______________________________________________
| _____ _____ _ _____ _____ ______ |
| | _ | | _ | | | | _ | | _ | | __ | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |_| | | | | | | | | |
| | |_| | | |_| | | | | |___ | | | | | | | | |
| | ___| | _ < | | |___ | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | _ | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |_| | | |_| | | | | | |
______________| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_____| |_____| |_| |_| |______________
| _____ ______ _____ _ _ _ _______ ______ _____ _______ |
| / ___ \ | ___ \ / ___ \ | | | || ||__ __|| ____| / ___ \ |__ __| |
| | |___| || |___) )| | \_|| |___| || | | | | |___ | | \_| | | |
| | ___ || __ / | | _ | ___ || | | | | ___| | | _ | | |
| | | | || | \ \ | |___/ || | | || | | | | |____ | |___/ | | | |
| |_| |_||_| \_\ \_____/ |_| |_||_| |_| |______| \_____/ |_| |
|____________________________________________________________________________|
.---------------------------------. .---------------------------------.
| 01 INTRODUCTION | | 08 PRISON RUNNING MENU |
| 02 MAIN MENU | | 08a Bureaucracy |
| 03 GAME PREFERENCES | | 08b Prisoners |
| 04 PREMIUM DLCs | | 08c Staff |
| 04a All Day and a Night | | 08d Hire Staff |
| 04b Psych Ward | | 08e Security Sectors |
| 04c Escape Mode | | 08f Patrol Routes |
| 05 USER INTERFACE | | 08g Guard Deployment |
:---------------------------------: | 08h Logistics |
| 06 CONSTRUCTION MENU | | 08i Contraband |
| 06a Structure | | 08j Informants |
| 06b Walls & Doors | | 08k Prison Gangs |
| 06c Flooring | :---------------------------------:
| 06d Rooms | | 09 EMERGENCIES MENU |
| 06e Objects | | 10 RIOTS |
| 06f Utilities | | 11 EXECUTIONS |
| 06g Surveillance | | 12 ESCAPE TUNNELS |
| 06h Automatic Doors | | 13 PRISON STORIES |
| 06i Wiring | | 14 ESCAPE MODE |
| 06j Clone Tool | | 14a Computer Version |
| 06k Planning | | 14b Consoles Version |
| 06l Demolition | :---------------------------------:
| 06m Quick Rooms | | 15 CO-OP MULTIPLAYER |
:---------------------------------: | 16 SNAPSHOTS |
| 07 REPORTS MENU | | 17 TROPHIES / ACHIEVEMENTS |
| 07a Needs | | 17a Base Game |
| 07b Intake | | 17b Escape Mode |
| 07c Regime | | 18 CONTACT |
| 07d Policy | | 19 THANKS |
| 07e Grants | :---------------------------------:
| 07f Programmes | | Prison Architect Guide |
| 07g Finance | | by Barticle at hotmail.com |
| 07h Valuation | | Version 1.14 - 29 November 2019 |
'---------------------------------' '---------------------------------'
------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| To jump to any section of this document use your web browser's Find function |
| (with Ctrl+F on a PC or Cmd+F on a Mac probably) and search for the letter S |
| followed by the exact section number for example "s06d" to find Section 06d. |
'------------------------------------------------------------------------------'
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 01 | INTRODUCTION s01 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
This is a guide to the 2015/2016 video-game Prison Architect. It's intended to
serve as a comprehensive reference with info, tips and trivia.
Since I play on PS4, the structure of this guide is based on the menus from the
console editions of the game. However it also covers the rooms, objects, staff
and features that are only available on computer.
I've uploaded this guide for multiple platforms because the majority of the
content will be useful to players on all editions of Prison Architect. However
in using this guide please remember that there are significant differences
between the PS4/XB1, Xbox 360, PC and other versions of the game. I've done my
best to cover all editions, despite only owning one of them!
This current version of the guide is complete up to the following additions:
PC edition | 21 November 2019 | "The Sneezer" update and 'Psych Ward' DLC
-----------------+------------------+------------------------------------------
PS4/XB1 editions | 21 November 2019 | "The Shovel" update
This guide is designed to be viewed in a fixed-width font (preferably Courier
New) and with 80 characters per line. Since December 2018 the default font for
GameFAQs text guides is Courier New only when viewing on desktop platforms.
If you found this guide useful you can show your support by using the recommend
function. If you have any feedback (especially suggestions for additions or
improvements) then please feel free to contact me via email or GameFAQs message.
__
The PC game was developed by UK studio Introversion Software and was originally
launched in September 2012. It became one of the first titles to launch as an
extended open public alpha via Steam's Early Access programme in March 2013 and
by January 2015 over one million copies had been sold. After monthly updates
the game finally left Early Access in October 2015 and Version 1.0 was released.
It was nominated for two categories at the 2015 BAFTA Video Game Awards and won
Best Persistent Game. In total the PC game has sold over two million copies.
Prison Architect was ported to consoles by UK studio Double Eleven and released
on PS4 and Xbox One in June 2016 and on Xbox 360 in August 2016. These versions
have a completely new user-interface optimised for console controllers but they
retain the core gameplay and distinctive graphical style of the PC game.
The console port was based on the PC build around Alpha 35 (July 2015) so it
lacks most of the features added to PC in subsequent updates like staff needs,
female prisons, temperature, dorms, Warden Mode and gameplay "mutators" (see
Section 03) plus online co-op multiplayer (see Section 15). It's also missing
the random events, the collectible notebook pages and support for mods.
The console editions have their own unique features like pre-made prisons in
Prison Warden mode (see Section 02), more trophies / achievements (see Section
17), different cosmetic options and water tiles (for making ponds, islands,
moats, etc). There are also three premium DLC expansions (see Section 04)
including an enhanced version of Escape Mode (see Section 14b).
Introversion previewed a tablet version of Prison Architect in their Alpha 30
update video back in February 2015 and Prison Architect: Mobile - developed with
UK studio Tag Games - finally launched worldwide in May 2017.
The Nintendo Switch edition became available in August 2018, just a few days
before the launch of the Escape Mode expansion for PS4 and Xbox One. Escape Mode
for the Switch then released the following month.
Paradox Interactive announced in January 2019 that they had acquired the rights
from Introversion for Prison Architect (and any potential future games under the
"Architect" brand). Double Eleven retained control of their console editions and
in Paradox's first Prisoner Architect stream in June 2019 it was announced that
Double Eleven had been appointed as the new devs for PC too.
__
Development on PC progressed through 36 numbered alpha builds and 17 numbered
free updates from Introversion followed by named free updates from D11. You can
view the PC changelogs via the links on this wiki page:
https://prisonarchitect.paradoxwikis.com/Patches
The update videos from Introversion (Mark and Chris) can still be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/user/IVSoftware/videos
On consoles D11 released the free Community Update for PS4/Xbone in March 2017
and "The Shovel" update in November 2019. Patch notes for console updates are
usually posted as news articles on the studio's website:
https://preview.tinyurl.com/ps4-xb1-community-update
https://www.double11.com/2019/11/19/the-shovel/
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 02 | MAIN MENU s02 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
On the consoles Prison Architect's main menu has the following options.
(When you first launch the game you'll be prompted to register for a "Double ID"
which is required to use World of Wardens mode. If you skip the registration the
game will temporarily add an extra option to the main menu.)
o Prison Stories
This is a story campaign consisting of five chapters but it's also the game's
tutorial so it is strongly recommended that you start here if this is your
first time playing Prison Architect.
(see Section 13 for details of all the objectives and some basic tips)
o Prison Architect
This is the full "sandbox" mode where you start with a completely empty plot
of land and then build and manage a prison however you want.
If you've saved a game already you can use the Continue Game option to resume
your previous session. The game supports multiple saves and the menu shows a
screenshot and several stats for each one.
o Prison Warden
This mode allows you to instead load one of ten pre-built prisons which were
created by members of the game's PC community for the Steam Workshop.
("Prison Warden mode" on consoles should not be confused with "Warden Mode" on
PC where you control the warden character - see 'PC Options' in Section 03.)
The base game features the following ten jails* for Prison Warden mode which
can be selected when you choose the New Game (New Slot) option.
1. Green Beach Prison 6. The Penaldome
2. Piano Island Prison 7. The Castle
3. Paradise City 8. Cove Park Prison
4. Eye of the Storm 9. Ironfort
5. Center Luxus 10. Forever Inn
Each ready-made prison will be fully operational with rooms, guards, staff,
prisoners, regime, policy and patrol routes but you're free to change any
aspects of its design and management - however you should check for category
coding on cell blocks (Security Sectors menu) before accepting new intake.
You'll need to run programmes and assign prison labour if you want. Grants
are available although many will complete instantly when you start them.
*The premium expansions (see Section 04) add further prison designs plus new
maps with interesting terrain for your own designs.
o Escape Mode
(This mode is available as premium DLC for PS4, Xbox One and Switch.)
Roles are reversed - you play as a prisoner trying to escape from a jail.
You can choose whether to use one of your own prison designs, one from Prison
Warden mode or a downloaded jail from World of Wardens.
(see Section 14b for full details of the Escape Mode features on consoles)
o World of Wardens
This is the console equivalent of the PC feature that allows you to download
prison designs from the Steam Workshop or upload your own jails.
You'll need to register for a Double ID before you can use this mode. You'll
be prompted to do this when you first start the game but if you skipped it
then the option will be available from the main menu. You'll need to provide
an email address and you'll be sent a verification email but you can start
using WoW mode without responding to it so I guess you could provide a fake
address if you wanted. Registering also unlocks two new warden characters.
Just like Prison Warden mode you have complete control in downloaded jails -
you can build/demolish, hire/fire and favour punishment/reform.
o Options & Extras
The options menu allows you to change some settings including auto-save, sound
levels and screen size.
You can also view global leaderboards (now including Escape Mode) and check
your progress on collecting the 182 snapshot collectibles (see Section 16).
o Expand Prison Architect
A friendly reminder that premium content is available for the game!
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 03 | GAME PREFERENCES s03 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
When starting a new game you have a range of gameplay options available.
The PC and console versions of Prison Architect have several options in common
but they also both have their own unique features.
Console Options
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
In the console editions of the game you can either choose a pre-set difficulty
level or individually tune each of the settings to create a custom diff.
(Escape Mode has separate options which are detailed in Section 14b below.)
1. Choose a Warden
The base game has a choice of six different wardens with various perks.
