Relationship

Relationship is a gameplay mechanic that represents other species' perception of the player. Relationship is visually represented by colored faces and is present in all stages besides Cell Stage.

Spore[]

Cell Stage[]

In the Cell Stage, there is no visual indicator of relationship of NPC cells. Cell behavior is hard-coded for each individual species, meaning some cells always behave passively while some are aggressive.

Most cells that are prey-sized always behave fearfully and attempt to flee. Non-herbivorous peer-sized cells always behave aggressively to prey-sized cells. Most non-herbivorous predator-sized cells behave aggressively to peer-sized cells, but will not target prey-sized cells. Epic cells will behave aggressively to both peer- and predator-sized cells, and will instantly kill both of them with its bite. Most herbivorous cells will be neither aggressive to nor fearful of another herbivorous cell, but will flee from non-herbivorous cells, or any cell that has inflicted damage on them. Most non-herbivorous cells will behave aggressively to other cells. If the player adds the Poison part to their cell, most peer-sized cells will behave fearfully of them and attempt to flee, unless the other cells have Poison. This behavior is specific to the player; non-herbivorous cells will still target NPC cells of the player's species, even if the player's species has Poison.

Some exceptions exist:

Squirty and Needle Buzzy, if damaged, will flee from the cell that damaged them. Squirty stops fleeing after a couple of seconds, and will resume its normal behavior afterward; it may even target the cell that damaged it previously.
Puffish will often (if not always) flee from a player with the Poison part on their cell, despite itself being immune to Poison. This might be a glitch/oversight.
Buzzy and Stabella will usually behave neither aggressively to nor fearfully of other cells, no matter their diet. If damaged, they will flee from the cell that damaged them; they will stop fleeing after a couple of seconds, and resume their normal behavior afterward (much like Squirty).
Squiggly, despite being a herbivorous cell, will not flee from non-herbivorous cells. If damaged by another cell, Squiggly will attempt to counterattack using its ineffective Filter Mouth, and will not flee.
Junior remains aggressive even if prey-sized, but if it is peer-sized, it will not behave aggressively to predator-sized cells. Junior will also flee from the player if they have the Poison part on their cell.
Snorf, if damaged, will flee from the cell that damaged it, despite never becoming peer-sized. This may be to avoid a possible exploit from players with the Proboscis, as Snorf can also be fed upon using the Proboscis; by behaving fearfully, Snorf cannot be "farmed" for DNA, as it will eventually bolt out of the player's sight.
Jawhead and Megamouth are not fearful of cells with Poison.

Creature Stage[]

The Creature Stage introduces the relationship mechanic and how NPC species will perceive the player's species. Their initial relationship is curious, annoyed, or hostile, influenced by that species' diet, social and combat skills, or class, as well as the game's difficulty. Relationships between other creatures can be improved by socializing with them. On the contrary, killing creatures may turn their relationship to Fear while killing babies or eating eggs will aggravate it towards hostile.

Ally - After socializing with three members of a species (only one for Rogue creatures), the player becomes allied with them and can add them to their pack by socializing with them again. The player becomes incapable of attacking these creatures or their eggs; however, if the player has a packmate of another species, the packmate may get attacked. This will often result in said packmate retaliating, and the packmate is capable of attacking the player's allies. Members of player's own species are automatically allies.

Friendly - Creatures that were befriended two times will become friendly towards the player. The player gets access to healing from their nest.

Curious - Creatures that are neutral towards the player and their species. They will often crowd around and approach the player. Given to herbivores and some omnivores, as well as Rogues in easy or medium difficulties. If the player has a packmate of another species, and the packmate kills an allied creature, the player's relationship with the species will be set back to curious or fear, depending on whether or not the packmate killed an Alpha.

Annoyed - These creatures will watch the player if they enter their territory, growl at them, and eventually attack. Given to carnivores and some omnivores in easy difficulty. A curious creature can become hostile if the player attacks but fails to kill an egg, or if they try fighting the creature and die. Rogue creatures have this relationship by default in hard difficulty.

