One thing that might be done to liven up the mid-game is inter empire events that can affect relations and various other things. This is another way to bring ethos and traits into the game.
Some might be done with the current event system, some might use the conversational diplomacy system, a bit like the underground civ or lost probe 'events'.
For example:
A religious civ might request border access for their pilgrims to visit a planet/system in your empire that they deem 'Holy'. There could be various follow on events and different responses depending on your Ethos. Perhaps some of them even want to settle there. Refuse the pilgrims of a militant religious civ access and they might suddenly have a -1000 relation and goal of taking that system... by force. This could also work if you were the religious civ. Get access for your pilgrims and get a happiness bonus for your whole civ. Seize the planet with the 'Holy' modifier for an even bigger boost.
Scientific civs might want to build a unique building on one of your worlds to research your civilization. You give up a tile, but in exchange they grant you some bonuses/cash. Are they really researching you? Maybe. Maybe they're doing something sinister. Plenty of room for follow up events here too.
Trading ships from a free market neighbor may be sneaking through your borders despite the lack of access and making a profit on your worlds. How do you deal with this? Does a trade crackdown destroy relations or trigger a war? Just what are they selling your people?
Are xenophobes kidnapping your citizens for sinister purposes?
How do you deal with the diplomatic incident caused by your fanatic xenophile diplomat really, really, really loving aliens?
The system you guys have in place is great, but it really needs to be expanded beyond just finding lost anomalies and into the diplomatic system. There are lots of great ways to add flavor to neighbors, use uncommon diplomatic options (like migration), or trigger feuds and wars.
Some might be done with the current event system, some might use the conversational diplomacy system, a bit like the underground civ or lost probe 'events'.
For example:
A religious civ might request border access for their pilgrims to visit a planet/system in your empire that they deem 'Holy'. There could be various follow on events and different responses depending on your Ethos. Perhaps some of them even want to settle there. Refuse the pilgrims of a militant religious civ access and they might suddenly have a -1000 relation and goal of taking that system... by force. This could also work if you were the religious civ. Get access for your pilgrims and get a happiness bonus for your whole civ. Seize the planet with the 'Holy' modifier for an even bigger boost.
Scientific civs might want to build a unique building on one of your worlds to research your civilization. You give up a tile, but in exchange they grant you some bonuses/cash. Are they really researching you? Maybe. Maybe they're doing something sinister. Plenty of room for follow up events here too.
Trading ships from a free market neighbor may be sneaking through your borders despite the lack of access and making a profit on your worlds. How do you deal with this? Does a trade crackdown destroy relations or trigger a war? Just what are they selling your people?
Are xenophobes kidnapping your citizens for sinister purposes?
How do you deal with the diplomatic incident caused by your fanatic xenophile diplomat really, really, really loving aliens?
The system you guys have in place is great, but it really needs to be expanded beyond just finding lost anomalies and into the diplomatic system. There are lots of great ways to add flavor to neighbors, use uncommon diplomatic options (like migration), or trigger feuds and wars.
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