Relations help!

Having multiple trade routes with someone is a BIG plus. I've found that just giving techs or money is not enough. Alignment plays a part, although not as big as other factors. And yes, you cannot form an alliance until you get to "Close" relations. 

Your level of Diplomacy has an effect, as well. I too, was puzzled at not being able to get alliances when I first started playing, but it was suggested to me to raise my diplomacy skill and that certainly helped. 

How do I make a Trade or Tech treaty? I did not see an option for that, just alliance treaty. I only have Dread Lords so I don't know if thats the problem.

In addition to achieving "Close" relations, you also need to research the "Alliances" tech (available on the "Interstellar Governments" branch) in order to make an alliance with another civilization.

Another relations factor that is harder (but more fun!) to achieve is building a large fleet.  I have found that if your fleet has relative parity with another civilization, it won't appear in their factors list; if your fleet has an advantage, it will appear as a single "+"; and if your fleet has a significant advantage, it will appear as a "++" factor.  Basically, the bigger your fleet, the friendlier the other civilizations are toward you.  (Who wants to make an alliance with a civilization that fields a wimpy fleet, anyway?)  In fact, fleet strength should be one of the first considerations when deciding to make an alliance.  If they have a week fleet, chances are you are going to get dragged into a fighting a war for them when one of the stronger civilizations goes after their planets and/or resources.  On that note, make an alliance with a minor civilization only if it is absolutely critical that they be defended -- for instance, if their location is very strategic or close to your planets and/or resources.  In any case, be careful with alliances as they are difficult to break with significant consequences.

Thanks I will take the bigger fleet affect into consideration.  How do I make other treaties other than Alliance?  I have not seen an option for anything else, even on Close relations.

That is probably the problem. Some bits of the expansions got back-ported to the base game, but I don't think the econ and tech treaties are among them.

Re your general questions, the military rating thing is definitely important, but you can fudge it a bit with a military starbase and a bunch of cheap hulls with minimal gear on them. The AIs have no way of assessing your practical military power (comparative ship strength, distribution of forces, etc.), but they take the fuzzy global value very seriously in the diplo context.

To make a better relationship with another race you definitely need to trade, build a force of fleets and research diplomatic techs. If you build too many fleets it can give an penalty for your relation with the race X. Relation factor, called "Too Militaristic" is what you get than, which is negative for the relationship. And if you park your fleets near the race X:s planets with transports and attack ships, you would mostly get suspicious by the race X for planing an sneak attack (relation factor: "We know what you are doing").So don't have your transports or attack ships spread around in that way - its bad for the relationship because you will lost the race X:s trust. And mainly the most important relation factor is that you align ethically same with the race X. But actually that is not all to important for making an relationship. What relation factors gives a "++" is; "Treaties", ehmm I can't remember more then that. 

 

I hope this will help you!

 

/ Mandrall

That's incorrect. The " - Militaristic" relation penalty refers to the other race, not you - it means they're militaristic and are harder to work with. It may be random, or it may refer to that race's planned strategy (conquest) - but there's not much you can do about either way. It has nothing to do with how militaristic you are, though.

 

You can make economic and research treaties with any race, even if you're on hostile relations (a very useful strategy for preventing war, since AIs are very reluctant to go to war with a treaty-partner and destroy their reputation). What I think is happening is that they already have treaties with someone else, and unlike alliances which have no limit, each race can only have 2 treaties: one econ treaty and one research treaty i.e. if it's late enough in the game then everyone else will have a treaty buddy already.

I mostly play TotA but I'm pretty sure that's how it works in DL too.

Nope - no treaties in DL at all. They were introduced with DA.

  [DA:] Give them gifts (or discounted sales),  even cheap techs like "missile defence theory".  You have to wait a few months until you can give the next gift or make the alliance.