Envoy related crash

[Iceman]

I formed an Open Borders treaty, then spent all my available trade routes (5-6) with them (stupidly, I should add, as I didn't have any to use with minors as a result... ) . I probably had close to 200 credits per turn in trade with them. I left things at that, but I'm guessing that over time, all that trade won them over. They bumped things up to Affiliation and then Alliance.

Nope, that was not it. Maintaining treaties gains you Trust. IIRC it doesn't increase Regard.
I think I know how though, should have thought a bit before asking... Your envoy to them, Kruge, he is not a good Diplomat, so I suspect that you had another envoy to the Roms before him? One of the retired agents? Someone with high Charisma or Empathy.

Do you think that there should be more trade routes? I decreased them some time ago, to make your choices matter more, and keep treasuries in the late game under control.
What about trade route output, is it ok, too low, too high...?
Trade should be (very) profitable, but if it makes credits in the game something you don't have to worry about...
This was a topic of debate a few weeks ago, so I'd be very interested in more opinions.

I've emailed you the track. Let me know if you have any issues unzipping the 3-part file. Given it's length, I think it would be less tiring compared to other tracks. Unless you can rotate the music, that'll be an issue no matter which you choose, I would think.

Thanks, will check asap.
You can make tracks play sequentially or randomly, regardless of active screen, BTW. Edit the MusicPacks.xml file, uncomment the SimpleMusicPack section and comment(/delete) the DefaultMusicPack sections. See instructions for sequential vs random playlists.

Minors like the Kelleruns and Nausicaans (i.e Warlike, Raider) should be more predisposed to liking Klingons, and other minors more predisposed to each of the other major powers based on personality similarities.

There's something like that already in place. Allegiant minors love the Feds, Warlike minors favor the Klingons (can't recall if Raiders too), Deceptive minors like Cards, etc.

edit:
Pacifist minors like everyone (out of respect or fear ), Allegiant and Peaceful like the Feds, Spiritual like the Feds and Dominion, Warlike like the Klingons and the Dominion, and Deceptive like the Romulans and the Cardassians. Raiders don't like anyone Isolationists don't trust anyone. Allegiant trusts the Feds more.
Suggestions for improvement are welcome.

Regarding the Edo specifically, they have their caretaker in orbit, so I'd think they'd be less predisposed to everyone, but if it helps with balance (or coding simplicity), I don't think this is a major issue.

This particular situation should be rather easy, just need to check if they have a station in their homesystem. The only other minor with a station is the Ferengi, but they don't propose membership (I think!)

[Warp Core Breach]

Do you think that there should be more trade routes? I decreased them some time ago, to make your choices matter more, and keep treasuries in the late game under control.
What about trade route output, is it ok, too low, too high...?
Trade should be (very) profitable, but if it makes credits in the game something you don't have to worry about...

For the one game I had where I could use trade routes, I didn't feel the amount was all that large compared to my total income. Certainly nice to have, but not game-breaking. I thought trade routes were more of a diplomatic tool. Good trade = likes you more. That's what I was thinking when I connected all my trade routes to the Roms. Appears you're saying that's not the case though. I guess that would be my suggestion. Find a way to have trade improve your diplomatic standing, just like terraforming their planets helps.

[Iceman]

For the one game I had where I could use trade routes, I didn't feel the amount was all that large compared to my total income. Certainly nice to have, but not game-breaking.

200 for 5-6 TRs, it's like having that many more colonies producing taxes. That was the effect I was looking for, but it is open for change.

I thought trade routes were more of a diplomatic tool. Good trade = likes you more. That's what I was thinking when I connected all my trade routes to the Roms. Appears you're saying that's not the case though. I guess that would be my suggestion. Find a way to have trade improve your diplomatic standing, just like terraforming their planets helps.

They are. Good trade = trusts you more. Eventually Trust will affect Regard in a small measure, and be more important in getting better treaties.
The thing with trade affecting Regard is that there are other ways to do it already: terra, envoys, gifts. Adding trade to the mix (which was implemented at some point) makes memberships too easy; I'd say they're too easy even without trade, and I've cut the effect of envoys a couple of times already.

I envision trade as a nice help to boost your economy in the early game, with some effect on diplo. For embargos to mean anything, trade must have a strong economic component. But it shouldn't be so strong as to dominate the game. And trade with minors shouldn't be much more profitable than having them as members (and collecting their taxes) - that would be kind of weird. That's why I aimed at, like mentioned above, each TR netting something close to a colony's taxes. [though tax output was drastically reduced in the last patch]

Again, all of this can be changed to something that works better!

[Warp Core Breach]

Again, all of this can be changed to something that works better!

I don't see a compelling reason to change this at the moment.

Nope, that was not it. Maintaining treaties gains you Trust. IIRC it doesn't increase Regard.
I think I know how though, should have thought a bit before asking... Your envoy to them, Kruge, he is not a good Diplomat, so I suspect that you had another envoy to the Roms before him? One of the retired agents? Someone with high Charisma or Empathy.

I think you're right. I had my first envoy retire. Don't remember the stats, but if I remember correctly, he did have 1 bar really high. Do envoys get better over time? After signing Open Borders, I basically left the Roms alone. Didn't enter their space, and of course, never broke any treaties.

[Iceman]

Again, all of this can be changed to something that works better!

I don't see a compelling reason to change this at the moment.

Ok. But since taxes were drastically reduced, we might need to actually bump trade revenue up a bit. Either by increasing the number of TRs (reverting the recent decrease) or increasing the modifiers. The former means more flexibility in terms of civs you can affect in some way; the latter means a bit more effect for each civ (which is most relevant [only] when not all TRs are assigned, really).

I think you're right. I had my first envoy retire. Don't remember the stats, but if I remember correctly, he did have 1 bar really high. Do envoys get better over time?

Yep, when they have an assignment. They also have a training period in their first 20 turns, if they're not assigned, in which they also increase their stats.

[Iceman]

In both of my games, the Cardassians have fared poorly, even despite my not encountering them.

Found out why!
It's not specific to the Cardassians, but a check in the wrong place was preventing the AI from expanding under certain circumstances. if they didn't find good systems early on, they would expand slowly.

I took down the patch that I had just uploaded, will test the fix and re-upload.

Thanks!