Why do you keep giving me all your gold, AI?

I sorta get the idea behind this, but I think perhaps it needs to be scaled back a bit, especially when it comes to the Human player. I'm talking about when you're doing well in score/power, the AI will generally just line up over and over to fill your coffers with tribute. I could see the AI maybe making a decision of capitulating to tribute demands if I were to threaten them (while hating me more and more, etc) but I don't even have to do anything. They fill my coffers which gives me even more money to build/upgrade more troops which makes me powerful which makes them want to give me more tribute all over again. It's a vicious cycle that leads to their doooooooooom.

Anyone else agree, or do you all like the mechanic as it currently stands?

EDIT: Also, is there a way to get AI civs to like me more? Do I have to do the same "Here's some tribute" thing or is there no way to do so?

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DsRaider

Join Date 11/2008

+70

If you accept tribute you can't attack the giver for awhile. Although the AI still sucks at this as it offers you tribute when you are no real immediate threat. It would be better if it only offered tribute when you border each other or have an army near it. Also it could offer tribute when you declare war in a attempt to save itself.

I think the only other way to make AIs like you is through treaties and military might.

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Lord Reliant

Join Date 03/2006

+39

Quoting DsRaider,

reply 1

If you accept tribute you can't attack the giver for awhile.

Really? Does it say that somewhere when they give money? If so, how long does that last? I think it's a good idea, but the game mechanic behind it needs to be apparent.

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If you look at the "offer tribute" treaty in the Diplomacy screen, it gives you a lot more info than the "player X offers you tribute" popup. I believe that it offers 10% of a faction's income and prevents either side from being able to declare war, and I think it lasts 30 turns by default (though I feel like I've gotten offers from an AI player that terminated more quickly than that).

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It's a smart move. Say I'm a bit below your faction power. And I plan to go to war with another faction which is smaller than me. But if you would decide to help them, or simply attack me once I'm committed to it, I will be in trouble. So I will give you a tribute of 10% of my income (which is 10% of gildar per turn, so it isn't really much for the one who's giving away) plus optional a fixed small sum of gildar. Then for 30 turns I'm safe from your side as you can't interfere with my plans as we're bound in the treaty.

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