Prison Architect Discussion

Mister Man · 30-07-2013 1:09am

I'm making my first large prison now. It's taking x10 as long as it should because it's lagging really bad! Anyone know how the will turn out seen as I have the time lapse recording on? Hoping it isn't going to be a laggy video too.
I've been finding it really enjoyable to re-create birds-eye views of prisons! Makes for some really cool design! Might start uploading them to the workshop and see if anyone else likes them. They aren't really setup too well for day-to-day running, but they look good :P

gavmcg92 · 30-07-2013 1:47am

Looks like Alpha 12 is on its way ... well the video is anyway!

McSasquatch · 31-07-2013 12:49pm

And here's that video! Nice update to contraband, and the game was updated over night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NjMa5WUxeE

Dothehustle · 31-07-2013 1:11pm

So was alpha 12 released last night ??

Probably a stupid question but can you continue a save game from alpha 11 on to alpha 12

Mister Man · 31-07-2013 1:14pm

Dothehustle wrote: »

So was alpha 12 released last night ??

Probably a stupid question but can you continue a save game from alpha 11 on to alpha 12

I launched it tis morning and it needed an update first, so I assume it was sometime today or yesterday.
I've been able to launch my old prison saves in 12 no problem, so it's fine

wnolan1992 · 31-07-2013 1:42pm

Wow, that's a fairly cool update. And the prospect of sniffer dogs (well, I assume that's what they were alluding to) is quite intriguing...

Haven't had a chance to update yet, but has the FoW bug been fixed does anyone know?

MiskyBoyy · 31-07-2013 1:49pm

Ha that's awesome. Just from looking at the video, I love what they done with the contraband! Won't be able to try it out for a few days but really looking forward to trying out the new update

Mister Man · 31-07-2013 8:17pm

Here's what I've been working on lately, since I've been sick, which lead to a few days off. I'm probably going to throw it onto the workshop when it's done see if theres any interest. I've only planned out one cell block and the two yards so far, so still a good bit to do before it's ready.

It's based on this prison btw:

MiskyBoyy · 31-07-2013 8:22pm

Mister Man wrote: »

Here's what I've been working on lately, since I've been sick, which lead to a few days off. I'm probably going to throw it onto the workshop when it's done see if theres any interest. I've only planned out one cell block and the two yards so far, so still a good bit to do before it's ready.

Looks awesome

I see you have the problem of the money spent on something getting stuck in the top left corner too?

Wonder have they fixed it in the latest update...

gavmcg92 · 01-08-2013 1:24pm

Stumbled across this on reddit. Seems to be a cell block calculator. You can throw in how many rooms you want or how much space you have for a cell block. It then figures out what the best layout is and how much it's going to cost to complete. Still slightly crude but it gets the job. Haven't used it yet for my prison but I might see what it's like for my alpha 12 build.

Vicxas · 01-08-2013 1:48pm

So I got my workshop up and running, problem is that I can only have a maximum of 5 guys in there at 1 time (im putting it down to the size of the room)

I turned my prison intake back on and seen that I was gonna have 31 guys coming in! So im now stuck caus i cant take that many in in 1 go and my guys keep getting released.

Anyone have any ideas?

Also is there any grants passed the original 4?

gavmcg92 · 01-08-2013 2:05pm

Vicxas wrote: »

So I got my workshop up and running, problem is that I can only have a maximum of 5 guys in there at 1 time (im putting it down to the size of the room)

I turned my prison intake back on and seen that I was gonna have 31 guys coming in! So im now stuck caus i cant take that many in in 1 go and my guys keep getting released.

Anyone have any ideas?

Also is there any grants passed the original 4?

Every 12 blocks allows you to have 1 more worker. This goes to a maximum of 20 workers which is 240 blocks. I now make that the standard size of my workshops when I start out. This alpha 12 build I'm doing has 2 x 240 squared workshops. So 40 prisoners will be put to work.

