Such a mechanic would just lead to the human exploiting it via allying and betrayal.

Maybe if stability mechanics were introduced like in the EU series it might do better, but I don't think Elemental is going to go in that direction- though we do need unrest/drone stapling/unhappy citizens of some sort at some point.

Yea, I probably shouldn't have made a big deal about it, he gets so embarrassed when I talk about our relationship.

It seems he's been sore since the infamous 'maple syrup incident'.

Well if this post is for ideas:

How about getting the AI allies to trade resources. This would make very good allies more able to fight a stronger opponent.

After that is well established, get them to use diplomatic capital the way a human might. I am assuming dipcap is still in the game; its been a while since I saw it.

We should be able to pay an inteligent uber monster, like a dragon, to leave our territory. He or she could be paid in gildar or virgin girls to find some neutral territory far away from your lands.

GC2 had a very logical diplo system for a space game, but in fantasy most diplomacy was based on tribute to more powerful enemies that were too busy to squish you.

Diplomacy wise, I think it would be amazing if you could make me feel some kind of attachment to the AI characters through personality. For example.

Game flow:

1. Lord Jerkface out paces your military, decides you look like a nice kill and steal so he declares war and sends some troops after you.

2. Lady Justice decides she will not stand for such un provoked blood shed and offers to ally you, then proceeds to protect your kingdom as her own, saving you and together you wipe Jerkface out.

3. Emperor Hates Chicks is discovered and starts running Ms. Justice into the ground.

As far as choices go it might normally be wise to let them duke it out and weaken each other so you can mop up the mess for a huge gain later on. But due to the interesting personality of the Justice AI that endeared you to the character that saved you earlier, you're more than likely going to try to beat Hates Chicks away from your buddy like a rabid wolverine, even though he's not interested in attacking you.

That great news.  I haven't played Elemental since October (busy I suppose), so I am expecting a totally new game when I play 1.1

I would personally like to see the ability to request reinforcements from allies and the ability to coordinate attacks on a specific target.

On a side note it would also be nice to have espionage in the game. I really loved that aspect of games such as Romance of the three kingdoms, Masters of Orion and Galactic Civilizations.

Some options could be:

1. False flag - Attack an enemy but disquise yourself as another faction so that they get the blame for the attack.

2. Sabotage - Set fire in a city and destroy certain structures.

3. Assassinate - the ability to assassinate enemy heroes.

4. Steal Technology, spells or resources.

5. Cause revolt - Cause an enemy city to revolt from his control and form a minor faction of its own.

etc...

Also it would be nice if we had a hardcore mode where if the sovereign dies the leadership title will go down to one of his children and one all of the children die the game ends for that faction.

The options you suggest are "cool" and would be fun for some but I feel that such options will be very powerful and too easily exploitable

In any case, those things can be food for thought in the 2nd expansion. Need to get some "final" design down first.

The expansion hasn't really been announced yet (the plan for one has, but not the content or release date).  More to the point, the 1.x releases are Stardock trying to get the original game up to a point they're satisfied with it.  When you consider that the game still has a long way to go (though it's been improving leaps and bounds), and that besides the tweaks and fixes they're likely to focus on a single major gameplay mechanic per point release, I'd expect them to go through 1.5 or 1.6 before they consider putting out the expansions - which will be based on the 'final' gameplay. Fwiw, if 1.1 is any indication then the game should be really awesome by then:-)

I would like to see a lot of diplomatic improvement in the game along with some additional technologies that involve espionage.

Some ideas for new Diplomatic options:

