I am of the opinion that diplomacy in 1.5 is worse than diplomacy in 1.2 and 1.0, combined.
Just as an example today, i'm playing 1.5 with RTR platinum, but i've played BI and vanilla 1.5 also and it's the same, and if we thought that diplomacy was non-existant in 1.2, then no word exists to describe how non-existant it is in 1.5. So anyway, playing 1.5 today as the Romans and getting frustrated. Obviously i was at war with the Greeks as you start off at war with them, kicked them off the peninsula and out of Sicily, and now, 30 years later, they have 1 city left, Rhodes... So i think to myself, ok, i'll give them 10k and offer a ceasefire. They tell me they cannot accept. I conquer the two cities on Crete, offer them to the Greeks in return for ceasefire and trade rights, they cannot accept. Offered them all the money in my treasury, over 100k, for a ceasefire and trade rights... No deal. It doesn't matter what you offer the AI, it will never accept a ceasefire. It would rather be destroyed than accept a ceasefire with you.
But it doesn't only happen with factions that YOU declared war on... It happens with factions who declare it on you. Carthage blockaded a port... It gave me an excuse to invade Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica... I take them and ask for ceasfire. No deal. Frustrated, i land several armies in Africa and take Carthage, Adrumento and that city to the left of Carthage, their 3 major populated money making troop recruitment cities... I occupy them, don't destroy buildings, and then offer the 3 cities back to Carthage in return for a ceasefire and trade rights. No deal. I wait a turn and offer them the 3 cities, all the cities on Sicily, Sarinia and Corsica for a ceasefire. NO DEAL! They had some arid desert cities left and a few in southern Spain, why would they not accept this offer of their empire back and a ceasefire?
Gaul... They blockade a port... Gives me an excuse to invade northern Italy. I take northern Italy, offer a ceasefire and trade rights. No deal. I send several armies through Gaul, sacking and burning every city they own in Gaul, even their capital, and i leave them absolutely crippled economically and militarily... I offer back northern Italy, 200k and a ceasefire. NO DEAL!
I try to swap map information with a faction in the far east of the map that will never come into contact with me... NO DEAL! I try to buy it... NO DEAL! I try to offer it FOR FREE! NO DEAL! I try to offer it for free and give them 100k, NO DEAL!
And if all that wasn't enough, nobody will ally theirselves with you in 1.5 diplomacy. Ask all you want, offer them the world on a golden plate with a sidesalad made from $20 bills, and they will tell you an alliance is not a good thing.
Can diplomacy be kept as it is in 1.2, is it hardcoded, and if the answers to those two questions are no and yes in that order, is there a 1.5 diplomacy guide out there because i'm about ready to use RTW as a frisby.
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