The Warden - default warden (no unique effects)
The Lobbyist - you are 50% less likely to get new inmates with Volatile,
Deadly and Fighter reps or Violent and Lethal traits
Rita - you are 50% less likely to get new inmates with Stoical
and Fearless reps and the suppressive effects of armed
guards and punishments (solitary/lockdown) are doubled
J.W. Periwinkle - dogs have 50% chance of uncovering tunnels they detect
The Pacifier - your prison's overall danger level is reduced
Saphara Acknova - prisoners caught with contraband items are fined (but the
"consulting fee" can be as little as $1)
In the console editions the following two warden characters will be unlocked
when you sign up online for a Double ID.
Leanne Johnston - increases pass rate for education programmes
Bryan Hartley - guards have 15% more health
Additional wardens are available via premium expansions (see Section 04) -
the 'All Day and a Night' DLC adds eight and the 'Psych Ward' DLC adds two.
2. Difficulty
The console editions have three difficulty levels which represent specific
combinations of the standard preference settings listed below.
- County (easy) gives you a "Large" starting map (in Prison Architect mode)
with $200,000 starting funds and double intake payments.
- Federal (intermediate) gives you a "Medium" starting map with trees plus
$100k and a 25% bonus to intake payments. Failure conditions are on.
- SuperMax (hard) gives you a "Small" map with trees and ruined buildings
plus $50k and no intake multiplier. Failure conditions and the "fog of
war" effect are both applied.
Any changes to the preference settings will change your difficulty level to
Custom. Several of the trophies/achievements (see Section 17a) require you
to play Prison Architect mode on one of the three standard difficulties - so
you cannot use unlimited funds for those.
3. Prison Size*
This gives you a choice of three map sizes:
Small = 100 squares by 80 squares (8,000m²)
Medium = 150 squares by 120 squares (18,000m²)
Large = 200 squares by 160 squares (32,000m²)
You can research Land Expansion in Bureaucracy (see Section 08a) and buy
adjacent plots of land to expand your site if required.
4. Starting Funds
You can start with $0, $50k, $100k, $200k, $500k or unlimited funds.
You might pick the infinite option while you're still learning the game or
if you want to play around without having to worry about your finances.
If you start with one of the smaller amounts you'll need to make good use
of grants (see Section 07e) to finance your construction.
5. Prison Sale Profits*
The game includes the option to sell your own prison (see Section 07h) and
this setting lets you start a new prison using the profits from a sale (in
addition to any starting funds).
This option will be unavailable if you have not yet sold a prison, you have
already used the sale profits once or you selected unlimited funds.
6. Intake Payments
You receive intake payments (see Section 07b) for each new inmate you accept
into your prison (higher values for higher risk categories). This option
lets you increase those bonuses by 25%, 50% or 100%.
(This setting does not affect the daily prisoner grant of $150 per person.)
7. Fog of War
When this option is enabled you can only view prisoners in rooms where a
guard is operating or you have CCTV camera coverage (see Section 06g).
8. Generate Forests*
This adds trees to the starting terrain. These need to be removed before
building but the wood can be sold or used in workshops (see Section 06d),
however this option is not required for the timber economy since you can
also buy and plant trees manually or add a forestry area to automate it.
9. Generate Lakes*
This adds randomised water to the starting terrain. That affects the overall
area (and shape) of the land initially available for construction, however
you can still build any of the outdoor "floorings" (see Section 06c) over
water and then construct buildings on top of that.
If you buy land expansions these will also include lakes.
10. Generate Buildings*
This adds the ruined remains of buildings to the starting terrain. You can
either use parts of these in your build or demolish them as necessary.
11. Failure Conditions
This lets you enable the following conditions that can cause "game over".
Once per game you can use the Bureaucracy unlocks Legal Prep (purchased in
advance) and Legal Defence to reverse the effect of one failure warning.
- Riot (see Section 10)
Warning after 6 hours (game time) of rioting, failure after 12 hours.
- Bankruptcy (not on consoles?)
Warning if negative cash and negative cashflow, failure after 24 hours.
Once per game you can use the Government Bailout grant (see Section 07e)
to assist your financial recovery.
- Deaths
Warning if 20 deaths in one day, failure if 5 deaths in following day.
- Escapes
Warning if 20 escapes in one day, failure if 20 escapes in following day.
- Warden Deaths
Warning if too many wardens are killed, failure if one more is killed.
- Parole Re-offending Rate (see Section 07d)
Warning if too many paroled inmates re-offend, failure if not fixed.
- Wrongful Executions (see Section 11)
Warning if two inmates are executed with a Conviction Level below the
threshold and they are found innocent, failure if it happens again.
12. Prison Gangs
This option can be used to enable the gangs system (see Section 08k).
Gangs significantly increase the difficulty of the game so it's probably
best to turn them off while you're still learning how to play.
13. Criminally Insane (PS4/Xbone 'Psych Ward' DLC required)
This option adds the Insane prisoner category and related content.
(See Section 04b below for an index of features.)
14. Breakouts! (PS4/Xbone 'Psych Ward' DLC required)
This option can be used to increase the threat of escape attempts.
When this is set to either "High" or "Max" your prisoners have a greater
desire for freedom and tunnelling tools are more plentiful and durable.
*These options are obviously unavailable in Prison Warden mode where you always
play on pre-built prisons (or on pre-defined maps with the DLC).
PC Options
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Many of the options listed above are available in the original PC game. You can
choose a prison size, select a warden character (from six in the base game) and
toggle on/off the settings for "fog of war", forests, lakes, buildings, gangs,
failure conditions and unlimited funds.
The following additional gameplay options are also available on PC:
o Prisoner Gender (added in PC Update 2)
You can choose to have female prisoners instead of male, so you can recreate
OITNB (if you're young) or Prisoner: Cell Block H (if you're old)!
The main difference is that a small proportion of female prisoners will have
babies and therefore require additional facilities. Update 2 added the nursery
and family cell (see Section 06d) and the crib and play mat (see Section 06e).
(I think female inmates may have slightly different needs too?)
o Guard Dogs (added in "The Sneezer" update)
You can now select different types of dogs - or other animals.
o Jungle Plot / Snowbound Plot (added in "The Slammer" update)
o Desert Plot / Lunar Plot (added in "The Sneezer" update)
These four options allow you to select the terrain of your starting plot.
(The Lunar option gives you the Lunar flooring with pink Sakura trees!)
o Events (added in PC Alpha 36)
When this option is enabled, random events will occur randomly (but only when
you have a population of at least 50 prisoners and never during a riot).
These events include fires, floods, accidents, political mandates, etc.
o Weather and Temperature (added in PC Updates 4-6)
This adds a Warmth need for prisoners and temperature variations on day/night
and yearly cycles. Hot water pipes (see Section 06f) can be used to connect
water boilers to radiators, showers and kitchen sinks (see Section 06e).
This was originally a mandatory feature but it was made optional in Update 6.
o Staff Needs (added in PC Updates 11-12)
With this option your security staff have a range of needs that are similar to
prisoner needs - toilet, food, safety, etc. (see Section 07a)
One option for feeding your employees is a staff canteen. (see Section 06d)
Update 12 added an overall "staff morale". If this drops to 0% and you fail to
give them a 50% pay rise then your staff will go on strike! This can lead to
an additional "game over" failure state.
o Escape Plans (added in PC Updates 14-15)
This setting adds new ways for prisoners to escape - they can climb over walls
and steal delivery trucks (see Section 12).
o Bureaucracy Researched (added in "The Slammer" update)
Everything in Bureaucracy (see Section 08a) will be unlocked by default.
o Enable Tools and Cheats (added in PC Update 9)
This enables a developer cheat menu which gives instant construction, free
objects (when built using the "Spawn" icon) and the option of building water
tiles. It also adds a range of debugger functions which are assigned to the
function keys, however Steam achievements obviously cannot be earned while
playing in cheat mode.
o Warden Mode (added in PC Update 13)
This is a whole new way of playing the game. Your warden becomes a playable
character which you can move around the prison. You use the WASD keys to move
and hold Shift to run (subject to a red stamina meter).
In Warden Mode your view is limited. You can't see through solid walls or
around corners so you can only see people within the warden's field of view
(unless you have CCTV camera coverage). Also the extent to which you can zoom
out is quite restricted - at most you can only view an area about 50 squares
wide. This means that you need to move the warden around the prison in order
to see an area that you want to build or redevelop.
(You may have difficulty viewing the option to buy a land expansion to the
north or south. In this case try using a lower screen resolution.)
The other main feature is that prisoners will sometimes attack you. If you
get defeated then the warden is knocked unconscious and respawns in one of
your infirmaries. However if you have the Permadeath option enabled then you
have no extra lives or continues and it's game over!
By pressing Tab you can view your inventory. This functions similarly to
Escape Mode (see Section 14a) in that you can pick up contraband items from
rooms (see Section 08i) and of course if your prison has an armoury then the
warden has convenient access and you can pick up body armour and smaller
weapons such as a tazer, baton or revolver.
If an inmate attacks you the game will inform you that self-defence is now
authorised so you can retaliate using any items you have available.
You can also order guards to serve as "warden protection" bodyguards who will
escort you at all times. However there is an additional cost for this, with
basic guards costing $500 per day and other types costing significantly more.
When you execute a Death Row inmate (see Section 11) you will need to follow
the warden roles during the process, for example meeting the security chief
and priest in the prisoner's cell and leading the doomed inmate to the chair.
o Mutators (added in PC Update 13)
This is a range of new options to make the game harder, easier or weirder!
These also work in Escape Mode (see Section 14a) and Warden Mode (see above).
Originally mutators could only be selected when starting a new prison, but
"The Slammer" update added the option to add/remove them during play.
"Extra Challenge" category:
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Danger Zone - inmates more violent and prison danger level always maximum
The Good %$#! - drug/alcohol users gain random additional reputations
Acid Rain - (if weather enabled) rain/snow causes damage to prisoners outdoors
Volatile Prisoners - half the prisoners have Volatile reputation
Needy Prisoners - prisoners' needs increase much faster
Gang Warfare - (if gangs enabled) all prisoners are gang members
Get Me Outta Here! - prisoners much more likely to dig tunnels
More Contraband - more contraband smuggled in and stolen
The BIG House - all prisoners are Legendary (yikes!)
"Lightening the Load" category:
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Super-guards - guards are faster, stronger and more observant
All Reputations Revealed - all reps are known for new arrivals
No Violent Prisoners - no prisoners have Violent trait
No Tunnels - prisoners will not dig escape tunnels
Fast Deliveries - all supplies arrive instantly
Spectral Staff - staff members can pass through walls!
Reduce Dirt Build Up* - rate of dirt accumulation is halved
*(This new mutator was added in "The Slammer" update in September 2019.)
