What is the AI diplomats bowing to the cities during AI turn all about?

[Kilgore Trout]

And is there a way to turn it off - turns would go by so much faster. I have been wondering about this for a long time, so any answer is much appreciated!

[klc123]

I think it is them trying to bribe the settlement/general and failing. I think that's the case anyway.

[Duck of Death]

And you can turn off "watch enemy movements" in the opening menu I believe.
I know this way you dont have to watch enemy armies walking around, not sure if it works on diplomats and such.

[Andytheplatypus]

And is there a way to turn it off - turns would go by so much faster. I have been wondering about this for a long time, so any answer is much appreciated!

It is the diplomat doing things. Either trying to bribe or diplomacy.

[Grabbin_Megroin]

It is the diplomat doing things. Either trying to bribe or diplomacy.

Has a diplomat ever in the history of Medieval Total War ever successfully bribed a player owned settlement???

I remember there were times when I would have 4-5 diplomats bowing to my cities each turn for dozens of turns!

...until I grew tired of their groveling and had them assassinated

[TheLoon1]

Has a diplomat ever in the history of Medieval Total War ever successfully bribed a player owned settlement???

I remember there were times when I would have 4-5 diplomats bowing to my cities each turn for dozens of turns!

...until I grew tired of their groveling and had them assassinated

I read this topic yesterday and thought the same thing.
A scroll doesn't open so the offer must be for the general. And it never succeeds,
Until today plaring the crusader states gaza was bribed by the fatimids after I took it.

[Mega Tortas de Bodemloze]

Has a diplomat ever in the history of Medieval Total War ever successfully bribed a player owned settlement???

Yes...

There are a couple of Rome Total War mods I've played in which the Diplomats were feared more than any AI Doom Stack ever was....

[Geoffrey of Villehardouin]

It is anyone's guess what they want, however, if you have enough money in the bank you will notice that occasionally they will offer you something, e.g. map information, in exchange for everything you have in the bank, if you happen to have thousands. So presumably they stumble on a settlement (which happens to be the human player's), upon which trigger they are scripted to initiate a diplomatic mission. Since standings with the human player's faction are usually abysmal, the offers they would be willing to make would not succeed because the human player does not have the required cash and/or standing. So the diplomatic mission scroll does not even open up, to avoid wasting the player's time. But the animation is fired off by the trigger in the same way as other animations and/or movies for AI merchants, spies or assassins interacting with the human player's faction.

[Point Blank]

You could change the animations to run twice (or whatever) as fast, use a tool called GOAT (search the forums), it allows you to add or subtract frames to any animation. That bowing is annoying, might do that myself.

[Comrade Roboto]

I always thought it was bribing since if was anthing else you would get the diplomacy dialog. Gotta admire their persistence to bribe though.

[Geoffrey of Villehardouin]

It is not necessarily bribing attempts. Presumably the bowing allows the engine time to go over the potential diplomatic missions and make the necessary calculations. Nothing takes 0 time. The bowing can be annoying, but it would be more annoying if scrolls were opening up every so often to ask you for money you do not have, or for trade rights when you already have trade rights, stuff like that.

[Andytheplatypus]

It is not necessarily bribing attempts. Presumably the bowing allows the engine time to go over the potential diplomatic missions and make the necessary calculations. Nothing takes 0 time. The bowing can be annoying, but it would be more annoying if scrolls were opening up every so often to ask you for money you do not have, or for trade rights when you already have trade rights, stuff like that.

Thats not true. You can only see diplomats that arent covered by FoW. If what you says was true it would show every diplomatic interaction every turn regardless where it is on the campaign map.

[Geoffrey of Villehardouin]

Thats not true. You can only see diplomats that arent covered by FoW. If what you says was true it would show every diplomatic interaction every turn regardless where it is on the campaign map.

I see your point, it makes sense. When someone manages to shorten the animation we will know for sure. It was just a suggestion for caution.