'I give you this gift as a token of goodwill.'

[Zachriel]

Originally posted by Trinity
If the world worked according to the bean counter, Japan, Germany, and Italy would still hate us. The AI needs to increase its medication. In my current game everyone except the British are at war.

The Allies conquered Japan, Germany and Italy, occupied them, subdued them, then integrated them into Modern Civilization.

 

[dojoboy]

Originally posted by Khshayarsha
When a civ AI demands an unequal trade (like I have to give them double the value of what they're giving me), should I take it? I always decline such trades because I don't like being cheated.

It may seem "unfair," but consider time saved by not having to research that particular tech, even if it is a tech you don't relish - it may be the one that gets you into the next age. It is one less tech you need to research, saving time. If your bringing in enough gold each turn that you feel comfortable doing it - do it.

Edit: Also, you can barter them down in price, never accept the offer on the table. They'll always take less, except early in the game -- my experience.

 

[misfitpunk]

gee, I sure wish someone would post an answer or at least an opinion related to my post which started this thread.

 

[Trinity]

If they come demanding, you're in democracy and have been at war for 8 turns, click "goodbye".

If they are wanting a world map and technology, and would be insulted by any equitable trade, just give them the world map. It is a "token of good will."

I just avoided a war that occurred by telling the Iroquois to remove their troops or else, by just giving them and RoP. Reason I did this was because when I didn't, within two turns my empire imploded. I went back to a previous save and just let them stay there.

 

[Zachriel]

Originally posted by misfitpunk
Is there a set minimum value for adjusting AI attitude towards you by giving them gifts? For example, would it be more beneficial to give them 1 gold 50 times rather than fifty gold, and if I'm giving them 2 things should I give them out in two seperate turns?

I believe only the value of the gift matters, not the number of gifts.

 

[Almightyjosh]

What is REALLY strange is that, if you sign a millitary alliance with another civ, usually they loooove you, but if you take it that step further and eliminate the enemy for all time, then everyone hates you. This includes those people who were helping you kill them, like this:
Germans - help us kill the naughty japanese, we'll give you money
Me - OK
I kill the japanese
Germans - You bastards, we remember how you treated 'our friends' the japs, we hate you
Me - Um, what?

 

[Trinity]

I particularly like the foreign advisor. I was at war with Persia. I was making a deal with the Iroquois. My foreign advisor said:

"Deal with Hiawatha carefully. Remember, he has repeatedly betrayed our friends, the Persians!"

Me: "Hey foreign advisor! Had your Paxil lately?"

Then I'm finally at peace with the world and I have no embargoes or MPPs against anyone from my end.

Caesar (furious): "I urge you to join me in a coalition to form a trade embargo against the evil Babylonians. Won't you join me?"

Foreign advisor: "Remember Caesar has betrayed our friends, the Iroquois."

Doh! Foreign advisor, don't you remember that we have no friends?

I remove it from the table, and try to trade luxury items but they have a trade embargo against us. So I trade world maps.

Hammurabi (furious): "Won't you join us in a trade embargo against Caesar? He is as much of a threat to you as he is to us."

Foreign advisor: "Hammurabi is a liar and cheat. He has betrayed and attacked us before. Deal with him carefully."

You just saved yourself from Shady Pines, foreign advisor. I thought you'd gone completely senile.

I again remove it from the table and trade world maps.

I'm the only one in the world with surplus oil now. 7 resources. In the last war, I took England's oil supply. They don't even have coal, got that one too. I go to the trade window and offer to sell them oil, but they have a trade embargo against me with Persia. Seems like they want to get wiped out by Germany.

I'd like to fire all advisors except my domestic and military. My foreign policy is DTA, don't trust anyone.

 

[Machi]

The AI in Civ3 is a misnomer. We should call it AR (artificial ******)

 

[Zeromus]

If you are suffering from unfair deals, just destroy them!:ripper:

But seriously, a succesful war campaign will yield spoils from the enemy when you force them to give in to your demands. These spoils will include techs that you may not have and money. But more importantly, your empire should be bigger, having new tradeable resources in your borders. Now you aren't the one who needs anything from the ai civs.

Learn the art of war. Embrace it.

 

[Zeromus]

Oh, and Trinity, about not being able to see the Zulu's activities, you can hold shift, then right-click on an empty spot or another face in the foreign advisor screen to bring up a list of anyone who isn't displayed. As for being able to see their MPP's or who their at war with, I think you need an embassy with them.

 

[Trinity]

Thanks for the tip about the foreign advisor screen. Shift-Right click. Cool. why don't they mention that in the book?

Also peace negotiations can show you just how far ahead of everyone you are. Everyone except the Babylonians have a trade embargo against me now. So when nations surrender, I demand war reparations -- usually enough to bankrupt them: I got 300 per turn from Xerses for 5 turns before he declared war again. Well, we're the French. We have Versailles.

Another the Iroquois attacked, not wanting to have a defeat on my hands, I made a quick alliance with Britain. That was fine, but I decided to throw in a city. It was a deal killer. It had oil and only 10 Iroquois infantry sitting next to it. So I go back to the previous save, and give the Iroquois an RoP just to end the tension.

Regarding the art of war: also remember to every once in a while to declare peace. It confuses the hell out of your enemies.

I'm being totally neutral right now. The entire world is PO'd. I just want to be able to trade with everyone. It would be real cool to be able to do covert operations like support one country against another while supplying the other country with resources for the duration from the conflict.

I'm really surprised I can't get even 3 gold/turn for oil to nations without any. So if they're not willing to pay me 200/turn for oil they don't get any. I am OPEC.

 

[Frodo Bolson]

When the AI comes with unfair proposals, instead of saying no or goodbye, I find it better to make a counter proposal, clean all the table and bring a proposal of my own. If they don't accept it, have a good day and their proposal is forget.

By the way, I find it useful to trade those useless technologies that don't allow any units or wonders but just allow new technologies.

 

[Trinity]

Unfair proposals is one thing, Frodo. Demands are another. With a straight-forward demand you have no counteroffer option. And trading technologies, I will only trade if I can benefit substantially, like something I didn't bother to research but need, or for a lot of gold/turn.

Know your enemies, but trade with them often, even if it is giving a useless world map as a gift. You get to see which technologies they have and you don't. It gives you a pulse of how far along you are.

 

[Sanguinarius]

Originally posted by misfitpunk
why give any civ any of your trade stuff for free out of pity? I'd rather at least give it to a civ that I want to like me.

To make it more challenging or sporting.