"Changing the Rules" category:
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
No Reputations Revealed - reps always unknown for new arrivals
Fast Walking - movement speeds doubled
No Pausing - cannot set game speed to zero during play
No Release - prison sentences never end and no parole
Short Sentences - prison sentences much shorter than normal
Contraband Scanning - metal detectors find all contraband but use more power
Old-school Intake - new prisoners arrive every day
Slow Time - game plays at slower rate
Slow Deliveries - everything you buy needs to arrive by truck
"Something... Different" category:
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Big Head Mode - prisoners have big heads (like the PS4/Xbox cheat code)
Endless Winter - always winter and Exposure status effect is applied
Nature Conservation Zone - the starting map's trees cannot be removed
Burn the Dead - dead bodies will spontaneously combust
No Contraband Limits - more item types can be smuggled (including firearms)
Extra Reputations* - additional list of reps is added to game
Permanent Day - always daytime
Permanent Night - always night-time
Wild Growth - new trees will grow near other trees and grow faster too
*I've seen the following examples of extra reputations:
Preacher - inmate gives other prisoners the Spirituality need
Well Connected - inmate obtains contraband items directly (even guns)
Workaholic - inmate will continue to work until no tasks remain
Clean - inmate's Hygiene need increases very quickly
Pick Pocket - (no description)
Identity Thief - inmate copies reputations from other prisoners
Escape Artist - inmate is compelled to steal keys and to escape
Dangerous - inmate causes damage to nearby people
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 04 | PREMIUM DLCs s04 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
The premium expansions detailed in this section were all made by Double Eleven
(D11) - the UK studio that developed the console ports of Prison Architect and
later took over development for PC in 2019.
PS4 / Xbox One
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
'All Day and a Night', 'Psych Ward' and the enhanced console version of Escape
Mode are all available for PS4 and Xbone, either separately or in bundles with
the base game. The 'All Day and a Psych' bundle includes the first two DLCs
while the 'Escape Mode Bundle' includes all three expansions.
Xbox 360
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
The Xbox 360 only got the first expansion - 'All Day and a Night'. 'Psych Ward',
Escape Mode and the free updates were not released for Xbox 360 - I assume this
was due to a significantly smaller player-base on this platform.
Nintendo Switch
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
The Nintendo Switch edition of the game includes the content of the 'All Day and
a Night' and 'Psych Ward' DLCs but Escape Mode is sold separately. The Switch
version seems to be getting the same free updates as PS4/Xbone now.
PC
¯¯
All of Introversion's updates to the original PC game from 2012 to late 2018
(including the PC version of Escape Mode) were free but it was no surprise to
see premium expansions following the takeover by Paradox. The first DLC for PC
was the revised "Warden's Edition" of 'Psych Ward' released in November 2019.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 04a | All Day and a Night* s04a |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
The first expansion was released in June 2016 on the same day as the PS4 and
Xbox One editions of Prison Architect. It was originally offered as a pre-order
bonus but can now be bought separately or in DLC bundles with the base game.
PS4/Xbone - released June 2016 (at base game launch)
Xbox 360 - released August 2016 (at base game launch)
Switch - released August 2018 (included in base game)
PC - not available
This expansion adds eight new wardens plus eight new prisons and eight new maps
for Prison Warden mode. It does not include any extra trophies/achievements.
*"All day" is prison slang for a life sentence, while "all day and a night" is a
life sentence with no expectation of parole. ('All Day and a Night' is now also
the title of a Netflix prison movie which began filming in July 2018.)
Wardens
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
The DLC expands the list of available wardens by adding eight new characters.
o Hunter McGreevy - increased workshop export prices
- inmates can use workshop immediately
o Rick Beresh, MD. - small reduction to prisoner needs
o Tom Dunwright - TVs and pool tables give more satisfaction of Recreation needs
o Warden W-800 - armed guards are faster and more accurate with tazers
o Walt "The Wolf" Wilson - reduced staff wages
- reduced requirements for offices and staffrooms
- more inmates with reputations (including Legendary)
o Shaun Fernandez - reduced construction costs and reduced workmen costs
- increased tunnelling speed
o Nero - three gang leaders arrive in first intake (when using gangs option)
o El Cocinero* - adds "Fine Dining" meal option
- cost of hiring cooks is halved
*This name simply means "The Cook" in Spanish.
Prisons
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
The expansion adds eight new pre-built prison designs to Prison Warden mode.
o The Hole
A compact high-security prison (SuperMax and Death Row) surrounded by a moat.
o The Lap of Luxury
A lakeside facility with large and very luxurious cells.
o The Motherboard
A prison layout designed to look like a printed circuitboard.
o The Workhouse
A jail with a large central workshop and buildings surrounded by water.
o Montebello Correctional Facility
A very neat symmetrical design housing inmates with "explosive tempers".
o Wolf Yard Penitentiary*
A high-security prison built around a large central yard.
o The Rock**
A recreation of the infamous Alcatraz facility in San Francisco Bay.
o Clandestine Cove
A former top-secret military base complete with runways and helipads.
*Wolf Yard is modelled accurately on the Joliet Correctional Center in Illinois
which was the location for season 1 of the TV show Prison Break.
**"The Rock" is based on the layout of the real-life Alcatraz jail - apart from
the short bridge to the access road of course! It even includes prisoner Frank
Morris who was one of three inmates who escaped from Alcatraz in 1962.
Further info:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_1962_Alcatraz_escape
Just like in the game, they dug tunnels out of their cells and left fake paper
heads in their beds. If you can find Morris' cell in the game you'll see that
the hole in the back wall has been patched up with brickwork. One of the guard
patrol routes specifically checks his cell to make sure he's still there. :)
Prison Architect was inspired by Chris Delay's tourist trip to Alcatraz in 2010.
Maps
¯¯¯¯
Finally the DLC includes eight maps with interesting terrain which can be used
to build your own prisons. These are added to the list in Prison Warden mode.
o Phoenix Park
This has several walls remaining from a previous prison on the same site.
o Lonely Plains
An expanse of sandy desert with an oasis in the corner.
o Offshore
Nine hexagonal offshore oil platforms connected by short bridges.
o Black Knight City
A crowded urban neighbourhood repurposed as a prison (like Arkham City).
o Alcatraz Island
The abandoned remains of "The Rock" prison design (see above).
o Buchannon Bay*
A large bay with about half of the map covered in water.
o Jinx Island
A skull-shaped island linked to the road via a bridge.
o Lake Exceptional
A large lake fills most of the middle of the final DLC map.
*The in-game description is a blatant reference to the TV show Baywatch so the
map must be named for The Hoff's character, Mitch Buchannon.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 04b | Psych Ward s04b |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
The second DLC from Double Eleven was first released in June 2017.
PS4/Xbone - released June 2017
Xbox 360 - not available
Switch - released August 2018 (included in base game)
PC - released November 2019
It adds the option of having insane prisoners, padded cells and psychiatrists
plus some more wardens. On consoles it also adds the "Breakouts!" option and a
few new maps. It does not include any extra trophies/achievements.
There are several extra features in the PC version (see separate list below).
Criminally Insane
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Starting a new prison with the Criminally Insane preference adds the following:
o Insane prisoner category with separate intake*, security sectors and regime
o nine insane reputations (see Section 08b)
o padded cell and padded holding cell (see Section 06d)
o psychiatrist staff (see Section 08c)
o Psychiatric Consultation programme (see Section 07f)
o Criminally Insane Wing grant (see Section 7e)
*In addition to receiving insane prisoners through intake, your existing sane
inmates can become Criminally Insane from severe suppression or punishments.
Wardens
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
o Hawk Hartman - guards are less likely to drop keys
- guard stamina is recharged on prisoner intake
o Dr. Slugworth - higher chance of Psychopathic inmates (5+ reputations)
- psychiatric treatments are 20% more effective
Prisons*
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
o Black Water Incarceration
A large floating prison connected to the harbour by two walkways.
o The Farm
A massive parkland prison with 462 capacity including 159 padded cells.
Maps*
¯¯¯¯
o Encampment
A small bamboo compound set within a dense jungle.
o Colosseum
The ruins of an ancient arena and dungeon complex.
Breakouts!*
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Starting a new prison with the "Breakouts!" preference on "High" or "Max" will
increase the number of escape attempts and the effectiveness of digging tools.
(See Section 12 for general tips on preventing escapes by tunnels.)
*These features are specifically part of the console version of 'Psych Ward'.
__
The PC version of this expansion called 'Psych Ward: Warden's Edition' was
announced at Paradox's PDXCON2019 event in Berlin in October 2019 and released
in November 2019 (alongside the free "The Sneezer" update).
'Psych Ward' on PC has several new features compared to the console version:
- insanity status gauges and additional behaviours
The gauge over each insane prisoner's head indicates their current mental
status which in turn governs their activity. Inmates can progress from minor
actions such as hoarding or searching other cells to damaging objects, setting
fires and attempting to escape.
- padded solitary cell and padded floor
These supplement the padded cell and holding cell from consoles.
- orderly staff (see Section 08c)
Orderlies escort and heal your insane prisoners but they can also use strait-
jackets and a sedative syringe.
They are locked initially but can be unlocked via Bureaucracy research.
- psychiatrist office upgrades (see Section 06e)
Psychiatric sessions are used to improve the mental status of inmates.
There are five new objects which can enhance psychiatrist treatments including
the medicine cabinet, Rorschach inkblot test and anatomical model.
These are locked initially but become unlocked by completing psychiatric
therapy sessions. Each item improves the reduction of suppression and certain
needs and extends the time before the patient will require another session.
- additional wardens
The PC edition gets the same two wardens as consoles plus one extra:
o Hawk Hartman - guards are less likely to drop keys
- guard stamina is recharged on prisoner intake
o Dr. Slugworth - higher chance of Psychopathic inmates (5+ reputations)
- psychiatric treatments are 20% more effective
o Dr. Hudson - emergency services arrive quicker and work 20% faster
- repair costs are reduced by 10%
- additional cosmetics
The DLC includes "a bundle of other new objects, floors and wall types to
customize your prison". I think it mostly adds options to make your offices
look smarter - cushioned wall, classy walls, classy windows and carpets.
("The Sneezer" free update - released on the same day - also added the leather
chair, coat stand, moose head, bookcase door, lamp stand, potted plants, etc.)
- additional contraband items
These include adrenaline shots, fountain pens and gold pocket-watches.
(The fountain pen can be used as a shank weapon.)
- additional animal patrols
"The Sneezer" free update added two new cosmetic options for dog patrols but
the premium DLC adds another three: dalmatians, "direwoofs" and cats!
