I know that Dark Avatar is supposed to bring in some changes to the diplomacy system but I thought I'd toss out a few of my own anyway.

I would like to see a revamping of the trading system; I find it a bit odd that as you offer items to trade for it indicates by color (red or green) whether or not your trade is accepptible and you can keep doing this until you get exactly every last bit of stuff possible out of your trading partner. I know this represents negotiations, etc. but I for one find it a bit silly.

Here's my proposition: Replace the yes-or-no green-or-red system with a probability as to whether or not the trade will be accepted. This probability would be based upon your relationship with that race, how outrageous the trade offer is, and prior trade offerings you've made with them (either historically or in this current diplomatic exchange). Percentages could possibly be up at 100%, indicating this trade will be a sure thing for both races; or at a very low percentage, perhaps indicating that it would take some amazing negotiation to pull this off. The acceptance of a very low-probability trade would represent just that. Probabilities would also, of course, be anywhere within that range as well.

Now on the other side of it, if you "roll the dice" multiple times and try to get the other race to accept a trade (for instance, try and get lucky on a low-probability trade) you could damage relations with them. If you're constantly harping on another race to trade you one of their high-level techs for a deal they don't feel is at all worth it, it's going to piss them off. This could either happen only on repeated attempts or perhaps on the first time if it's a really crazy deal you're offering.

These percentages could be shown in the trade window and be colored green, yellow or red, respectively. They could, for instance, represent the "feel" your negotiators have of the other side's willingness to accept this kind of deal being presented to them.

Thoughts/comments?