"Alliance" is such a relative term. In our favorite game, it only represent a mutual-defence pact between 2 peoples, but I wonder if there could be room for.. I don't know, more customization of "alliances". Actually, I would ripe the idea of "Alliance", and, instead, impliment the "Treaty" game option.
What is a treaty? When 2 players agree to something. It could be... a trade pact. A mutual-defence pact, or "attack on..." pact. It could be a mean to divide the spoils of war (you get X worlds, I get Y).
A treaty could allow free uses of the other people's Starbases. Or only Economic Starbases? It's up to you to choose. A treaty could allow technological or ship sharing (and I don't speak of "tech trade", I hate the concept, it's plain impossible).
2 Civs could be so much more, working together. one specialize in civilian technologies, the other in military. They could share ship designs, etc...
Technological Sharing: For the duration of the treaty, you are considered possessing the techs shared with you, and your ally is considered possessing the techs you shared with him. However, if any people retract from the Treaty, he looses the option to use the tech shared with him. Ships already built, modules or buildings already built all stays, but it's now impossible to build more until you can manage to either research it yourself, or find a new sharer. You CANNOT research upper in a technology tree you benefit from tech sharing.
Ship Sharing: For the duration of the treaty, an ally can built the ships you designed and allowed him to build. However, you can include clauses within the contract saying that you earn "50 bc/ship built".
I hate the idea that, during a game, when you are allied with both race X and race Y, and they just don't understand that point! But, a 3rd party could always join a Treaty (of mutual defences, making the "alliance" a Triad). Think of it like the NATO. The "Treaty" can go from bilateral agreements to a close-UP power, if every single specie gets in it (United Federation of Planet, someone said?)
Actually, the UP IS a treaty, the way I describe it. The terms are simple: every members are allowed to trade with other civ members, but up to a certain number of trade route. Sometime, a legislation is passed (NOTE: personnaly, since the UP is more of a Galaxy-wide trade organisation, it's legislation should only be about trade-related topic).
"Good" civs could all join a special treaty of the "goods", etc... Hell, they could design alliance-wide hyper-tech ships, making it the symbol of their All-mighty alliance!
Also, I would consider the "War" situation much more a "Non-treaty" situation. A peace & friendship treaty would probably be signed when you meet a new specie, but after a war, the only treaty your opponent would want to sign is a "cease-fire", and that's all..
The # and modalities of treaties could be just great. It would go a LONG way toward improving the diplomatic relations in this game, AND diplomatic nuances!