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 04c | Escape Mode s04c |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
The original basic Escape Mode on PC (see Section 14a) was made by the game's
original PC developers at Introversion and released as part of the free update
for Version 1.0 of the game in October 2015.
The console version of Escape Mode was made by Double Eleven and includes a
range of new gameplay features (see Section 14b). It was first released as their
third premium expansion on PS4 and Xbox One in 2018.
PS4/Xbone - released August 2018
Xbox 360 - not available
Switch - released September 2018
PC - released October 2015
The console expansion adds no other playable content besides Escape Mode but it
does add thirteen additional trophies/achievements (see Section 17b) and 27 new
snapshot collectibles (see Section 16).
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 05 | USER INTERFACE s05 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
This section covers the game's general controls (PS4 edition) and display.
Controls
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Press X to Jason. Sorry, wrong game! :)
The interface in the console version of the game is very user-friendly, showing
prompts for the contextual controls available when you hover over different
objects. I've given examples of some of these functions below.
left stick - move cursor
right stick - scroll around map
R2/L2 - zoom in/out
Double-tap the button for maximum zoom in or out.
The game gives a lot of ambient noise and background sounds when
you're zoomed in - this will often be your first indication of a
riot or fire in your prison!
Cross - select / toggle door / (hold) move object / (drag) select group
Doors can be toggled to "locked closed" and "locked open" states.
If you hover your cursor over an object and hold Cross until a
copy appears with a green outline you can rotate or reposition it.
Clicking and dragging over security or emergency staff selects a
group which can then be ordered to a specified location.
Circle - (click) cancel task / (drag) cancel multiple tasks / open door
You can cancel a pending build or demolish job on an object by
clicking on it or cancel several at the same time by dragging to
select all of them.
You can also tap Circle on any type of door (apart from standard
orange doors) or a road gate to force it to open temporarily if a
guard is not available.
Square - view person info / remove/sell object / add door to wall
Triangle - (hold) show danger, speed/undo, profit/loss and contraband summary
While holding Triangle you can use d-pad left/right to cycle the
game speed through pause, normal (x1), fast (x3) and fastest (x5).
(This also works in the console version of Escape Mode but you
need to upgrade the Chronos Traveller skill to do it.)
You can freeze time if you want to suspend all activity while you
build a new section or handle an emergency.
You can also press d-pad up to undo your previous action/s.
(On PC an undo function was also added in Update 8 and a x10 game
speed option was added in "The Slammer" update.)
L3 - follow person / rotate object before building
After selecting a prisoner, guard or staff member you can press
L3 and the game will follow them around in their daily routine.
R3 - cancel unstarted construction
L1 - view To-Do List
There's lots of useful info here so keep checking it regularly.
The To-Do List shows things like intake, prisoners due for parole,
family members waiting to visit, exhausted staff, unfed inmates
and outstanding tasks for grants. The three figures for catering
are the number of prisoners, the number of meals that are ready
and the number of meals that are currently being cooked.
In the Prison Stories campaign it shows your current objectives.
While the list is open tap Square to filter between categories.
R1 - (hold) Demolition tool shortcut
Click and drag with Cross to select an area to bulldoze.
Click and drag with Square to demolish walls only.
d-pad - open menu / browse menus
The four primary menus can be accessed directly via the d-pad.
left - Construction menu (see Section 06)
up - Reports menu (see Section 07)
right - Prison Running menu (see Section 08)
down - Emergencies menu (see Section 09)
It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the contents of each
menu so you know what's available and where to find it.
Within a menu you can use L1/R1 to skip between sections.
You can hide the d-pad menu prompt at the bottom of the screen via
the pause menu's setting options.
Options - pause screen (stats, settings and save)
This completely pauses the game. If you want to freeze time while
still having control hold Triangle instead and press d-pad left.
The pause menu shows several stats for your prison including the
monetary value, deaths and escapes. It also displays the overall
grading for the facility using the same four categories that are
used for individual prisoner gradings (see Section 08b).
Additionally you can save manually on the pause screen and access
the game settings. Disable room checkerboxes to turn off the chess
board grid effect and use the UI option to resize your screen.
Cheats
¯¯¯¯¯¯
The console editions have three cheats which are activated by button codes.
The first one gives your prisoners big heads! On PS4 this can be activated by
holding down Triangle while you tap d-pad down, up, down, up, R1, L1, R1, L1. On
the Xboxes you need to hold the Y button and use the bumpers instead of R1/L1.
Entering the code again removes the cosmetic effect, although it might take a
few seconds to restore everybody. This also works in Escape Mode.
The second cheat forces a prisoner riot to occur. The code is almost the same as
above but the button sequence while holding Triangle is up, down, up, down, L1,
R1, L1, R1. This cheat can only be used once per game day.
The third cheat gives all prisoners the shirtless ripped physique of the "Rage"
skill in the console version of Escape Mode. It's triggered by holding Triangle
and tapping d-pad right, left, right, left, R1, L1, R1, L1. It can also be used
in Escape Mode where it affects all inmates except the player's character.
Display
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
A lot of useful information is permanently displayed in the header bar across
the top of the screen. I've described the layout in the console editions below -
in the PC version of the game the arrangement is quite different but all the
same info is shown with the exception of the workman count.
__
On the left side are the danger gauge, prisoner count and guard count, plus the
workman count on consoles.
The danger gauge is a measure of the current tensions and potential for unrest
among your prisoner population. On consoles this will be Low, Medium or High and
a green or red arrow indicates if the threat level is currently decreasing or</pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
increasing. On PC the danger level is shown with a row of exclamation marks!!!!
Research to unlock: Security
The danger level is increased by inmates being punished (lockdown or solitary),
having armed guards or riot guards on site, searching prisoners who didn't have
contraband, fights, riots, deaths and prisoners having unsatisfied needs.
It will be decreased by having prisoners who have satisfied needs and the "Well
Fed" and "Calming" status effects. Also the warden known only as "The Pacifier"
has a perk that gives a constant reduction to the "heat" level of your jail.
Holding the Triangle button shows a list of the factors that are currently
contributing to the danger level of your prison.
The prisoner count has two figures - the total number of prisoners currently in
your prison and the number of beds available in cells and holding cells. So for
example "13/20" means you have thirteen inmates with capacity for seven more,
although if you start zoning cell blocks for different security categories (see
Section 08b) this will not be reflected here, e.g. you might have seven Medium
Security prisoners arriving but only have seven Min-Sec cells available.
The guard count shows the number of guards currently available and the total
number of guards in your workforce. Guards will be unavailable if they've been
assigned via the Deployment or Patrol Routes menus or if they're currently
busy with temporary duties like escorting or searching inmates.
Similarly the workman count shows the number of workmen available and the total
number of workmen in your workforce.
Below these are a prompt for your To-Do List showing the number of tasks and
notifications there. You can view the list by pressing L1 (or LB on Xbox).
__
In the centre of the header bar are the day counter, clock and game speed.
Holding the Triangle button reveals the d-pad functions to freeze the game, to
change the game speed and to undo your previous actions.
Below the clock is an indication of the current active phase/s in the daily
regime (see Section 07c) for example Sleep, Eat, Work, Yard, etc.
In the PC version of the game the clock is in the top-right corner of the screen
with the regime and game speed indicators below. If you're playing with the
optional warmth mechanics enabled the temperature will be shown there too.
__
A brief summary of your finances is displayed on the right side of the header.
The cash balance is the total money you have available to spend and the cashflow
is an indication of your jail's current daily profit (green) or loss (red). A
temporary feed below these itemises all money in (green) and out (red) as your
prison operates.
Holding the Triangle button shows your current daily income and expenditure. A
more detailed breakdown is available on the Finance menu (see Section 07g).
__
In the PC version of Prison Architect there are three icons in the top-left
corner of the screen. The warden icon accesses the Bureaucracy screen (which is
under the Prison Running menu on consoles), the pie-chart clipboard icon shows
the prison's grading and stats (which are on the pause screen on consoles) and
the graph icon (added in Update 14) allows you to track your stats over time.
Introversion developed a 3D view for the game which they ultimately decided not
to include as an official feature. Instead it was added in version 1.0 of the PC
game as an easter egg and it remained undiscovered for several months! It can be
activated by clicking the small pi icon hidden at the bottom-left corner of the
Extras menu.* You can then explore your prison in 3D although the feature wasn't
completely finished so some objects lack 3D models.
*This is a reference to the 1995 movie 'The Net'.
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 06 | CONSTRUCTION MENU s06 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
Press d-pad left to access the Construction menu with the following options:
o Structure (see Section 06a)
o Walls & Doors (see Section 06b)
o Flooring (see Section 06c)
o Rooms (see Section 06d)
o Objects (see Section 06e)
o Power Supply (see Section 06f)
o Water Supply (see Section 06f)
o Surveillance (see Section 06g)
o Automatic Doors (see Section 06h)
o Wiring (see Section 06i)
o Clone Tool (see Section 06j)
o Planning (see Section 06k)
o Demolition (see Section 06l)
o Quick Rooms (see Section 06m)
(In the PC version of the game, buildings are made using the Foundations menu
and the power/water supply, surveillance, automatic doors and wiring options are
all on the Utilities menu. When Double Eleven started to introduce additional
features on PC in the June 2019 update they also added new menu categories for
Walls & Doors and Flooring so these now match consoles.)
When you start constructing a new prison you should begin by building a holding
cell, canteen, kitchen, shower room and a yard, plus electricity/water supplies,
offices for the admin staff (so you can start researching) and a full perimeter
fence around the site. Once you have a basic and secure facility you can use the
Intake option on the Reports menu to start accepting inmates which will give a
boost to your daily income.
If you're not playing with unlimited funds you can utilise the initial grants
(see Section 07e) to get more cash and to steer you in the right direction.
You're free to choose how to build your jail - you can construct one massive
building and then partition it into various rooms, or make separate buildings
with gaps between them or build rooms without gaps and create doorways and
corridors to connect them. Each type of room (cell, canteen, showers, etc) must
be defined, either by using the Rooms menu (see Section 06d) or by building them
using the ready-made templates on the Quick Rooms menu (see Section 06m).
You should try to design a layout of rooms, corridors/paths and doors that
provides efficient routes for the flow of people and materials through the site.
Always aim to make these routes short, simple and secure.
Don't waste space or money by making rooms larger than necessary (e.g. offices
and staff rooms) or by exceeding the maximum capacity for working rooms like
workshops, laundries and cleaning cupboards (see Section 06d) but rooms should
still be large enough to provide the required capacity (e.g. canteens/kitchens,
showers and classrooms).
