For example, the following is in the const.txt file...

MAX_PARTY_COST 500 # most than can be spent on a party
MAX_PARTY_CHANCE 0.5 # the chance of hearing gossip at a party where the
# max gold was spent. Less gold decreases proportionally.
GOSSIP_MAP_RADIUS 10 # When a map is revealed through gossip, a circle of
# this radius appears
HEAR_GOSSIP_CHANCE 0.02 # How likely a diplomat next to a capitol is to hear gossip

Does this actually do anything, or is this just extra sitting around from a previous version? Since my diplomats don't do much anyways, I left one sitting next to another civ's capital to see if it could here any gossip. None yet. He's been there well over 50 turns, so the probablities are starting to head towards the fact that I should maybe have seen something by now.

It sounded like a neat idea, but seems like it might be hard to execute.

Didn't lose anything. That diplomat was going to stay there on that continent to through receptions for the one civ that's friendly to me right now. So I just left him sitting next to the capital rather than having him wander like a hobo through the country like I normally do.

Thanks