Basic diplomacy stuff

[Zeebie (OP)]

So I've finally encountered an NPR, and now I'm not sure how to proceed (I don't want to go to war just yet).  I've assigned a diplomacy team and successfully established communication.  Now what?
  - There doesn't seem to be any option for proposing deals to them.  How do I do things like make trade proposals?
  - "Current diplomatic rating" means what exactly? The wiki suggests that there are two independent numbers involved in diplomacy (their opinion of me and my opinion of them).  Which number is this?
  - The rating is ticking slowly down. Is there some way to determine what is causing this?
  - How do I find out where their territory is? If for no other reason, so I don't accidentally piss them off by trespassing?

[draanyk]

As I understand it, your diplomacy team will increase the diplomacy rating over time, dependent on their team skill. As your diplomacy rating passes certain milestones, the race will change their position towards you in regard to certain things, such as thinking of you as Friendly instead of Neutral, or giving you their Geo scans, or giving you research. You can't actually propose deals as you would in something like Civilization or Master of Orion.

As for why it's ticking down, even though you have a diplo team assigned, I guess if the team has a low skill, that might contribute. Or if you're attacking them (in my experience). Or maybe they're a spoiler race... I just dealt with what I thought was an NPR. Couldn't establish communication, diplo rating continued to tick downwards despite a team with skill of 140 or 150.

I haven't found a good way of finding their home base besides just exploring more systems. Even if they give you grav and geo surveys, that doesn't display their occupied systems.

[Icecoon]

1. You have to improve on your relations with them. Those treaties that are greyed out will be accessible when your relation with them will hit a certain number. For instance iirc trading agreement is 650p.
2.-3. It is your opinion about them, so if your rating is falling search your system for their ships. People on your planet don't like fully armed aliens roaming around their home system.  
4. The easiest way is to follow their cargo ships if you have a trade agreement with them.