However you should also consider your future expansion plans too. For example
you might build a large canteen and kitchen to allow space for more furniture
and equipment at a later stage. Otherwise you might leave space to expand a
room or just build small rooms and make more of the same later. With an indoor
prison you'll want to leave gaps for corridors into new wings although in cell
blocks at least you can simply remove one cell to create an opening.
Corridors should be wide enough to allow the free movement of inmates and staff
but not unnecessarily wide either. Use a width of two squares for minor routes
and three squares for major ones. You can use concrete tiles (indoors/outdoors),
concrete floor (indoors) or paving stones (outdoors) to increase the movement
speed of anyone walking on them.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 06a | Structure s06a |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
You can use this menu to construct empty rectangular buildings of any shape/size
with foundations and exterior walls in either brick or concrete. More complex
shapes can be made by building multiple rectangles next to each other and you
can use long narrow rectangles as corridors.
You can then use the Rooms menu (see Section 06d) to designate them as various
types of room and the Objects menu (see Section 06e) to add furniture and other
equipment for each one.
o Building (Brick) [$10/square of floor plus $50/square of wall]
This makes a building with red brick walls.
The construction cost of each building will depend on the surface area of the
foundations and the combined length of the exterior walls.
o Building (Concrete) [$10/sq of floor plus $50/sq of wall]
This is a cosmetic alternative to the brick building.
The two materials are equivalent so you can choose whether to use one or the
other (or some combination of both) in each prison.
o Bulldoze
This is a duplicate of the option on the Demolition menu (see Section 06l).
It's used to demolish structures and objects in the selected area.
You can also build preset furnished rooms using Quick Rooms (see Section 06m).
Originally on consoles this menu listed (duplicated) all the walls and doors
(see Section 06b) but these were removed in "The Shovel" update.
Since "The Sneezer" PC update you can build foundations with other wall types.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 06b | Walls & Doors s06b |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
The game offers a selection of various walls and entrances. In the PS4 edition
these are listed together on a single menu but I'll give them separately here.
Walls
¯¯¯¯¯ _
This list provides a range of walls and fences that can be used |_ |_
to divide buildings internally into rooms, make outdoor compounds |_ |_
or build a secure jail perimeter. It is possible to make diagonal |_ |_
walls/fences but they'll be bumpy and give oddly shaped rooms! |_ |
To make a new building you need to have a foundation which can only be provided
by constructing a "building" from the Structure menu (see Section 06a).
If you get bored why not try building a maze out of walls or fences and see if
the game's pathfinding algorithms can navigate people through it? :)
o Concrete Wall [$50/square]
This is a versatile option which can be used outdoors to make rooms and
corridors or indoors to divide buildings into individual rooms.
It provides some benefit from slowing prisoners tunnelling under it.
o Brick Wall [$50/sq]
This is a cosmetic alternative to the concrete wall.
o Barred Wall [$70/sq] (added in the Community Update / "The Clink" update*)
This wall has metal bars from floor to ceiling.
Each narrow wall section is bordered horizontally with strips of concrete so
this option works best when used with the standard concrete floor.
Some players like to use these because armed guards can shoot through them.
*"The clink" is a slang term for prison. The name was derived from a notorious
12th-century jail in London's Southwark district. The narrow cobbled alley of
Clink Street there is now home to the Clink Prison Museum.
o White Wall [$50/sq] (added in the Community Update / "The Clink" update)
This wall has rough white surfaces.
o Tiled Wall [$90/sq] (added in the Community Update / "The Clink" update)
This wall has small white tiles.
o Classy Wall (Burgundy) [$50/sq] (in Community Update / PC 'Psych Ward' DLC)
This wall has burgundy wallpaper above brown wooden panelling.
o Classy Wall (Green) [$50/sq] (added in Community Update / PC 'Psych Ward' DLC)
This wall has green wallpaper above white wooden panelling.
o Classy Wall (Blue Stripes) [$50/sq] (Community Update / PC 'Psych Ward' DLC)
This wall has blue wallpaper above brown wooden panelling.
o Yutani* Wall [$100/sq] (added in the Community Update / "The Slammer" update)
This wall has metal panels with hazard stripes.
*This option was inspired by the 'Alien' sci-fi movie series and is named
after the franchise's malevolent megacorp - Weyland Yutani.
o Art Deco* Wall [$100/sq] (added in "The Sneezer" / "The Shovel" updates)
This is an ornate wall with a bold repeating design in relief.
(It reminds me of the poster for the 1927 movie 'Metropolis'.)
*Art Deco was a style of architecture and graphic design which was popular in
the 1910s to 1930s. It followed Art Nouveau in the preceding decades.
o Derelict* Wall [$45/sq] (added in "The Shovel" update / coming soon?)
This wall is built from uneven brown stones. Perfect for a medieval dungeon!
*The description on consoles is a reference to the 2001 movie 'Zoolander'.
o Overgrown Wall [$50/sq] (added in "The Shovel" update / coming soon?)
These walls are covered in ivy or some other climbing plant.
The description is a reference to the 1993 movie 'Jurassic Park'.
o Rusty Wall [$50/sq] (added in "The Shovel" update / coming soon?)
This gives a metal wall with only a few small patches without corrosion.
o Slum Wall [$45/sq] (added in "The Shovel" update / coming soon?)
This wall is made from corrugated iron sheets. Perfect for a shantytown jail!
o Fence [$3/sq]
Fences can only be built outdoors.
They can be used to give your site a quick and cheap perimeter when you start
building your prison but they provide no serious protection against tunnels.
Fences also look good around yards and outdoor kennels or built along the
sides of secure paths between buildings.
o Hedge [$3/sq] (added in Community Update / "The Clink" update)
This outdoor barrier consists of green bushes grown into a continuous hedge.
The hedge was a nice cosmetic addition but it has dirt borders on both sides
which don't blend with any adjacent terrain (even dirt!) and don't show cast
shadows so they always look a bit odd.
(Hedges were greatly improved on PC in "The Slammer" update which removed the
borders and added rounded sections at any left/right/top ends.)
o Bamboo Fence [$3/sq] (added in Community Update / coming soon?)
This outdoor barrier is a lightweight fence made from bamboo canes.
o Perimeter Wall [$150/sq]
Perimeter walls can also only be constructed outdoors. They're automatically
built with one row of paving stones (flooring) on each side.
These are much more expensive than fences but they make it a lot harder for
prisoners to dig escape tunnels under them. However they still don't prevent
people from throwing contraband over the perimeter into outdoor areas.
Utilities cannot be laid under perimeter walls and if you build a perimeter
wall over existing water pipes or electricity cables they'll be broken!
o Demolish Walls
This is a duplicate of the option on the Demolition menu (see Section 06l).
As you might hope and expect, it's used to demolish walls!
_____________________________________________________________________________
The following extra walls are only available in the PC edition of the game:
_____________________________________________________________________________
o Wall (Oriental) [$50/sq] (added in "The Sneezer" update)
This is a simple white wall with "an ancient Japanese feel".
o Wall (Cushioned) [$110/sq] (PC 'Psych Ward' DLC required)
This is an expensive luxury wall for posh parts of your prison.
_____________________________________________________________________________
The following extra walls are only available in the PS4 and Xbone editions:
_____________________________________________________________________________
o White Wall (Decayed) [$50/sq] (added in PS4/Xbone Community Update)
This wall has rough and damaged white surfaces.
o Pipe Wall [$80/sq] (added in "The Shovel" update)
This industrial wall option is a large metal pipe with various joints, labels
and end caps. It's surrounded by black hazard stripes on the ground.
o Rocky Cliff Edge [$250/sq] (added in PS4/Xbone Community Update)
This is a texture which can be used to give a more suitable boundary between
terrain and water. Rotating the tile gives twelve different designs which can
be used in combination to form more complex shapes.
Doors
¯¯¯¯¯
There are several different types of door available so you should consider which
type will work best each time you add one.
You can select any door and press Cross to toggle its mode from normal to locked
open to locked closed. The "locked open" setting can still be overridden using
the Lockdown command (Emergencies menu) except with standard doors.
_
o Door (Jail) [$200] Size: |_|
This barred door should be used on cells where it'll be locked automatically
(without needing remote controls) during Sleep and Lockup times.
They can also be used to add security throughout a prison but until you can
add automation (see Section 06h) a jail door will require a guard to open it
for prisoners or staff (unless you manually lock it open).
_ _
o Door (Large Jail) [$350] Size: |_|_|
This works like the basic jail door but it's twice as wide so it's great for
areas with high levels of traffic like cell blocks, canteens and yards.
Alternatively you can use two 1x1 jail doors with one rotated so that they
open away from each other. That's a nice visual effect but it is slightly more
expensive - especially if you're fitting servos.
_
o Door (Standard) [$50] Size: |_|
This is a basic lightweight orange door.
It can be used where security is not required. It can be opened by inmates in
addition to guards and staff and it's weaker than a jail door.
_
o Door (Solitary) [$500] Size: |_|
This functions like a jail door but it's solid and stronger, however it's also
a lot more expensive to purchase.
This isn't required for a solitary cell, also it can be used in other areas
where high security is required such as the main prison entrance, armoury and
the door into your Protective Custody wing.
_
o Door (Staff) [$100] Size: |_|
This is a lightweight green door with a window and kickplate.
A staff door can't be opened by prisoners - only guards and staff members
(workmen, cooks, janitors, etc) can open it.
This doesn't provide much security because staff will happily open staff doors
for prisoners! If you want to exclude inmates from a room or area you should
instead use the Security Sectors menu (see Section 08e).
_
o Door (Remote) [$500] Size: |_|
This is like the solitary door but it can only be opened via remote control.
It cannot be opened by a nearby guard and there's also no risk of a prisoner
opening it with stolen keys.
Research to unlock: Security \ Remote Access
Requires: door servo (with electricity supply) + wiring
A remote door will lock closed when something goes wrong, for example if the
power supply is interrupted (fire can damage underground cables) or if there
are no guards available to operate the controls. This will be especially
inconvenient if the remote door is your main entrance - blocking everything
(food, intake, etc) although you can still manually lock the door open.
_ _ _ _ _ _
o Road Gate [$1000] Size: |_|_|_|_|_|_|
This provides a movable barrier across the access road.
Road gates allow you to construct a secure perimeter around your prison's main
entrance with gates across the road and a fence on the opposite side. They
are especially important when expanding your jail to the east.
Requires: guard or door servo + wiring
A gate needs to be operated either by a guard or via remote control. If there
is no guard available (either at the gate or on the control desk) or if the
power supply is interrupted (ditto) then the gate will not open automatically.
