Modifying diplomacy

[FactionHeir]

Dear all,

I'm currently having a look at the files and want to modify the way diplomacy works: Mainly the cost of ceasefires, why alliances go from very generous to very demanding after about 30 turns of play (although reputation is same or better) and why demanding protectorates has a seemingly random behavior.

I used the extractor to extract all files containing the word diplomacy but only the export_diplomacy.xml seems to hold any clue at all, although I might have missed the actual file.
That xml file on the other hand doesn't make much sense to me at all as the modifiers are mainly 0.25 (no + or -) and all costs are 1.0. Thus I don't quite understand how that has to do with the cost of the terms at all.

If someone could point me in the right direction on this (i.e. which file and how to modify it if its not obvious) I'd very much appreciate it.
If its similar to the other export files (building, unit, traits, ancillaries, guilds) then I probably can figure out how to work it.

[nikolai1962]

Two other files are critical with this (maybe others too)

descr_campaign_ai_db.xml
descr_faction_standing.txt

only just getting into this so i don't know much more than that yet.

[FactionHeir]

Thanks! Will check them out

[KnightErrant]

This threads been quiet for a while but it
has some good stuff in it about AI behavior:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=75496

[alpaca]

Keep in mind that a lot of stuff is hardcoded (like diplomacy decisions), the only thing you can really edit is faction standing and some of the invasion and defend decisions, but for that I'd wait for the 1.2 patch (they appear to have changed a bit of stuff around there)

[FactionHeir]

Thanks for the link.

Now I wonder what "alliance_against" does. Its found in the outnumbering the enemy section
Also wondering how I can influence AI decision on when demanding a protectorate from them (the db file only has cases for AI offering protectorate and demanding protectorate but no response to human demands)

[alpaca]

Alliance against means that you are allied with another faction that is at war with the target.

And offering protectorate is probably what you want, although I didn't test it myself.

[FactionHeir]

Hmmm that must be quite extreme then if it requires you to be allied with 6 other factions against 1 faction for it to become your protectorate :S

On a related note, encircling the enemy faction with your own lands or almost encircling BUT having a stack in the regions which are not bordering your own makes demand of protectorate a balanced matter.

[alpaca]

On a side note, protectorates don't really have much of a point in this game.
I'd say it's always better to just conquer the province... because the AI will simply be too stubborn about it and even demand stuff instead of seeing it as the last possible way to survive as a faction.

[nikolai1962]

On a related note, encircling the enemy faction with your own lands or almost encircling BUT having a stack in the regions which are not bordering your own makes demand of protectorate a balanced matter.

Interesting


Personally i always liked protectorates cos they managed their own cities and chased their own rebels. Can be hard to get sometimes though.