19, 2003, 15:58

if you are way bigger than them you can always renegotiate peace and add the luxury in the deal.

WackenOpenAir · September 23, 2003, 11:31

you don't even have to be bigger.
on deity, early on, i am like 1/4 th of what the AI is in citizens, but they will pay me well for piece