If your north gate is stuck shut it will block all incoming delivery trucks,
prisoner buses and emergency vehicles or if the south gate gets stuck it can
cause a tailback which leaves the north gate wide open for escapes.
You can use a patrol route to station a guard near a gate or deployment to
keep guards (including a backup) in a nearby security room. Otherwise in a
critical situation you can click on a gate to open it manually.
(PC Update 15 added a new feature for the Escape Plans option whereby some
prisoners can steal a delivery truck for a fast escape. The standard road gate
is not tough enough to stop a vehicular escape attempt so Introversion also
added the new road barrier (see Section 06e) as a counter.)
_
o Door (Bamboo) [$30] (added in PS4 Version 1.06 / coming soon?) Size: |_|
A lightweight bamboo door designed to match the bamboo fence (see above).
On consoles the bamboo door functions the same as a jail door so inmates and
non-security staff need guards to unlock it.
On PC it's called "Door (Bamboo Gate)" and functions like a standard door.
o Demolish Walls
This function can be used to remove walls (but not doors).
_____________________________________________________________________________
The following extra doors are only available in the PC edition of the game:
_____________________________________________________________________________
_
o Door (Secret) [$100] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: |_|
This is disguised as a bookcase so only staff know that it's a door.
_
o Door (Secure) [$600] (added in "The Slammer" update) Size: |_|
This is a heavy door like the solitary door but it's fitted with a flap so
guards can pass meals to prisoners (in solitary or cell lockdown) without
needing to enter the cell.
_
o Fence Gate (Standard) [$30] (added in "The Slammer" update) Size: |_|
This is a lightweight door designed to look better in a fence.
This gate functions like a standard door for access (see above), indicated by
the orange trim at the top and bottom.
_
o Fence Gate (Staff) [$30] (added in "The Slammer" update) Size: |_|
This gate functions like a staff door for access (see above), indicated by the
green trim at the top and bottom.
_
o Fence Gate (Visitors) [$30] (added in "The Slammer" update) Size: |_|
This gate functions like a visitor door for access (see below), indicated by
the purple trim at the top and bottom.
_
o Fence Gate (Guards) [$30] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: |_|
This gate can only be opened by guards.
_
o Jail Door (Grey Stripes) [$200] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: |_|
_
o Jail Door (Yellow Stripes) [$200] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: |_|
_
o Jail Door (Orange Stripes) [$200] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: |_|
_
o Jail Door (Red Stripes) [$200] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: |_|
These four options are cosmetic variations of the standard 1x1 jail door with
coloured stripes added across the top and bottom.
You can use these to colour-coordinate your cells for Min-Sec (grey), Med-Sec
(orange), Max-Sec (red) and Protective Custody (yellow).
_ _
o Large Jail Door (Grey Stripes) [$350] (added in "The Sneezer") Size: |_|_|
_ _
o Large Jail Door (Yellow Stripes) [$350] (added in "The Sneezer") Size: |_|_|
_ _
o Large Jail Door (Orange Stripes) [$350] (added in "The Sneezer") Size: |_|_|
_ _
o Large Jail Door (Red Stripes) [$350] (added in "The Sneezer") Size: |_|_|
These four options are cosmetic variations of the standard 1x2 jail door.
_ _ _ _ _ _
o Road Barrier [$10,000] (added in PC Update 15) Size: |_|_|_|_|_|_|
Update 15 added a new mechanic to the Escape Plans gameplay setting where a
prisoner can steal an idle delivery truck on the access road and ram through
any closed road gates between them and freedom.
The road barrier was added as a counter to this. It can be built across the
road and then deployed when needed by issuing a Lockdown command.
(The other option for stopping escape trucks is using armed guards there.)
_
o Visitor Door [$100] (added in "The Slammer" update) Size: |_|
This looks like the staff door except it's purple.
It allows access to visitors (and staff) but not prisoners.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 06c | Flooring s06c |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
This list gives a range of surfaces that can be used either indoors or outdoors
(only concrete tiles and water can be used for both). These can be built over
dirt, concrete floors or any other existing surface.
Floorings are optional (and can be expensive if you're covering large areas) but
some options like concrete tiles/floors on indoor corridors and concrete tiles
or paving stones as outdoor paths will increase movement speeds. If there's a
path nearby, people will use these in preference to walking on slower materials.
The floorings below are listed in the default PS4 menu order.
o Dirt [free]
The default outdoor material is free but it gives a reduced movement speed.
o Paving Stone [$10/square]
This outdoor material allows people to walk much faster so you can make your
prison more efficient by creating paved paths between buildings.
o Grass [$5/sq]
This outdoor material can be used in yards to help inmates' Environment needs.
It could also be used cosmetically for lawns, ornamental borders around
buildings or outdoor kennels.
o Gravel [$10/sq]
This outdoor material can be used cosmetically (no speed bonus).
o Road [$10/sq]
This is another outdoor surface. It allows people to walk slightly faster but
it cannot be used to build roads that will be used by trucks and buses.
o Stone [$10/sq]
This is the same as "road" except it's designed to look like random shaped
flagstones (or "crazy paving").
o Sand [free]
This is effectively yellow dirt. It has the same slow movement speed too.
o Mud [free] (added in "The Slammer" / "The Shovel" updates)
This outdoor surface gives a reduced movement speed.
I assume it makes the prison more dirty when people walk through it too? (It
was added on PC in the same update as the rubber doormat.)
o Snow [$5/sq] (added in "The Clink" / "The Shovel" updates)
This outdoor surface has a thick layer of snow for a very wintery look but of
course it comes with a slow movement speed too.
o Water* [$10/sq]
You can use water to add ornamental ponds, lakes or moats. You can even make
your whole prison into an island fortress - your own version of Alcatraz or
Château d'If - but you will need some connection to the road for access.
Water provides a cheap and effective barrier to inmates. Bots cannot swim and
they can't tunnel under water so adding a basic moat (even if it's only one
square wide) forces them to take a much longer route which gives you more time
to discover the tunnel.
In the console version of Escape Mode (see Section 14b) the player can unlock
and upgrade the Swimmer skill to traverse water tiles. It is possible to dig
under water but it'll flood the tunnel and surrounding area!
Any of the outdoor "floorings" listed above can be built over water to create
bridges and piers or even areas of solid ground for constructing buildings.
Water can be built over existing utilities but new cables and pipes cannot be
laid underwater so you'd need to build dirt over the water first, add the
utilities and then rebuild the water tiles.
*The option to build water tiles is only available by default in the console
editions of the game but since August 2016 it's also now available on PC in
the developer cheat mode (but that disables achievements).
o Running Track [$50/sq] (added in Community Update / coming soon?)
This outdoor surface can be used in yards for athletic activities.
On PC it's described as giving a very fast movement speed and improving the
grade of a yard. (Perhaps it's better at reducing Exercise needs...?)
o Sandstone [$40/sq] (added in Community Update / "The Sneezer" update)
This outdoor surface has large weathered and cracked slabs.
o Concrete Tiles [$10/sq]
These can be used both outdoors and indoors. They allow faster movement and
visually they give neater edges compared to paving stones.
o Concrete Floor [$10/sq]
This is the default interior floor surface for all buildings. It allows people
to walk at faster speeds.
o Wooden Floor [$50/sq]
This indoor surface has the appearance of a hardwood floor.
o Ceramic Floor [$50/sq]
This indoor surface has small white tiles (24 per square).
These give a nice cosmetic effect in shower rooms or infirmaries.
o Mosaic Floor [$10/sq]
This indoor surface has medium-sized brown tiles (16 per square).
o Metal Floor [$10/sq]
This indoor surface has a metal grill on each square for an industrial look.
o Marble Tiles [$10/sq]
This indoor option has a large diagonal patterned tile.
o White Tiles [$10/sq]
This indoor surface has large white tiles (9 per square).
o Fancy Tiles [$10/sq]
This indoor option gives a diagonal chequerboard effect of squares composed of
small brown tiles and larger blue tiles.
o Carpet (Blue) [$50/sq] (added in Community Update / PC 'Psych Ward' DLC)
This indoor surface has a blue patterned carpet.
o Carpet (Brown) [$50/sq] (added in Community Update / PC 'Psych Ward' DLC)
This indoor surface has a brown patterned carpet.
o Carpet (Red) [$50/sq] (added in Community Update / PC 'Psych Ward' DLC)
This indoor surface has a red patterned carpet.
o Green Limestone [$50/sq] (added in Community Update / "The Sneezer" update)
This indoor surface has large green slabs. It gives a faster movement speed.
You could use this to recreate Death Row from the movie 'The Green Mile'!
o Grate Floor [$40/sq] (added in Community Update / "The Slammer" update)
This indoor surface has large metal grates.
o Iron Floor [$10/sq] (added in Community Update / "The Clink" update)
This indoor surface has large rusty metal plates.
o Solaco Floor* [$50/sq] (added in Community Update / "The Slammer" update)
This indoor surface has large metal plates.
*Like the new Yutani walls (see Section 06b), this was inspired by the movie
'Aliens', although the colonial marines' ship was actually the "Sulaco".
The Sulaco was named after the town in the 1904 Joseph Conrad novel 'Nostromo'
- the book also gave its name to the ship in the first 'Alien' film.
She also appears at the start of 'Alien 3' but the majority of the movie is
set in a remote prison colony where dangerous inmates live in exile.
o Cargo Floor [$20/sq] (added in Community Update / "The Clink" update)
This indoor surface has large metal plates.
o Checkered Floor [$10/sq] (added in Community Update / "The Clink" update)
This indoor surface has black and white tiles (8 per square).
It gives a faster movement speed.
_____________________________________________________________________________
The following extra floors are only available in the PC edition of the game:
_____________________________________________________________________________
o Bamboo Floor [$5/sq] (coming soon?)
A flooring designed to match the bamboo wall and gate.
o Grass Corner [$15/sq] (added in "The Sneezer" update)
Each tile is divided diagonally with grass on one half and dirt on the other
so you can use these to fill corners and add 45° edges to dirt paths on
lawns.
_________ _________
___ ___ __ __ |_ |_ \ \
| | -> \ / |_ |_ -> \ \
| | | | | | \ \
(I assume you press "R" to rotate through the four different options.)
o Grass 'n' Stones [$15/sq] (added in "The Sneezer" update)
This is an outdoor flooring of random flagstones with grass between them.
It gives a normal movement speed.
o Lunar [$30/sq] (added in "The Sneezer" update)
This recreates the moon's grey cratered regolith.
o Padded [$40/sq] (PC 'Psych Ward' DLC required)
This allows you to add padding to the floor of an insane inmate's padded cell.