Vicxas · 01-08-2013 3:45pm

gavmcg92 wrote: »

Every 12 blocks allows you to have 1 more worker. This goes to a maximum of 20 workers which is 240 blocks. I now make that the standard size of my workshops when I start out. This alpha 12 build I'm doing has 2 x 240 squared workshops. So 40 prisoners will be put to work.

Nice one, cheers mate

I can hear the sound of money in my head

On the subject of cells, can you have more than 1 prisoner per cell, or is max 1?

gavmcg92 · 01-08-2013 4:35pm

Vicxas wrote: »

Nice one, cheers mate

I can hear the sound of money in my head

On the subject of cells, can you have more than 1 prisoner per cell, or is max 1?

I've seen people put more than one in a "cell" (more than one cell in a room), sort of like an open plan type thing, but currently more than one prisoner per cell isn't supported.

You can use holding cells instead of cells if you want to have more than one prisoner per room.

Looks like we have our sniffer dogs

undercover police cars, regular cars and robbery vans?

Vicxas · 01-08-2013 5:00pm

Cars, wonder what the hell is going on there

gavmcg92 · 01-08-2013 5:53pm

Vicxas wrote: »

Cars, wonder what the hell is going on there

I think the whole idea of getaway cars is a bit much. The developers have been talking about how it's sort of unrealistic the way 'released' prisoners just get up and leave, by walking to the edge of the map. They wanted their family to collect them. So I would think that the cars are going to pull up when a prisoner is released and collect them as they leave.

You also see prisoner's civi clothes. The 60s gangster looking things down the bottom right. I think they might change into them on release day. As for the van with the cash bags in the back and the undercover police cars? I have no idea. Maybe they're going to be for fleshing out the campaign.

Vicxas · 01-08-2013 6:47pm

Or maybe these are escape routes? They were mentioning in the Alpha 12 video that thats what they're working towards.

gavmcg92 · 01-08-2013 7:46pm

Anyone else getting false positive readings on their metal detectors?

Dothehustle · 01-08-2013 11:57pm

gavmcg92 wrote: »

Anyone else getting false positive readings on their metal detectors?

Yep all the time and they don't like being searched for no reason
Think I might have a break from it at the moment
I have 27 hours since I got it last week ( it's a lot for me)
Heres my prison not great but functioning with 198 prisoners at the moment
Can't really do much without another canteen but don't know if that bug has been fixed yet

?id=165856432

And for some reason I can't get the image working

http://cloud-3.steampowered.com/ugc/612773448179086265/C890C57FBE5EE3C4F5C54BF220806245EFD011CE/

gavmcg92 · 02-08-2013 1:37am

Turns out the false positives are supposed to be in the game. Apparently real metal detectors also give false positives.

I would love to see a shakedown in that prison of yours :P

Vicxas · 02-08-2013 4:55pm

I found a shotgun in my shakedown. A SHOTGUN

When a prisoner passes the metal detector and it flashes does that mean they have contraband on them?

wnolan1992 · 02-08-2013 5:28pm

Vicxas wrote: »

I found a shotgun in my shakedown. A SHOTGUN

When a prisoner passes the metal detector and it flashes does that mean they have contraband on them?

When it flashes and beeps once it means they're clean. When it flashes and makes an alarm type sound they have contraband. if they trip the detector, they're automatically added to the list for the guards to search AFAIK.

gavmcg92 · 02-08-2013 6:53pm

So far so good in my prison. Only tools and weapons I have found have been brought in by the prisoners. Have all cell blocks leading to an inspection room that they go through at least 2 times a day with a guard stationed there.

Turtwig · 02-08-2013 7:11pm

Dothehustle wrote: »

And for some reason I can't get the image working

There ya go.

shaneb92 · 02-08-2013 7:38pm

Jernal wrote: »

There ya go.

Does a prison that large cause your computer lag much?

Dothehustle · 02-08-2013 8:36pm

shaneb92 wrote: »

Does a prison that large cause your computer lag much?