Fear - When the player or their pack member kills a member of a curious or friendly species, or the Alpha of an annoyed species, the whole species will become afraid and flee from the player on sight. They can still be socialized with, though they'll constantly be trying to run away and will need to be cornered first. Epic and Rogue creatures will also have this relationship if a nest matching their species was hunted to extinction by the player. This can also happen in Tribal Stage if the species chosen to be an Epic by the game is also the same species as the one chosen to be the wild animal that tries to steal the player's food.

Hostile - Creatures that will attack the player in seconds and cannot be befriended (unless under the effect of Siren Song). Non-hostile species may turn hostile if the player kills a baby, eats an egg of that nest, or kills any of its species while Friendly (note the latter might only apply on the Hard difficulty; this needs testing). Carnivores and strong omnivores at the medium and hard difficulties are often assigned as hostile. Epic creatures are naturally hostile unless the player has met non-Epic members of the same species, in which case it will share their relationship. Rare wandering hunting packs will always be hostile regardless of difficulty.

Lovestruck - There is usually one creature at nests of the player's species who follows the player around with hearts floating around its face and gesturing towards the player, wishing to mate. While normally any interaction with this creature will cause the player to mate, initiating mating by clicking it and then pressing a number button corresponding to a social skill will allow the player to socialize with the lovestruck creature instead and add it to their pack. Alphas of the player's species are often lovestruck. If there are no lovestruck creatures at a player's nest, a new one can be summoned with the mating call.

Tribal Stage[]

The relationship mechanic is carried over the Tribal Stage. Raising the relationship is accomplished by playing music to tribe members, requiring the presence of the chieftain and tribe members with instruments. Meanwhile, the relationship is decreased by attacking tribe members or buildings, or by the passage of time if the tribe was hostile previously. Hostile and disliked tribes can be gifted with food, raising their relationship to neutral. If a tribe's food pile is gifted, the tribe's relationship will go back down after some time, depending on the difficulty (as low as 2 minutes in Hard); however, if a tribe member is gifted directly, they will remain neutral until attacked or socialized with. The Fireworks consequence ability will temporarily make the tribe it is used on friendly.

Wild creatures also have a relationship with the player's tribe. This works similarly to Creature Stage relationships, with some creatures starting off neutral and some starting off hostile. Food can be given to wild creatures to tame them into pets and make them allies of the tribe, while attacking them will make them fearful. Killing babies or hunting eggs will make the creatures hostile. Epic creatures are hostile and attack tribe members on sight.

Ally - Tribes that are allies of the player's tribe. They regularly give food gifts to the player's tribe. This will never drop to a lower relationship.

Friendly - Tribes that are friendly with the player's tribe. They may revert to neutral if ignored for too long.

Neutral - Tribes that are ambivalent to the player's tribe. They do not directly interact with the player. The player can socialize with them by playing music to improve relationships.

Dislike - Tribes that dislike the player's tribe. They sometimes steal food from the player. They must be gifted food before they can be socialized with.

Enemy - Tribes that detest the player's tribe. Hostile tribes that have full tribe members may raid the player's tribe and attempt to destroy their hut.

Civilization Stage[]

The relationship system in the Civilization Stage is expanded upon to a measured bar, scaling from red (hostile, -70 or below) to orange (annoyed, -69 to -30) to yellow (neutral, -29 to 29) to blue (friendly, 30 to 69) to green (allied, 70+). Each individual positive and negative relationship modifier is visible to the player.

Ally - Nations that are allies of the player's nation. They are open to the player's requests to attack other nations on their behalf.

Friendly - Nations that are friendly towards the player. They are always open to trade routes in request.

Neutral - Nations that are neutral towards the another nation. If their relationship is positive, they may accept trade routes.

Hostile - They may attack vehicles or declare war until the relationship is improved.

At War - Nations that will start to conduct wars and attack the nation's cities.