It helps to fulfil their Safety need but gives a slow movement speed.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 06d | Rooms s06d |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
This menu is used to designate an area as a specific type of room or zone which
defines its function and will usually have one or more requirements.
Any numbers on the menu indicate how many rooms you already have of each type
and when you select an option the display will indicate their position/s with
shading. (This feature was copied into the computer editions in Update 8.)
You can click 'n' drag to highlight the whole area you wish to define. If you
have a block of several identical rooms (e.g. cells, solitary cells and maybe
offices) they each need to be defined individually but if you build the rooms
first you can designate all of them at once by highlighting the whole block.
(Room designations can be removed if necessary by opening the Rooms menu and
holding Square while you drag to select the room/s. If the game ever fails to
recognize the requirements for a room remove the designation and try again.)
Some types of rooms must be unlocked in the Bureaucracy research tree (see
Section 08a) before you can use them in your prison.
Room Requirements
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
_________
Several types of room have a specified minimum size requirement. | _ _ _ |
| |_|_|_| |
This always refers to the dimensions of the interior floorspace. | |_|_|_| |
For example a 3x3 cleaning cupboard would be 5x5 if you count the | |_|_|_| |
surrounding walls and a 6x6 chapel would be 8x8. |_________|
Here's a quick cut-out reference guide to all the required minimum sizes:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| 2x2 - cleaning room |
| 2x3 - cell |
| 4x4 - kennel, office, parole, security, shop*, staff room, family cell |
| 5x5 - classroom, forestry, holding cell, library, mail room, workshop, yard |
| 6x6 - chapel |
| 7x7 - gymnasium |
'--------------------------------------------------------------------8<-------'
Naturally a room's size limits the number of objects you can build inside it
but additionally the size of a work room determines the number of inmates that
can be deployed to work there - the maximum effective area for a cleaning or
laundry room is 80 squares and for a workshop, mail room, shop* or library (in
the console versions of the game) it's 240 squares. Also the total area of a
prison cell affects its quality (see Section 08h).
*A shop with one counter needs a floorspace of at least 24 tiles to function.
Most rooms have an "indoors" requirement which means they must be designated on
foundations which you can build by using the Structure menu (or Foundations on
PC). Alternatively you can re-designate an existing room as a different type.
___________________
Some rooms must be "enclosed" which means they need to | _______________ |
be completely surrounded by walls (and doors) in order | | M O R G U E | |
to be correctly validated. |_| _ _ _ _ _ _ _ |_|
_ _
However if room types lack the enclosed requirement you | | INFIRMARY | |
can designate two or more rooms in the same enclosure. | |_______________| |
The medical room (Quick Rooms menu) is a good example. |___________________|
If a room does need to be enclosed take care not to include the doorway when you
are designating the room area as this will make it invalid.
A yard is required to be "secure". It doesn't need a surrounding wall or fence
as long as your prison site has a complete perimeter enclosure.
After a room has been defined it will sometimes be marked with a red triangle
which indicates that one or more of its requirements have not been met. You can
then hover over the room and press Square to see what's needed (and if there are
objects required you can press Square again to jump to the Objects menu).
o Armoury Minimum Size: N/A
An armoury gives you the option of hiring armed guards (see Section 08c).
Research to unlock: Security \ Armoury
After you've also researched tazers and body armour your staff can collect
these from the armoury. (An armoury is also required to supply the snipers for
your guard towers with marksman rifles.)
Requires: indoors, weapon rack (min 1), guard locker (min 1), table (min 1)
Each armed guard requires one guard locker in an armoury.
It's crucial to keep your armoury secure so you should give it a solitary
door or even a remote door.
o Canteen Minimum Size: N/A
Prisoners will go to a canteen during the Eat phases of the daily regime and
consume meals provided by a kitchen (see below).
Several canteens can be supplied by the same kitchen if desired but food can
be served faster when the kitchen and canteen are close together, ideally
adjacent inside the same building.
After researching Micromanagement (and building multiple canteens/kitchens)
you can use the Logistics menu to assign canteens to service specific cell
blocks and kitchens to supply specific canteens. This can be used to help to
balance loads across your catering facilities.
Canteens can be very busy areas which can lead to conflict. This problem can
be reduced by building more or bigger canteens, deploying guards or by setting
different meal times for different prisoner categories in the daily regime.
Requires: indoors, table (1), serving table (min 1) and bench (min 1)
You actually only need one table for each canteen regardless of the number of
prisoners. Inmates will happily eat while sitting at benches without tables.
_______
That's very efficient but it does look a little weird |_______| <-- bench
so you may prefer to use the common arrangement where |_______| <-- table
pairs of benches have tables sandwiched between them. |_______| <-- bench
_ _ _ _
Alternatively you might choose to make your canteen a little _ |_|_|_|_| _
more fancy by using some chairs instead of benches. You can |_||_ _ _ _||_|
fit ten around each table but they are a lot more expensive. |_|_|_|_|
Optionally you can add extra objects like toilets, showers, radios, weights
benches and phone booths so that inmates can satisfy other needs after they
have finished eating. Allocating two hours to each meal ensures that inmates
get enough time to eat and then they can use the objects afterwards.
o Cell Minimum Size: 2x3*
Each cell provides accommodation for one prisoner. You can build these in
various arrangements but it's common to have cell blocks with long straight
corridors and repeated cells along one or both sides.
_____________________________________ _______________________________
_ _____ _____ _____ _____ _ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
_| |_ _| |_ _| |_ _| |_ _| |_ | | | | | | | | | |
_____|-|_____|-|_____|-|_____|-|_____ |_ | |_ | |_ | |_ | |_ |
___|-|___|-|___|-|___|-|___|-|_
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____
_ _|-|_ _|-|_ _|-|_ _|-|_ _ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ _
| | | | | | | | | | _|-| _|-| _|-| _|-| _|-|
_| |_____| |_____| |_____| |_____| |_ | | | | | | | | | |
_____________________________________ | | | | | | | | | |
|___| |___| |___| |___| |___|
Two designs for 2x3 cell corridors _______________________________
You should use jail doors on your cells so they can be automatically remotely
locked during Sleep and Lockup time on the daily regime (see Section 07c).
Take care not to include the door tile when marking a room as a cell.
Requires: indoors, enclosed, bed (1) or comfy bed (1), toilet (1)
*It's possible to research the "small cells" option in Bureaucracy which will
remove the normal 2x3 minimum size requirement but each small cell must still
be at least three squares (1x3 or 2x2) to fit the required bed and toilet.
__
Every cell in a prison will be individually graded with a cell quality rating
(see Section 08h). Larger cells with optional features like a desk, chair and
radio have a higher cell quality. Some additions can help to satisfy prisoner
needs (see Section 07a) during Lockup and Free-Time but extra furniture will
give more locations to search during Shakedowns.
Groups of four adjacent 2x3 cells can be neatly converted into either six 1x3
small cells (to save space) or three 3x3 cells (for a +1 cell quality bonus).
_________ _________ _________ _________
| _______| | _______| | _______| | _____ |
| | _ | |_______ | | _ | | |_|
| |_____| | | _______| | |_____| | | | _
| _______| | |_______ | _______| | |_____| |
| | _ | _______| | | _ | _____ |
| |_____| | | |_______ | |_____| | | | |_|
| _______| --> | _______| | _______| --> | | _
| | _ | |_______ | | _ | |_____| |
| |_____| | | _______| | |_____| | | _____ |
| _______| | |_______ | _______| | | |_|
| | _ | _______| | | _ | | _
| |_____| | | |_______ | |_____| | | |_____| |
|_________| |_________| |_________| |_________|
Death Row inmates have no daily regime and mostly stay in their cells so they
should be provided with amenities to satisfy most of their needs. The same
applies if you transfer prisoners with dangerous or vulnerable reputations
into SuperMax or Protective Custody and/or keep them on permanent lockdown.
o Cell (Padded) ('Psych Ward' DLC required) Minimum Size: 2x3*
If you're playing with the "Criminally Insane" game option, each Insane inmate
needs a padded cell instead of a standard one. You can construct a room and
designate it as a padded cell, build a padded cell from the Quick Rooms menu
(see Section 06m) or re-designate an existing cell as a padded cell.
Requires: indoors, enclosed, bed (1) or comfy bed (1), toilet (1)
The Intake menu (see Section 07b) shows how many padded cells are available.
*The "small cells" option in Bureaucracy is not applied to padded cells.
o Chapel Minimum Size: 6x6
Inmates with Spirituality needs can visit the multi-faith chapel during their
Free-Time phases of the daily regime to reduce their needs by praying.
The chapel also provides a venue for the Spiritual Guidance programme (see
Section 07f) which also helps to satisfy prisoners with Spirituality needs and
applies the "Calming" status effect which can help reduce unrest.
Requires: indoors, altar, pew (min 1), prayer mat (min 1)
Additional pews/mats can be provided to accommodate the maximum number of 20
inmates in a Spiritual Guidance meeting.
This room was added in the Alpha 29 update of the PC game.
o Classroom Minimum Size: 5x5
A classroom is used as a venue for the Foundation Education Programme and
General Education Qualification classes for inmates and for the Guard Tazer
Certification session for guards (see Section 07f). Courses will not be run
automatically - you need to activate them on the Programmes menu.
Research to unlock: Education
Requires: indoors, office desk (1), school desk (min 1)
Each prisoner or guard in a session requires one desk. The maximum possible
capacity for any session is 20 (for the Foundation Education Programme).
This room was added in the Alpha 18 update of the PC game.
o Cleaning Minimum Size: 2x2
A dirty prison will fail to satisfy prisoners' Environment needs. You can hire
janitors for cleaning and you also have the option of constructing one or more
cleaning rooms and then assigning workers to perform cleaning duties.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Cleaning (to build cleaning room)
Maintenance \ Prison Labour (to add prisoner workers)
For every four squares of floorspace in a cleaning room you can assign one
prisoner to work there. The maximum number of workers on consoles is twenty so
there's no point making it any bigger than 80 squares (4 x 20).
(If you build your cleaning and laundry rooms with an interior width of four
squares then the interior length will be equal to the number of workers.)
In PC Update 13 in December 2017 the maximum capacity for workers in a single
large room was raised from twenty to one hundred.
Requires: indoors (no mandatory furniture or equipment)
Large barrels of toxic bleach are automatically delivered to your cleaning
rooms - these are a source of poison contraband.
