HELP: Diplomacy

[Inverse Icarus]

i was playing a game with a friend of mine (we're both learning), and when i entered one of his sectors a battle screen came up. i retreated from the battle without firing, but the game won't let us start diplomacy. any idea why?

i started in the orion senate, and he didnt, if that makes a difference.

thanks in advance.

[Killazer]

Im running into new civs sometimes but I cant talk to them.. they never show up in the diplomacy screen. Im not sure what thats about.

[Kinjiru]

I think you have to move into a sector the aliens control. Just meeting a fleet in neutral space or your own space will not let you talk to them in teh diplomacy window.

Or so I think from teh few games I've played.

[Killazer]

naw I was actually flying scouts around all of their controled planets yet I could never get them into my diplo menu so I could talk to em. guess il keep on playin......

[Inverse Icarus]

yea, i was in his HOME sector, and it kept asking me to bombard his planet or blockade, and i couldnt talk.

[Tuberski]

I was wondering how that worked as well, I've met several civs long before I actually had diplo relations with them, and they always have open the relations.

I go to my diplo screen and it doesn't show any other races.

ACK!

[Scot_free]

Not only have I had this happen, I've gotten diplomatic relations with a civ once when none of their ships were around my area, nor were any of my ships in their area. I had been in their space about 10-20 turns before, and no diplomatic relations were available. I then disbanded the task force in their area (so it would eventually be available for use again), and, after a few turns, I could contact them!

Very strange stuff, indeed.

[ChaotikVisions]

Seems like you have to have a colony of theirs within 2 star lanes travel of one of yours. So early on its hard to get contacts unless your in the senate or expading fast.

[Scot_free]

That reasoning seems reasonable. Anyway, if that is true, then you can also lose contact with a race (which happened to me in one of my games). Now it all makes sense.

[Killazer]

wow... ya that sure is interesting if thats the case. But dont u think with ultra-uber-super-advanced-tachyon-quark-communications u would be able to send an email to another alien AI pretty much half way around the galaxy? i dunno

[Inverse Icarus]

Originally posted by ChaotikVisions
Seems like you have to have a colony of theirs within 2 star lanes travel of one of yours. So early on its hard to get contacts unless your in the senate or expading fast.

is this in the manual somewhere, or is this just observation?

it makes sense to me though. i conquered an enemy planet 1 jump from his land the turn before he contacted me.

thanks

[Killazer]

been playing some more and I think that is right.. seems like u need to have an established colony within a couple jumps of an established ai colony to open up formal communications.

[Jamski]

This is confirmed. Only one neutral/allied/other system between you means you can communicate. More means you cannot.

-Jam

[Killazer]

I think the Orion Senate is an exception to that tho... I think you can communicate with all other members who are on the senate regardless of your positions. Not sure tho but I think so....

[GodKing]

Killazer - True. The senate is an exception - which is why it is so usefull.

WoA - I concure. It appears that you must be close with either colonies or outposts to begin relations. What a pain. Took me a while in the 3 games I played last night to realize what was going on.