Positive Relation Modifiers[]

Our Trade Route: Up to +50. Earned by establishing trade routes with other nations and keeping it over time.
You're a Religious/Economic/Military Nation: Up to +30. For nations inherently like the player's nation type, especially economic nations and all small military/religious nations. This applies to every nation on easy difficulty.
You assisted us: Up to +60. Earned by agreeing to attack a nation or stopping a trade route. This is +20 if you have rejected their requests before and +10 if you ask for money.
You fought our enemy: Up to +70. Gained when attacking an enemy of another nation and not at war with this nation. Note that this will diminish when attacking the nation with this relationship bonus.
You were generous: Up to +50. Earned by giving a great deal on a city when buying it.
Your compliments: +10. Earned by giving a compliment to a nation.
Your gifts: Up to +120. Earned by giving gifts to other nations.

Negative Relation Modifiers[]

Took over our spice derrick: Up to -50. Earned by taking over a spice derrick that belongs to another nation by bribing with economic vehicles.

Used Nuclear Weapons: -90 initially and caps at -100. Earned by using the Gadget Bomb or the ICBM.
You're an Economic/Religious/Military Nation: Depends on your nation's attribute and the target nation's attribute. -10/-20/-30 for Economic/Religious/Military if target nation is military and 0/-10/-20 for Economy/Religious/Military if target nation is religious. This only applies to aggressive nations on Normal and Hard difficulty.
You are a threat to us: Depends on the player's nation's attribute, -40/-60/-80 for Economic/Religious/Military. Gained when another considers them a threat, which only occurs if the player have at least 2 cities and the relationship bonus to the said nation is lower than 70 (green face). Note that regardless of actions, a nation still may consider their nation to be a threat to them unless they are in alliance with them, which requires the green face. This can also result from an enemy calling another nation to declare war on the player. This modifier alone can cost a Diplomatic Takeover, especially if the last remaining nation has this modifier; attacking the nation's enemy, or otherwise assisting them, can still allow the player to narrowly ally with the nation, however.
You attacked us: Starts at -30 and caps at -90. Earned by attacking with military vehicles, using bomb-like superweapons, or charming an Epic creature to attack.
You broke a deal: Up to -40. Earned by stopping a trade route and it depends on how many trade routes you have stopped.
You declared war: -70. Earned when you agree to declare war on a nation when another nation asks you to.
You denied us: -20 for the first time and -10 for later denial, up to -50. Gained by denying other nations' requests.
You were cheap: Up to -50. Earned by giving a bad deal on a city when buying it.
Your borders are too close: Up to -100. Earned if the complaining nation is not allied and your borders are touching theirs.
Your insults: -10 each time for insulting a nation, up to -30.
Your nation is too big: Up to -100. Earned by having at least 2 cities.
Your religion: Starts at -20 and caps at -60. Earned by attacking with religious vehicles or superpower.

Epic Creatures are hostile and attack the player's vehicles, buildings, turrets and citizens, but a religious vehicle can temporarily charm the epic, making them allied for a short period of time, allowing them to fight on the player's behalf. Tribes also display a neutral relationship to the player, but they are unable to be interacted with except via looting, which has a random outcome that can be beneficial (Sporebucks or a free random vehicle) or harmful (attacking and damaging the vehicle).

Space Stage[]

Space Stage utilizes the same scaled relationship system in the Civilization Stage, albeit with new relationship modifiers.

Most relation modifiers will deplete over time, so the player will have to actively work to maintain their relations. Only a few are permanent and will remain over time, like the bonus for using a Monolith on a civilization.

Relationship with the Grox is different from all other empires and will receive lesser and even reversed relation bonuses with them, such as the reversed "Broke Galactic Code" and "Helping our Planet" bonuses. If the Grox declares war on the player, there is no way to stop other than destroying them, as they will never accept a peace treaty.

Ally - Empires that are allies of the player. They can have an alliance proposed to them or propose an alliance to the player via transmission, and the player can add their ships to their fleet if they are allied. The empire's territories are highlighted green when the allies/enemies highlight is enabled.

Friendly - Empires that are friendly towards the player. They are open to trade route requests. Typically do not request tribute, and may actually send money to the player as a gift instead.

