Diplomacy a bit too easy to exploit?

**Venom** · August 19, 2007, 11:35 PM

I'm playing as the Byzantines right now and I've noticed that I can whore map information, trade rights, and alliance treaties for vast amounts of money. Right now I'm receiving regular tributes from six different factions to the point that it has nearly caused them to go bankrupt.

**antaeus** · August 20, 2007, 12:42 AM

factions use the maps you sell to aid them in setting targets for attacks, or they resell the information they now have to other factions who may attack you.

people tested it with some random factions..

eg england selling their map to portugal, a few turns later portugal turns up with an army in wales... followed by spain...

i dont sell my map to anyone, and suffer far fewer random illogical attacks from AI factions.

**rainkloud** · August 20, 2007, 12:50 AM

What difficulty level are you playing on?

**Venom** · August 20, 2007, 01:31 AM

Hard, and I actually meant to post this in the Darthmod section. Not to suggest that it's a problem with Darthmod, which actually improves the diplomacy AI, just something I felt might still need to be tweaked.

**MattErickson** · August 20, 2007, 01:43 AM

I found that too. That there was certain circumstances in which you can get a marry a princess to faction heir for alliance + lump sums of tens of thousands or thousands for many many turns. Which seems absurd in some circumstances. And really annoying and idiotic when two turns later after paying you (or still paying you) they decide to end the alliance and attack you.

**antaeus** · August 20, 2007, 04:23 AM

Originally Posted by MattErickson

I found that too. That there was certain circumstances in which you can get a marry a princess to faction heir for alliance + lump sums of tens of thousands or thousands for many many turns. Which seems absurd in some circumstances. And really annoying and idiotic when two turns later after paying you (or still paying you) they decide to end the alliance and attack you.

the fact that you just bankrupted them may have something to do with it..

**sumaznguy** · August 20, 2007, 07:49 AM

thats why I never accept tribute. Because they always attack me (usually the turn they promised the tribute) to weasle out of payment.

**aeoleron9** · August 20, 2007, 08:10 AM

Easiest solution: DON'T exploit them.

The AI is already lacking in too many fields to have players exploiting them. I even let them buildup before declaring war, just to have some more challenge.

**Gabriel A** · August 20, 2007, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by aeoleron9

Easiest solution: DON'T exploit them.

+2

I am annoyed by the "doing xxx xxxx makes the game too easy", when most of the time you choose to do such a thing, and are not forced to by game mechanics. Think Horse Archer armies are too easy to win with? Diplomacy too easy to exploit? Stop using all Horse Archer armies.Stop exploiting diplomacy. It is that easy.

**Venom** · August 21, 2007, 06:20 PM

I can't help it though. It's an obsessive-compulsive thing for me. If there's any sort of exploit in a game, be it single or multiplayer, I MUST take advantage of it. I simply don't have the self-control to not use a particular unit, weapon, tactic, etc. to win just because it's "cheap." I do refrain from using any sort of cheat code though unless it's absolutely necessary or a funny cheat that's just there to amuse, like many of the ones GTA.

**SteelKnight** · August 20, 2007, 08:33 AM

My diplomats kinda suck. I can sell and buy map information but I can never get a bribe to stick or have my princess marry another family member of an opposing faction. I need a better diplomacy course in my universities!