• Allow boarder trespass for 5 turns. This allows you to enter into a rivals territory to complete a quest or plunder a goodie location or to pass through to get to the other side of the territory. This is not a open boarders access, you just get temporary access.
• Allow Open boarders for X turns (20 or 30 turns). Allows access through both countries for the duration of the agreement. Similiar to what is done in Civ.
• Territorial occupation. Usually part of a peace agreement, one party allows the other complete access to their territory in agreement to cease warfare. You are allowed to station armies in the territory and access to the cities, but the cities remain the property of the host civilization. Basically the territory becomes a vassel state.
• Allow Diplomatic capital to be spent on espionage activities. This is along the lines of you paying rebels in another territory to commit acts against the host territory. These acts could be sabotage, techincal espionage, causing riots or upheaval in a target city, causing guarding units to desert when attacked by your forces.
• Different levels of trade agreements that provide additional bonuses to caravan trade routes.
• Different levels of research agreements that provice additional bonuses to Tech or Magic research rates.
• Trade excess resources between nations. However for this to work, the current levels of resources would have to be reduced to create kingdom shortages or need.
• Game altering events that cause diplomatic solutions. For example, plagues that strike your allies kingdom, this sovereign comes to you asking you to send help, you can also ignore it or take actions to increase the level of the plague. Many of the events from GalCiv could be used to add flavor to the game.
• Think out of the box. Currently, the game allows you to marry off spring to other nations, how about actions that may add skills to your offspring if the children are allowed to be 'placed' with another Civ for a period of 5 years. (Starting at their 10th birthday). If your child stays the entire 5 years without being recalled, they get a skill from that training.
• Allow trading or selling of military units. Value of these units are the cost of Training. This allows you to trade off units of one type to another nation.
• Allow us to ask for gilder loans or gifts without it being a demand. There have been times when I've really needed cash to aid my war effort and I would like to hit up one of my friends for some cash now to be paid back later. Same goes for military units. Allow us to buy now and pay back later plan.

some options:

1) I would like the option to ask another faction to make peace with one they are at war with.

2) I would like the ability to 'barter' in dynasties.  IE have to give dowry for female heirs, based off power.

3) I would like minor factions to fxn like major ones with the exception of not being able to make pioneers, and maybe not make the leaders channelers?

Woot! Good for you guys! so happy to see sales are going up because I don't want to let Elemental not live up to what I know it can be. In terms of Diplomatic features-Personality, and more diplomacy between AI's themselves.

1.2X is the first expansion. 1.3X is the second expansion.

I agree with whoever said that AI players need to have diverse personalities.

Make a pacifist who still prepares for war by building up defenses and training units, but does not ever instigate, and tries first to solve problems diplomatically.

Make an aggressive player who isn't necessarily an expansionist. They will consolidate power in a few key cities and threaten to raze your towns if you don't offer tribute or meet their demands.

Make an economist diplomat who relies on solidarity treaties for protecting their cities, rather than spending great amounts of time/gildar/material/mana on their own army. Have this AI player use sanctions against its enemy through strong diplomatic ties and trade agreements.

There are probably many more possibilities, but this is enough of an idea to work from.

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This reminds me of the pirates in SOASE which I thought was an awesome game mechanic.

+1 to anything like this

My date last played is in September.  I suppose it's a good sign that I'm still stopping in here to check on the progress from time to time though.  I do hope the game is a lot more fun to play then it was last time I started it up.  I'll be standing by for 1.1.

While I am glad that only around 1/3 of the spells and abilities now are going to be weighted down by elemental themes, I do wonder what will happen if they realise (if it happens to be true, I won't claim anything either way) the best game they could make won't have them at all. Would they still get shoe horned in there on account of the name and all? If a paridan shard and a lady umber shard just comes out way more gratifying and ideal than a yeller one and a wet one.

• I would like more information to be available during the trading sessions, like stats of heroes or kin involved in trades or marriages.
• I would like to be able to trade resources besides gold when making treaties.
• tech trades
• some of the treaties mentioned above would be great, like an alternative to the non-aggression pact, like maybe a travel treaty that allows a specific unit to travel in another's territory.
• kingdom information should be displayed for the person you are negotiating with.
• the ability to trade individual items, either found or manufactured by your kingdom

A distant future idea I think would be great:

• Make a diplomacy screen for all major npc's. This would allow you to maintain relationships with your kin, heroes, and bands of adventurers. For npcs you own, good relationships could have benefits like low maintenance costs. Poor relationships could result in the npc abandoning you for another side. NPCs could have their own demands and requirements, like keeping their home city safe, allowing them to adventure, or allowing them to stay in a city. Equipment should come in multiple flavors: there should be the basic equipment, and more "glamorous" equipment that will make the unit you give it to more happy with you (possibly give them a charisma bonus).

@frogboy: Looks like you guys are taking a page out of kerberos's books... hehe... and this is why Sword of the Stars is still going strong in sales so many years after it was 1st published... now you are tapping into the power of "going" viral!! Good on you! Wish you'd done this for GalCiv... well, hopefully if you ever do GalCiv 3 you will...

Free airplane wifi, I only have to buy a plane ticket and pose for nude x-ray photos?  Woohoo, sign me up!

ETA on 1.1 being out of Beta and ready for regular games?

Incorrect. The 1.x update line is independent of the expansions.

This.  Amen.