Neutral - Empires that are neutral towards the player. May be open to trading if relationship is not below 0. If an allied empire drops to a neutral relationship or lower, the alliance will be broken. May request tribute.

Unfriendly - Empires that will follow the player through their territory and attack if they linger too long. The relationship may be improved via gifts and missions. Trade is not available. Frequently requests tribute.

Enemy - Empires that will attack the player immediately upon entering their territory and wage war on their colonies. They will refuse to speak to the player for the most part, except for things like peace treaties and surrenders. Their territory will be highlighted red when the allies/enemies highlight is enabled.

Note that Wanderers in space act like Diplomats, and Knights act like Warriors when talking to them, and when applying relation bonuses. However, if the player themselves is a Knight or Wanderer, other empires will not treat them like a Warrior or Diplomat, respectively, so they will not get "We think alike" bonuses.

Based on the relationship with empires, you can have hostilities (orange face), wars (red face), trade routes (blue face), or alliances (green face). Also, the price to repair and recharge is based on relation, with better relations netting cheaper prices. The trade prices for items are unaffected, however.

Civilization Stage planets also have a relationship with the player. If the player steals from them, attacks their cities, scares or abducts their citizens or uses harmful tools, their relationship will decrease and they will turn their turrets on the player's spaceship if it falls to orange (annoyed) or lower. This is on a per-nation basis, meaning one nation on a planet may be hostile towards the player while all others are not. Tribal Stage planets also display a neutral face, though they can't interact with the player's ship. They will have a friendly face if they're of a saved game, though this changes nothing. Epic Creatures are also innately hostile to the player and will launch fireballs at their ship.

Resetting relationship[]

The relation bonus of the empire can be also completely reset to initial values with following ways:

Ending a war with the enemy empire by pledging a peace treaty with a satisfactory amount of Sporebucks. A negative "We were at war" penalty will appear, but vanish over time.
Conquering hostile empire colonies until they surrender, and accepting their surrender.
Soothing Song, the unique ability of the Bard. This ability artificially changes a relationship score to zero for a short period of time. It does not remove relationship modifiers. After Soothing Song expires, the relationship score will change to what it was before plus whatever changes made by the player during the time Soothing Song was active.

Ending it by pledging a peace treaty will remove any and all positive and negative bonuses apart from the ones that are natural for the race, like 'We distrust strangers'. Anything apart from those, like 'Allied with Grox' or 'Breaking the Galactic Code', can be completely forgiven.

