AI Diplomacy and Demands

[Alpha_Venator]

I am not sure if it is working as intended, but the AI factions often make diplomatic requests toward me that say something along the lines of them wanting some type of tribute from me. There are no respnse options for me to consider and even if I send them dust it makes no difference and on the next turn they get upset. At the moment I am unsure on how to respond to the AI diplomatic requests and demands.

[Selphea]

Same way a real world country would react when a world leader randomly declares they should pay for something silly, like tariffs or military upkeep or a wall between them and another country!

[Riven]

already been discussed on the forums, fixed in todays patch. god bless Amplitude

[Riven]

scratch that last one, nothing has been fixed

[patrick]

I think that mostly has to do with the factions, AI vodyani always like to ask you to give them dust for example. Although it is phrased as a demand for tribute often it‘s just a request for a flat value of dust/other ressources. You can do the same to them if you want. It costs influence so there is no point in suggesting something they likely won‘t accept. Suggesting trades that would be absolutely stupid for you to accept (a classic: a cease fire request in a war that they are using in exchange for your best system) are a classic trait of the ES2 AI. Not accepting is fine, they might get a little hostile but they‘d do that either way unless you force peace of them or give them a peace deal heavily in their favor.

Well, the most important thing you have to consider is that there is a stat called diplomatic pressure. There are actions which increase or decrease it.

An empire that deals alot of pressure to another empire can start making demands and if the demand is not met they can impose a penalty on the other faction.The difference to the „trade“ that i mentioned above is that a refusal will end in you getting a strong drawback for several turns (10 in normal i think). Factions that are at war with each other can‘t impose anything to each other. So if someone else deals too much pressure to you, you either have to deal pressure back or declare a war in order to avoid their sanctions (or just deal with the sanctions, which i‘d absolutely advise against since they can be crippling).

I‘m not sure how diplomatic pressure is calculated exactly but your influence production plays a significant role in it (more influence -> deal more pressure) and each war you‘re engaged in gives you a significant setback (that means if you are at war with many factions the other factions that are not at war with you can impose upon you). I guess peace/alliances also give a bonus but i don‘t know about that for sure.

An easy way to improve your pressure is to use the bureaucratic imbroglio but you can keep only one of those active at a time (per empire) and the enemey can use it against you,too.

[Alpha_Venator]

I appreciate your insight into the diplomacy, but my problem was the AI sending me requests or demands without the game actually having a response option. I think that this is a bug and not an intended feature.

[Lord Yanaek]

As stated above, already discussed.

I tested what would happen if i decided to give them dust myself, using my own influence to initiate the exchange and tested different amounts (after saving and reloading) up to my entire treasury. Invariably, the very next turn, they would show again telling me i didn't give them any dust and their attitude was lowered so for me it's definitely a bug.

[Riven]

thats because before the Hissho update came out, AI asked for a specific ammount of dust, and you were presented with a choice to either give them dust or refuse, which then followed by another diplomatic message according to your choice.
now they just spam these pointless messages