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First of all I want to say that SMAC is the best civ-based game and I'm
quite happy a version of Civ is released by your company. The major
disadvantage of all other civ games compared to AC are the very
primitive diplomatic and social options and I hope Civ3 will at least
have the advanced diplomatic and social systems of AC, or even better,
some of my ideas:

1.) small nations:
-more than barbarians, but limited compared to 'real' civs
-able to have diplomatic relations with civs
-civs can integrate these small nations peacefully in their
empire/nation using different ways, see 2.)
-small nations can become civs if one civ was defeated or reducded to a
small nation

2.) defeat/overthrow an enemy civ/small nation
-take all cities and integrate them as in the other civ-based games,
this way of defeating should be made more difficult by riots, partisans
etc. (->3rd Reich)
-compareable to AC, where nearly defeated factions gave all their energy
and tech and signed an alliance treaty, small nations and enemy civs can
be overthrown and made sattelite states (like the sattelie states of the
Sovjet Union) which have small autonomy, but are inoffically ruled by
the civ that overthrew it. civs that are overthrown are reduced to small
nations (->Sovjet Union, the Alliance of Greek isles lead by Athens
during the wars with Persia and Sparta)
-colonies/provinces: basically a form of satellite states, but in a more
'offical' way, while 'provinces' is the relation with the most
opression. both should not be possible for democratic civs (-> Roman
Empire, the time of 'Imperialism')
-a ferderation: this would be the sattelite states of democratic civs or
the friendly way of integrating a small nation. there could be two
different types, one with a central and a federal authority (a council
like in AC), or only with a counil (-> European Union, the Federation
from 'Star Trek')
-a commonwealth: a form of relation between 'colonies' and a
'federation'. the small nations have much autonomy, but cooperate with
the civ (->British Commonwealth)
-financial addiction: the civ uses its wealth to addict the small
nation/enemy civ financally (US in nower days)

3.) borders:
-there _must_ be borders like in AC

4.) treaties:
-research treaties like in Master of Orion 2 give extra research points
-cultural treaties offer better relations to other civs/nations (school
exchanges, events to bring the youth of both nations together and so on)
making it easier to form federations etc.)

5.) races:
-different races would offer new gameplay possibilities (slavery, racial
conflicts), at least African, Asian, European and Native Americans

6.) tributes/gifts:
-the AC tribute/gift system was almost perfect, but there could also be
the possibility of demanding units, demand a change of gouvernment or
asking allied to send troops (for exapmle to protect a city -> Vietnam
war)

That's all for now, hope you find some (or all ;-)?) of my ideas useful
and realistic.

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