Diplomacy is Not an Option

About This Game

Diplomacy is Not an Option offers you to step into the well-worn shoes of the minor Lord. Due to circumstances, you are forced to fight. Like all the time. Always outnumbered. Build your walls, raise your armies, and experience warfare on an entirely new scale. Over 25 THOUSAND enemies assault your castle walls. You’re going to master engineering, economy and even magic If you hope to survive.

The Law Of War

Your King is a mighty and powerful leader. Also, he is an egocentric pig. Adores to drink and in general he’s enjoying his life. But after the treasury had emptied and even raising taxes had not helped, it became clear that he could not continue his leisurely lifestyle. Which is a problem. Mostly yours. Because peasants, who are not fond of raised taxes and hunger, are rioting in your feud. King demands you put down the rebellion and go to the distant land to get some gold. (Rumors are there is one where there are tons of it) Will you do as your sovereign bids and set sail to replenish the palace coffers? Or will you join the violent leader of rebels to bring the tyrant to justice? Questions, questions, questions. The one thing you can be sure of is that there will be blood anyway. And legions of archers, swordsmen, siege weapons, knights, and more will be staying by your side for you to achieve your goal.

The Physical Laws

While admittedly tongue-in-cheek, the laws of physics are still deadly serious in Diplomacy Is Not An Option. Every arrow, catapult stone and enemy launched skywards is physically modeled, making for a tactile and coherent battlefield. Just make sure your troops have towers to shoot from and clear lines of sight, or you might find your best-laid plans embarrassingly blunted by your own fortifications. Consider your gates, your lines of advancement and retreat. Create kill-zones and fall-back positions. You will need to take an active role in combat to get the best from your men.

The Laws of a Functional Society

Even under siege, never forget your castle was built on the backs of the peasantry. Defend your people, and they’ll serve you well. Food can become scarce, and your soldiers can starve on the battlefield. Build houses, bury corpses to prevent plague, and treat the sick when death comes knocking. If you do not care for your people you may soon find yourself overrun with a most unpleasant troubles. Like empty stockpiles, unrepaired walls and running dry barracks.

Economic Laws

A functional army requires a functional economy to support and feed it. Food, Wood, Stone, Iron, and Gold are the foundations of your city’s economy, and you will need to watch your supplies carefully if you are to meet the advancing foe in a timely manner. Gather resources, choose your storage locations, plan your expansions and upgrades with care. The enemy will not cede their lands willingly, and unprotected civilian expansions will fall prey to the hostile incursion. Trade, via the impressive merchant dirigible, bringing emergency supplies of food to feed the men, or stone to rebuild the walls. Can you strike the balance between greedy expansion and security?

Magic rules!

If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. If you’ve inherited a cursed kingdom, why not master the dark arts? Sturdy castle walls will protect you from most ordinary threats, but in Diplomacy Is Not An Option you’re also be battling undeads. So why give them a monopoly on magic? There is a dark history of tainted power that stirs the dead and traps wayward souls. On the lighter side: it can also be used to call down really very big fireballs onto your enemies. So enjoy that too. Build magical monuments, harvest soul crystals and give a try to a maniacal laugh as searing magical beams tear through your foes and summoned ghosts to chase down the stragglers.

Beyond the rules

The game has been designed with freedom as a core concept. Go beyond the campaign and crush your foes as you see fit in Endless Mode, Sandbox Mode or Challenge Mode. Develop your own personal strategies on procedurally generated maps. Go heavy on walls early, build large armies of cannon-fodder, or pursue the macro game of greedy growth and costly investments. Finding which style grants you the most success is up to you.

The fundamental Laws of life

As in real life, stupidity and greed lie behind most problems, but here it is far too late to talk it through. You have no recourse to resolve this peacefully. At this stage: Diplomacy Is Not an Option!

Reviews

“Diplomacy is Not an Option manages to blend elements of tower defense, Command & Conquer’s fast-paced action, and resource management without ever feeling overwhelming. I love that I never have to pause in the middle of a fight to worry about tax statutes or which of my spouses is secretly sleeping with the nobles behind my back.”
PC gamer

“Diplomacy Is Not An Option is a compelling little game with short-lived appeal for super serious strategy fans, but one with loads of character and entertaining physics.”
Rock, Paper and Shotgun