Positive modifiers
Name	Effect	Cause
A generous peace offering	Up to +50	Offering more than the empire expects for, to sign a peace treaty with other empires.
Gracious Greeting Superpower	+10	Having the Friendly consequence trait from the Tribal Stage.
Helping our planet	+45 (+90 for Ecologist empires, occasionally +33 for Diplomat empires). +100 maximum Up to -200. (Grox)	Raising the T-Score of a planet that belongs to other empires.
Our Trade Route	Up to +30 (+40 for Trader empires)	Proposing a trade route with the empire of the planet and keeping it up over time.
Using friendly tools	Up to +50 Up to +30 (Grox)	Using the Happy Ray or Fireworks on a city of other empires.
We created an alliance	Up to +50 Up to +30 (Grox)	Proposing an alliance with the empire.
We like new acquaintances	+30	If the empire follows Prosperity or Order (Trader and Diplomat/Wanderer, respectively).
We think alike	+10	When the player and the target empire share the same archetype. This does not apply to the Warrior archetype. This bonus can wear off over time.
We value your friendship	Up to +100	When another empire offers a gift in transmission.
You agreed to help Us	Up to +10 Up to +5 (Grox)	Accepting the first mission a empire offers.
You completed missions	Up to +100 Up to +50 (Grox)	Completing missions for that empire.
You introduced yourself	+10	Introducing yourself by using the first two options upon the first contact. This bonus will diminish over time when choosing the second option. This bonus will also apply upon first contact with a race the player uplifted if they do not immediately leave the communications screen. Interestingly, if the player's first contact with an empire was via a delivery mission and they therefore did not get to introduce themselves, they will get this positive relation modifier anyways.
You uplifted us	+50	Uplifting a race to Space Stage via the use of a Monolith.
You were generous	Up to +50	Buying star systems from other empires for more than they are worth.
Your embassy	Up to +50 Up to +10 (Grox)	Placing an embassy on the planet.
Your gifts	Up to +50 Up to +10 (Grox)	Giving gifts to that empire.
Your trading	Up to +15 (+20 with Traders)	Trading items in the trading window.
Negative modifiers
Name	Effect	Cause
A cheap peace offering	Up to -50	Offering way less money than the empire expects, to sign a peace treaty. Doing this will not call off a war.
Abducted our citizens	Up to -50 Up to -30 (Grox)	Abducting an empire's citizen.
Allied with Grox	Up to -200.	Creating an alliance with the Grox. This is instant and persistent. It will give to all other empires regardless of their status. This modifier will not disappear after breaking the alliance, or even after declaring war on the Grox, but over time, around the player's range, it will disappear on its own or by peace offering.
Broke Galactic Code	Up to -200 (Up to -30 for saved games). Up to +50 (Grox)	Breaking the Galactic Code (by using Planet Buster, Fanatical Frenzy, or Gravity Wave).
Captured one of our systems	Up to -100 Up to -200 (Grox)	Capturing or destroying another empire's system by force.
Causing extinction	Up to -100	Decreasing T-score to cause species extinct or failing to prevent an Eco Disaster.
Destroying our buildings	Up to -100	Destroying other empire's buildings.
Destroying our spaceships	Up to -100	Destroying other empire's spaceships.
Failed to protect allied ships	Varies (-30 for each, up to -100)	When allied ships in your fleet are destroyed.
Flooded our cities	Up to -100	Unknown, though there is photographic evidence for its existence. The game prioritizes keeping colonies/cities above the water, so even making the atmosphere as dense as possible (thus raising the sea level to its maximum) using terraforming tools will not work. The colony will simply raise with the water. Using water-based planet sculpting tools (i.e. rivers and seas) within or near the colony's borders will also not work, as their effects will simply not apply within the city. This needs testing!
Hurting our planet	Up to -100 Up to -200 (Obtained by leaving the planet after applying several terraforming tools but before it reaches T1, then wait until it drops back to T0).	Decreasing the T-score of a planet owned by other empires or for failing to prevent an Eco Disaster.
Scaring our citizens	Up to -100	Shooting at citizens or placing crop circles near cities of other empires.
Stole our resources	Up to -30 -60 for each artifact/spice crate stolen, up to -100 (Grox)	Taking objects like spice crates or artifacts from the other empire's planets (if you drop an artifact that was in your cargo hold prior to traveling to an empire's planet and pick said artifact back up, it will count).
Using harmful tools	Up to -100	Using weapons or planet sculpting/coloring tools inside cities of other empires.
War	-50	When another creature declares war on you. This penalty will persist until the war ends.
We distrust strangers	Up to -30 Up to -70 (Grox)	If the empire you meet follows Force or Faith (Warrior/Knight, and Zealot respectively).
We were at war	Up to -33	When accepting an empire's peace treaty. Diminishes quickly.
You aborted missions	Varies	Gained for aborting missions the race offered.
You avoided contact	-20	When ignoring the hails of the creature or pass over their territory without contacting them.
You broke our alliance	-125, up to -200 -50, up to -100	When breaking an alliance.
You failed missions	Up to -50	Failing their missions, not helping them when they are attacked, or failing to prevent an Eco Disaster.
You introduced yourself	-10	Introducing self by using the third option upon the first contact.
You refused to pay us tribute	Up to -100	Not paying tribute when the other empire demands it via intermission.
You rejected missions	Varies	Declining to accept the mission when the empire had offered.
You were cheap	Varies Up to -60 (Grox)	Making a lower offer for buying a system than what is worth.
Your presence disturbs us	-10	Warrior empires inherently will have this bonus towards other warriors. Shamans will also have this bonus if they are hostile prior to the first contact. This bonus diminishes quickly.