To Negotiate is to engage in the formal process of aligning disparate Goals into a single, binding agreement. It is the verb of social crafting, the mechanism by which agents move beyond simple transactions or coercive threats and into the realm of contracts, treaties, and the founding of new social orders.

Within ATET, Negotiation is a specialized and high-stakes form of Conflict resolution in the Social Arena. It is the primary tool for creating lasting, systemic change, turning the ephemeral will of individuals into the concrete, observable reality of a Faction, a law, or a shared destiny.

The Philosophy of Negotiation

Negotiation is the art of turning “I want” and “you want” into “we agree.” It is an act of deliberate narrative construction, an attempt to weave multiple, potentially conflicting Threads into a single, stronger cord. Where Converse is used to exchange information and Trade is used to exchange goods, Negotiate is used to exchange promises.

It is the engine of civilization. An agent can use Violence to take what it needs today, but it must use Negotiate to ensure it will have what it needs tomorrow. This process is rarely about finding a perfect, equitable solution. It is a contest of leverage, a dance of persuasion and coercion, where the final agreement reflects the balance of power, trust, and desperation at the table. A successful negotiation doesn’t just resolve a conflict; it creates a new Fact in the Tapestry—the Agreement—that all signatories are now bound by, for good or for ill.

The Mechanics of Negotiation

A Negotiation is a formal, structured interaction, initiated when an agent determines that a complex, multi-party agreement is a more viable path to its Goals than unilateral action.

The Trigger for Negotiation

An agent’s ActionAppraisalSystem will generate a NegotiateGoal when faced with specific, complex problems:

• Coordination Requirement: A Goal is too large for one agent to accomplish alone (e.g., “Build a settlement,” “Overthrow the Hegemony”).
• Conflict De-escalation: A prolonged or costly Conflict exists, and an agent seeks a formal truce or resolution that is more permanent than simply walking away.
• Formalizing Relationships: A desire to turn a series of successful but informal Trades into a formal TradePact, or to solidify an alliance with a non-aggression treaty.
• Faction Genesis: The explicit Goal of uniting multiple agents under a single banner and a shared Faith, requiring the formal negotiation of a power structure and member obligations.

The Process: A Game of Terms and Leverage

A Negotiation unfolds as a turn-based exchange of proposals.

1. The Proposal: An agent proposes a set of Terms. Terms are the building blocks of the agreement, discrete clauses that define the deal. Examples include:

   • Economic Terms: [EstablishTradeRoute], [ShareResource(Food, 10%)], [GrantExclusiveAccess(MiningRights)]
   • Military Terms: [FormNonAggressionPact], [DeclareDefensiveAlliance], [JoinWarAgainst(Faction_X)]
   • Political Terms: [RecognizeSovereignty], [CedeTerritory(Sector_7)], [Appoint(Agent_Y)_As_Leader]

2. The Evaluation: The receiving agent(s) evaluate the proposed package of Terms. Their ActionAppraisalSystem runs a complex cost-benefit analysis, asking:

   • “Does this agreement help me satisfy my core Needs?”
   • “Does it advance my long-term Goals?”
   • “Does it violate my core Beliefs or Faith?”
   • “What is the risk if I refuse?”

3. Leverage: The Currency of Negotiation: The success of a proposal is not just about its inherent fairness. It is determined by the proposing agent’s Leverage. Leverage is a dynamic score representing the social, economic, and military pressure an agent can exert. Sources of Leverage include:

   • Trust & Reputation: High mutual trust makes terms seem more reliable and appealing.
   • Coercion (Threat): An overwhelming military advantage can force an agent to accept unfavorable terms to ensure its survival (SafetyNeed).
   • Ideological Power: Appealing to a shared Faith can make a proposal feel like a sacred duty.
   • Economic Power: The ability to offer vital resources or deny market access can sway a desperate agent.

4. The Outcome: Agreement or Stalemate:

   • Agreement: If all parties accept the terms, a new, persistent social entity—an Agreement—is created in the simulation. This might be a Faction component added to all members, a Treaty component linking their entities, or a set of shared, high-strength Beliefs added to their AgentBeliefStore. This Agreement now acts as a hard constraint and motivator on their future actions.
   • Stalemate/Failure: If the terms are rejected, trust is often damaged. The failure of a negotiation can lead to a hardening of positions and an escalation of the underlying Conflict, often pushing it from the Social Arena into the Physical one (Violence).

The Player’s Experience

For the player, initiating or participating in a Negotiation brings up a dedicated interface, a “Diplomatic Table” that blends the strategic feel of a 4X game with the personal, subjective lens of ATET.

• The Interface: The screen shows all participants. For each one, the Subjective Interface, augmented by the player’s Insight and social Skills, displays crucial information:

  • Current Mood/Disposition: [Receptive], [Wary], [Hostile]
  • Key Goals or Needs: [Desperate for Food], [Fears Faction_X]
  • Your Leverage: A visual meter or score showing how much influence you currently have over them. This bar might increase if you move your fleet into orbit above their planet, or decrease if you are caught lying to them.

• Building the Proposal: The player does not choose from a generic list of dialogue options. Instead, they have a “toolbox” of available Terms. They construct their proposal by dragging these Terms into an offer window. The list of available Terms is dynamic, based on context and knowledge. You cannot propose a [JoinWarAgainst(Pirates)] if you don’t know the other party has a pirate problem.

• The Weight of the Deal: The UI provides subjective feedback on your proposal before you even send it. Hovering over the “Propose” button might show a predicted reaction: [They will see this as a fair offer], [This is an insulting proposal and will anger them]. Committing to a proposal is a moment of significant tension.

• Living with the Consequences: The outcome of a Negotiation is a persistent, systemic change. If you successfully negotiate the formation of a new Faction, you will see its name appear, its members will adopt a new title, and they will begin to act in concert according to the Agreement you all just forged. You are not just completing a quest; you are actively rewriting the social and political map of the Tapestry.