It did when I had only 60 odd prisoners... But read somewhere to delete everything in the storage and it should help. At that time i had two storages so dumped the lot and it got a lot better... Thank god the workshops brought in around 23 grand a night

since i got the land expansion i have noticed if i build a big room the workers will forget what there doing half way and walk of to the storage room

Vicxas · 02-08-2013 9:27pm

I found that when the game slows down to restart the game and it should be fine

shaneb92 · 04-08-2013 1:20pm

Do windows serve any purpose or are they only aesthetic?

wnolan1992 · 04-08-2013 1:45pm

shaneb92 wrote: »

Do windows serve any purpose or are they only aesthetic?

I suspect they serve no purpose at the moment, but will probably be part of the whole escape system in later versions.

Branoic · 04-08-2013 4:58pm

I haven't played in a while and skipped the last couple of releases, but im giving 12 a shot now. Loving all the stuff thats been added.

Doors are confusing me though as they've changed from what I remember. Prisoners seem to use Staff Doors, which is a pain. THey'll wait by the door and a guard will come and open it for them.

I set up the prison so that the initial holding cell was near the entrance, then there was the storage room, which was connected directly to the kitchen, which was in turn connected directly to the canteen. There were Staff Doors from the entrance yard to the storage room, and then between the storage room, kitchen and canteen. There was then a regular non-staff door at the other end of the canteen.

The idea was that the cooks etc would have the shortest route to the deliveries and storage. Prisons would need to take a slightly longer route around to access the canteen.

Didnt work like that though. At meal times the prisoners would bunch up outside the storage room Staff Door, and a guard would then let them in, through the storage room and the kitchen to the canteen.

I knew this was going to cause trouble and sure enough on day 4 a riot breaks out in the kitchen when several prisoners steal some kitchen knives. They kill both my cooks and trash the place!

Is there a bug with the Staff Doors or is this working as intended and there's no way to limit or direct prisoner movement until you unlocking the zoning ability? If thats the case Staff Doors appear to be a bit pointless.

MiskyBoyy · 04-08-2013 5:12pm

Branoic wrote: »

Is there a bug with the Staff Doors or is this working as intended and there's no way to limit or direct prisoner movement until you unlocking the zoning ability? If thats the case Staff Doors appear to be a bit pointless.

Try set the storage and kitchen as designated staff only areas?

Branoic · 04-08-2013 5:19pm

DaLad wrote: »

Try set the storage and kitchen as designated staff only areas?

yeah thats the problem, i havent unlocked that ability yet. It takes time because Im trying to get workshops up and running asap as otherwise i'd run out of money, so the research to designate areas wasnt a priority.

Vicxas · 05-08-2013 8:17am

Branoic wrote: »

yeah thats the problem, i havent unlocked that ability yet. It takes time because Im trying to get workshops up and running asap as otherwise i'd run out of money, so the research to designate areas wasnt a priority.

Made that mistake aswell, problem is without deployment you cant assign prisoners to do jobs.

Had to restart my prison to fix that glaring oversight

Branoic · 05-08-2013 11:56am

Vicxas wrote: »

Made that mistake aswell, problem is without deployment you cant assign prisoners to do jobs.

Had to restart my prison to fix that glaring oversight

D'oh, yeah that was it. Had to temporarily wall off some areas to force them to go the long way round until I could unlock Deployment.

Just means Staff Doors are pretty screwy though.

wnolan1992 · 05-08-2013 1:12pm

I still think having to unlock deployment and laundry is a bit of a stupid idea. Whatever about most of the other stuff in Bureaucracy, those two should really be available from the start, or at the very least as soon as you hire a warden.

Reekwind · 06-08-2013 12:59pm

Branoic wrote: »

yeah thats the problem, i havent unlocked that ability yet. It takes time because Im trying to get workshops up and running asap as otherwise i'd run out of money, so the research to designate areas wasnt a priority.

You need to research to designate areas as staff only? What a strange system

Vicxas · 06-08-2013 1:28pm

Found it a bit weird too, possibly a stop gap while the make the tool to assign the prisoners?

