On the other hand, it is also perfectly reasonable that you should always be able to communicate with a race...through a third party

Oi, what a backwards pat on the back I certainly appreciate the leave-me-alone thing; one of my personal character flaws is a tendency to hold a grudge.

But I'm a lapsed political scientist, and with my academic past, this reply leaves me with an interest in the idea of adding some sort of "proxy layer" to GCII--especially given what I see as strong respect for the minor AIs in beta releases to date.

p.s. For confessional purposes, I feel I should note that I also like what I consider to be "high quality" soap operas, which might be shaping (distorting?) my response here. I believe even our youngest readers here know real-world stories that depended on a "minor power" functioning as intermediary in a conflict between folks leading the relevant popularity charts.

It was an over-elaborate way trying to say something like "way to mix a signal."

I was actually working earlier yesterday, and sometimes trying to polish up other folks' writing leaves my "writing muscles" in that rubbery state that you can get from a good resistance workout. I wasn't drinking heavily, but it sure does read that way to me this morning

I hope that some other folks might still chime in about Mystik's idea of working third-party talks into the diplo system. Perhaps allies could be both an exception to the no-time-now setting and able to let you use their diplo opening with another AI.

I like the waiting periods, it reduces the opportunity for cheesy trading turn by turn and should make diplomatic wins more challenging. You often don't have wars to fight going this route so I think making the diplomacy a little harder doesn't hurt.

From a realism point of view, how often do real world nations hold major summits? There is a huge amount of preparyions behind these things so this makes sense to me.

From a realism point of view, how often do real world nations hold major summits? There is a huge amount of preparyions behind these things so this makes sense to me.

Actually real world nations communicate constantly with each other. Even North Korea and America can still communicate, even if they officially snub each other.
Using the games example, imagine if North Korea decided to nuke America if they continued doing somthing North Korea didn't like... Ok America cannot communicate with North Korea... as in the game, communication is point blank not possible.....
bulsh-t! stupid, no way America would not be capable of hearing about a nuke threat from North Korea.

I could only hope the world's most heavy heavies have this kind of intel, but I suspect that the gripes some of us have made about DA espionage changes reflect the larger reality that spying, whether active or passive, is never a sure thing.

I'm sure thats true, however my point was in support of the OP's question;

Anyone else think an AI should always be open to offers of "free" stuff?

In the sense that i'm saying it is not 'realistic' that communication between civilisations would not be possible as is what can happen in the game.

Doh! You could never tell I like recreational arguments, could you

Hehehe, sometimes an argument about the game, can be more fun than the game! ....na