The more I play Civ IV, the more annoyed I get with how relations work. I've noticed it more since I've gone back to Warlords b/c my friend has a Mac and apparently the good people at Firaxis have decided not to make BTS for Macs.
I'm super pissed that being "under the sway of a heathen religion" is such a game changer. I'm annoyed that I can be demanded to do or give anything and receive a negative point from it if I refuse AND that even giving tribute isn't a guarantee for safety. I'm annoyed that two civs from all the way across the world will go to war and one will inevitably ask me to go to war with them and when I refuse, I receive a negative point. I'm frustrated that years of peace is only worth +1 point and years of good trade is also something that doesn't get enough points. Why is it so prohibitive to give enough tribute to make it your worthwhile? Why is it that trade is so rigid that I can only get a lump sum for a tech or gold per turn for a resource? Or that when trading tech, the ai always has to get the better part, even when I'm MUCH stronger. How can a civ be pleased or friendly with me and yet they don't like me enough swap techs that everyone else has or trade resources like bananas? Why is it that civs will randomly go to war with me even though I have more positive points than negative?
The relations suck for this game. The point system is totally screwed up and unrealistic IMO. Civ V will have to promise big changes in the diplomacy among other things for me to instantly buy it.
Ahh, I feel a little better now that I've ranted. I guess I just want to know if this happens to anyone else and they get this frustrated
I'm super pissed that being "under the sway of a heathen religion" is such a game changer. I'm annoyed that I can be demanded to do or give anything and receive a negative point from it if I refuse AND that even giving tribute isn't a guarantee for safety. I'm annoyed that two civs from all the way across the world will go to war and one will inevitably ask me to go to war with them and when I refuse, I receive a negative point. I'm frustrated that years of peace is only worth +1 point and years of good trade is also something that doesn't get enough points. Why is it so prohibitive to give enough tribute to make it your worthwhile? Why is it that trade is so rigid that I can only get a lump sum for a tech or gold per turn for a resource? Or that when trading tech, the ai always has to get the better part, even when I'm MUCH stronger. How can a civ be pleased or friendly with me and yet they don't like me enough swap techs that everyone else has or trade resources like bananas? Why is it that civs will randomly go to war with me even though I have more positive points than negative?
The relations suck for this game. The point system is totally screwed up and unrealistic IMO. Civ V will have to promise big changes in the diplomacy among other things for me to instantly buy it.
Ahh, I feel a little better now that I've ranted. I guess I just want to know if this happens to anyone else and they get this frustrated