MiskyBoyy · 08-08-2013 9:04pm

Can get Prison Architect and a couple of other games in the new Humble Bundle for just under €15!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek: :cool:

Humble Bundle Weekly Sale

gavmcg92 · 09-08-2013 12:53am

DaLad wrote: »

Can get Prison Architect and a couple of other games in the new Humble Bundle for just under €15!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek: :cool:

Wow, game is getting a lot of hate on this reddit page.

Kids seem to be finding it difficult to understand Introversion's pricing strategy. They're trying to price themselves out of the casual market so as to try and keep a small alpha player base of people who are legitimately interested in the game and how it develops.

MiskyBoyy · 09-08-2013 2:03am

gavmcg92 wrote: »

Wow, game is getting a lot of hate on this reddit page.

Kids seem to be finding it difficult to understand Introversion's pricing strategy. They're trying to price themselves out of the casual market so as to try and keep a small alpha player base of people who are legitimately interested in the game and how it develops.

Lol why the long face?

gavmcg92 · 09-08-2013 12:30pm

DaLad wrote: »

Lol why the long face?

hahah that was before I remembered what I paid for mine. I just saw deal and thought "ahh feck"

Reekwind · 09-08-2013 5:24pm

gavmcg92 wrote: »

Wow, game is getting a lot of hate on this reddit page.

Kids seem to be finding it difficult to understand Introversion's pricing strategy. They're trying to price themselves out of the casual market so as to try and keep a small alpha player base of people who are legitimately interested in the game and how it develops.

A good point made on that link is that this high-end pricing strategy (which I do disagree with) is at odds with including the game in a Humble Bundle or having it on sale

gizmo · 09-08-2013 5:56pm

Reekwind wrote: »

A good point made on that link is that this high-end pricing strategy (which I do disagree with) is at odds with including the game in a Humble Bundle or having it on sale

Well there were a disturbingly large number of people who ignored the perfectly reasonable logic behind the initial pricing and called for a price drop. Now they have one, albeit for one week only, and now a different set of people are complaining. Introversion basically aren't going to win this one at all.

wnolan1992 · 16-08-2013 7:59pm

Starting from scratch after an unfortunate hard disk wiping situation...

I'm currently planning out a large prison and I'm just wondering do Solitary Cells have the same requirements as ordinary cells? Or can I just make it a 1X1 box and make them suffer for their insolence?

Genghiz Cohen · 16-08-2013 8:06pm

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Starting from scratch after an unfortunate hard disk wiping situation...

I'm currently planning out a large prison and I'm just wondering do Solitary Cells have the same requirements as ordinary cells? Or can I just make it a 1X1 box and make them suffer for their insolence?

Pretty sure it's just a box, place them separately in the middle of the yard for extra shaming.

MiskyBoyy · 16-08-2013 8:23pm

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Starting from scratch after an unfortunate hard disk wiping situation...

I'm currently planning out a large prison and I'm just wondering do Solitary Cells have the same requirements as ordinary cells? Or can I just make it a 1X1 box and make them suffer for their insolence?

A good idea is to have your save folder inside your Dropbox so you can never lose them :cool:

Mister Man · 16-08-2013 10:43pm

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Starting from scratch after an unfortunate hard disk wiping situation...

I'm currently planning out a large prison and I'm just wondering do Solitary Cells have the same requirements as ordinary cells? Or can I just make it a 1X1 box and make them suffer for their insolence?

I believe it's up to you. No size requirements. I made mine 2x2, as I didn't really need too many.

gavmcg92 · 16-08-2013 11:23pm

Never make my solitary cells more than 1 block

Taylor365 · 17-08-2013 10:44am

Some reason doors on my solitary cells never shut...?

wnolan1992 · 17-08-2013 12:41pm

Taylor365 wrote: »

Some reason doors on my solitary cells never shut...?

Could be just a glitch, try dismantling them and install them again. I ran into a problem once where my workmen installed doors where there was a wall and didn't bother removing the walls so the door just slid back and forth. :P

Also cell doors stay open during the day unless your prisoners have nothing on in their regime, just in case that's what's happening.

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