In the Prince Machiavelli asks the question, "Is it better to be feared or loved?".
An interesting relationship system would be a two dimensional system where the two dimensions are Fear and Love. 100 on the Love scale and you are beloved by that empire. At -100 Love you are hated. For 100 on the Fear scale you are regarded as terrifying. At -100 Fear you are dismissed without a thought.
What becomes interesting is what happens when these two scales are combined.
Loved and Feared - Respectful- The empires that hold this opinion of you are most likely your allies. They regard you warmly, and will come to your aid if you are attacked. This is the best- and most rare- type of relationship.
Loved and Dismissed- Patronizing- You are regarded as a satellite state by some powerful neighbor. They may offer to guarantee your protection, perhaps for a price, perhaps not.
Hated and Feared- Hostile- Your empire is seen as a great threat, but the empires that hold this view are unwilling to move against you. They will plot and scheme, form alliances, and build ships. They will rant about your wicked deeds. They will pour poison in the ears of your allies and try to isolate you. But they will not act. They dare not.
Hated and Dismissed- Domineering- Your enemies do not fear you. They view you as something to be exterminated. They will soon attack.
Fear is generated by having a large military (fleet size and strength, armies, military stations, spaceports), winning wars, starting wars, enslaving, and purging. Fear is lost by having a small military and losing wars.
Love is more complicated. Egalitarians will love freeing slaves, liberating planets, and stopping purges. Materialists will love researching techs. Pacifists will love you for being at peace for a long time. Militarists will love you for winning wars and starting wars. etc. etc.
The interesting thing about this system is how you can have more complex relationships. To use and EU4 example, Albania hates the Ottomans. This means that they will never comply with their demands for vassalization. They will be stubborn and wait for the Ottomans to attack. With this system, they may realize their imminent danger and offer their vassalization to the Ottomans, or perhaps they will offer to the Polish or Austrians. If the Ottomans offered the Albanians an alliance in EU4 the Albanians would reject, but they logical thing to do would be to accept it for the protection it provides.
If two powers Respect each other, they will help each other, but they will prepare defenses against each other. They will realize that if they defeated all their common foes that they would turn on each other. They would reach out for other alliances to make sure their "friend" stays their friend.
The current system has some of these features built it, but it isn't quite as precise. A moderate power that is very belligerent and enslaves all conquered people should be more feared than a superpower that has been at peace for the entire game. In the current system an empire that bordered these two empires would be more afraid of the gentle giant than the pocket-sized-living-atrocity. They should be afraid of the guy who actually uses their power.
Let them hate so long as they fear.
-Caligula
An interesting relationship system would be a two dimensional system where the two dimensions are Fear and Love. 100 on the Love scale and you are beloved by that empire. At -100 Love you are hated. For 100 on the Fear scale you are regarded as terrifying. At -100 Fear you are dismissed without a thought.
What becomes interesting is what happens when these two scales are combined.
Loved and Feared - Respectful- The empires that hold this opinion of you are most likely your allies. They regard you warmly, and will come to your aid if you are attacked. This is the best- and most rare- type of relationship.
Loved and Dismissed- Patronizing- You are regarded as a satellite state by some powerful neighbor. They may offer to guarantee your protection, perhaps for a price, perhaps not.
Hated and Feared- Hostile- Your empire is seen as a great threat, but the empires that hold this view are unwilling to move against you. They will plot and scheme, form alliances, and build ships. They will rant about your wicked deeds. They will pour poison in the ears of your allies and try to isolate you. But they will not act. They dare not.
Hated and Dismissed- Domineering- Your enemies do not fear you. They view you as something to be exterminated. They will soon attack.
Fear is generated by having a large military (fleet size and strength, armies, military stations, spaceports), winning wars, starting wars, enslaving, and purging. Fear is lost by having a small military and losing wars.
Love is more complicated. Egalitarians will love freeing slaves, liberating planets, and stopping purges. Materialists will love researching techs. Pacifists will love you for being at peace for a long time. Militarists will love you for winning wars and starting wars. etc. etc.
The interesting thing about this system is how you can have more complex relationships. To use and EU4 example, Albania hates the Ottomans. This means that they will never comply with their demands for vassalization. They will be stubborn and wait for the Ottomans to attack. With this system, they may realize their imminent danger and offer their vassalization to the Ottomans, or perhaps they will offer to the Polish or Austrians. If the Ottomans offered the Albanians an alliance in EU4 the Albanians would reject, but they logical thing to do would be to accept it for the protection it provides.
If two powers Respect each other, they will help each other, but they will prepare defenses against each other. They will realize that if they defeated all their common foes that they would turn on each other. They would reach out for other alliances to make sure their "friend" stays their friend.
The current system has some of these features built it, but it isn't quite as precise. A moderate power that is very belligerent and enslaves all conquered people should be more feared than a superpower that has been at peace for the entire game. In the current system an empire that bordered these two empires would be more afraid of the gentle giant than the pocket-sized-living-atrocity. They should be afraid of the guy who actually uses their power.
Let them hate so long as they fear.
-Caligula