Any areas in your prison coded for Staff (via Security Sectors menu) cannot be
accessed by prisoner workers so you will need janitorial staff to clean them.
o Common Room Minimum Size: N/A
This is an indoor recreational area which can be used by prisoners during any
Free-Time phases in their daily regime.
One common room is required for the Alcoholics Group Therapy programme (see
Section 07f) plus you need one for the Visitation Rights grant (see Section
07e) but otherwise a yard can do everything that a common room can.
Requires: indoors (no mandatory furniture or equipment)
Although no furniture is required you can add various items to satisfy inmate
needs such as pool tables, TVs, phone booths, weights benches and seating.
Extra chairs are also required there for Alcoholics Group Therapy sessions
which have a maximum group size of 20.
o Deliveries Minimum Size: 1x3
The deliveries zone is where all supplies and materials are delivered. Take
care not to overwrite it or the delivery trucks will stop stopping!
If you don't have a reception room (see below) then new prisoners will also be
delivered here. They will be handcuffed and will patiently wait for a guard to
escort them to their cell.
When you start a new prison you'll receive some basic supplies for free - a
power station with cables and one capacitor, a water pump station with pipes
and enough bricks to build one hundred squares of brick wall.
Requires: (no requirements)
You're free to extend your deliveries, garbage and exports zones along the
access road and even move one to the opposite side. This can allow multiple
trucks to be loaded and unloaded at the same time.
</pre><pre id="faqspan-3">
You can also make the set-up more efficient by ensuring that there is no gap
between the zones and the road and by using concrete tiles or paving stones in
the area to increase worker movement speed.
o Execution Minimum Size: N/A
This room can be used to execute Death Row prisoners.
Requires: indoors, electric chair (1)
You can also add (non-electric!) chairs for the execution witnesses although
they won't actually use them.
To save time during the execution process (see Section 11) you can position
your execution chamber near the main entrance and have your Death Row cells,
warden's office and security chief's office nearby.
This room was added in the Alpha 31 update of the PC game.
o Exports Minimum Size: 1x3
The exports zone holds manufactured goods (licence plates, planks and beds)
from the workshop until a truck is ready to collect and sell them. If you do
not have a workshop it is also used to sell logs from "dismantled" trees.
Requires: (no requirements)
To save time and reduce congestion on the road you should define your exports
zone immediately next to the road.
o Forestry Minimum Size: 5x5
An outdoor area can be zoned as forestry for farming trees (for timber). Trees
will be automatically planted by gardeners and automatically chopped down by
workmen when fully grown.* The logs will be sold if you have an exports zone.
If you also have a workshop (see below) then all logs will be delivered there,
made into planks (or beds) and then sold automatically (for more money).
I remember from watching Kulprit's Alpha gameplay videos a couple of years ago
that at one stage the trees were OP! :) I think they grew too quickly but that
issue would've been fixed a long time ago. A large forestry area can still
provide a substantial supplement to your income though.
The start-up costs for a large forestry zone are quite high - the gardeners
will plant about twenty trees for every 300 squares and each tree costs $100
so you can easily find yourself spending thousands. However each tree yields
three logs which can be sold for $50 each ($150 total) and the returns are
even greater if you can process them in one or more workshops.
*If you want to get maximum value out of your forestry you should hire more
gardeners if you have a lot of pending "plant tree" jobs or more workmen if
there are too many pending "dismantle tree" jobs. However you should take care
to avoid hiring more staff than you need so recruit in small increments.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Groundskeeping
Requires: outdoors
If you build an inner and outer perimeter fence (to prevent contraband from
being thrown in for inmates to collect) you can utilise the otherwise unused
"no man's land" between the two fences as a forestry zone.
Forestry is a source of several contraband items and - unless no other route
is available - there's no need for inmates to access it so it should be coded
as Staff-only (Security Sectors menu).
This zone was added in the Alpha 17 update of the PC game.
o Garbage Minimum Size: 1x3
Garbage bags (and wreckage from demolition) will be taken to your garbage zone
to await collection by trucks.
It's a good idea to add one or two bins in your kitchens so that staff can
put garbage into the bins instead of having to walk to the garbage zone.
Requires: (no requirements)
If the garbage zone is defined opposite the deliveries zone then trucks can be
loaded and unloaded at the same time.
o Holding Cell Minimum Size: 5x5
A holding cell can provide accommodation shared by multiple prisoners, however
this can cause conflict so it should only be used temporarily, typically while
you're constructing new cells for new intake.
The holding cell provides a quick and easy way to add your initial prisoner
capacity (and you need one holding cell to pass one of the early grants) but
once your prison is established and you're building new accommodation before
the new prisoners arrive you might choose to demolish your old holding cell.
Requires: enclosed, indoors, bench (min 1), toilet (min 1)
Optionally you can add other objects like beds and showers to help inmates to
satisfy their needs. Adding beds will also increase the overall capacity (and
therefore the valuation) of your prison.
o Holding Cell (Padded) ('Psych Ward' DLC required) Minimum Size: 5x5
If you're playing with the "Criminally Insane" game option, you can provide a
padded version of the standard holding cell for your Insane intakes.
Requires: enclosed, indoors, bench (min 1), toilet (min 1)
o Infirmary Minimum Size: N/A*
This serves as a base for doctors who can heal injured prisoners and staff.
People waiting to be healed or who are currently being treated will occupy
medical beds in the infirmary.
Research to unlock: Health
Requires: indoors, medical bed (min 1)
*Since it must contain at least one medical bed, the effective minimum size
for an infirmary is actually 2x2 - but that would be pretty cosy!
An infirmary is also used for the Pharmacological Treatment of Drug Addiction
programme (see Section 07f) which requires one bed per drug addict.
o Kennel Minimum Size: 4x4
When you use canine patrols the dogs will get tired (just like staff) and need
to rest in dog crates in an area designated as a kennel.
If a dog is injured it will also heal while sleeping in a crate.
Research to unlock: Security / Patrols / Dogs
Requires: enclosed, dog crate (min 1)
A kennel can be either indoors or outdoors so you can choose whether to build
a walled indoor room or perhaps a nice fenced outdoor paddock with grass.
If you build kennels at each end of your prison that will reduce the time it
takes for dog units to travel to/from them.
This room was added in the Alpha 14 update of the PC game.
o Kitchen Minimum Size: N/A
Cooks working in a kitchen prepare ingredients and deliver them to serving
tables in canteens. They also clean dirty food trays after service.
A kitchen will be more efficient if it's built close to the deliveries zone
and to the canteen/s it serves. Putting the serving tables in the canteen/s
closer to the kitchen will help a little too.
Optionally you can supplement your kitchen staff with prison labour.
Requires: indoors, fridge (min 1), cooker (min 1), sink (min 1)
The number of fridges governs the number and variety of ingredients that can
be stored in the kitchen, the number of cookers affects how many staff can
work in the room plus how many meals can be prepared and the number of sinks
determines how quickly the kitchen team can clean dirty trays after service.
Adding a couple of bins to a kitchen will reduce the amount of time it takes
for cooks to dispose of garbage.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour (to add prisoner workers)
For every twelve squares of floorspace in the kitchen you can assign one
prisoner to work there. The maximum number of prisoner workers on consoles is
twenty but in the case of kitchens you can also hire cooks to work there.
Additionally every prisoner must have passed the Kitchen Safety & Hygiene
programme (see Section 07f) in order to be able to work in the kitchen.
In PC Update 13 in December 2017 the maximum capacity for workers in a single
large room was raised from twenty to one hundred.
Kitchens are sources of contraband (cutlery) so if you're not using prisoner
labour they should be zoned for Staff-only (Security Sectors menu).
o Laundry Minimum Size: N/A
Having clean clothing satisfies an inmate's Clothing need. Inmates (plus any
available janitors) working in laundries will wash and press inmate uniforms.
Dirty clothes are collected from the cells in baskets, taken to the laundry,
washed in the washing machines, ironed on the ironing boards and delivered
back to the cells in the baskets.
To minimize walking distances you should build your laundry room/s close to
the cell blocks. After researching Micromanagement you can use the Logistics
menu to check/change which cell blocks are assigned to each laundry.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
For every four squares of floorspace in the laundry room you can assign one
prisoner to work there. The maximum number of workers on consoles is twenty so
there's no point making a laundry any bigger than 80 squares (4 x 20).
In PC Update 13 in December 2017 the maximum capacity for workers in a single
large room was raised from twenty to one hundred.
Requires: indoors, laundry machine, ironing board, laundry basket
Larger laundries with more workers will obviously need more equipment. Since
each basket holds sixteen uniforms you should avoid having a laundry attached
to fewer than sixteen cells (and add more baskets if you have more cells).
This room was added in the Alpha 9 update of the PC game.
o Library Minimum Size: 5x5
If you have a library then books will be donated to the prison and delivered
to the library. Books arrive unsorted in boxes and need to be sorted by the
prisoner/s working there.
Inmates can visit the library during Free-Time and borrow a book to take away
with them to satisfy their Literacy need. (Unlike the shop, the library does
not require the staff to be present to serve customers.)
After a borrowed book is returned it is sorted and becomes available to read
again. Eventually a book will become worn out and treated as garbage but new
deliveries of books should maintain the library's stock.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
For every twelve squares of floorspace in the library you can assign one
prisoner to work there. The maximum number of workers on consoles is twenty so
there's no point making your library any bigger than 240 squares (12 x 20).
Additionally on consoles a prisoner must have passed the Foundation Education
programme (see Section 07f) in order to be able to work in the library.
In PC Update 13 in December 2017 the maximum capacity for workers in a single
large room was raised from twenty to one hundred. Also Foundation Education is
no longer required and instead prisoners are assessed on their academic skill
so it's easier to get your libraries operational.
Requires: indoors, sorting desk (min 1), library shelf (min 1)
If you find your library getting filled with boxes of unsorted books then you
need to add more sorting desks and/or workers.
This room was added in the Alpha 29 update of the PC game.
o Mail Room Minimum Size: 5x5
If you have a mail room then letters will arrive at the prison each day and
then be sorted and delivered by guards and/or prisoners. When an inmate gets a
letter from home it helps satisfy their Family, Recreation and Comfort needs.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
For every twelve squares of floorspace in the mail room you can assign one
prisoner to work there. The maximum number of workers on consoles is twenty so
there's no point making your mail room any bigger than 240 squares (12 x 20).
In PC Update 13 in December 2017 the maximum capacity for workers in a single
large room was raised from twenty to one hundred.
Requires: indoors, sorting desk (min 1), table (min 1)
If you start getting mail bags and satchels building up in your mail room then
you should add more desks and/or staff.
o Morgue Minimum Size: N/A
The mortuary is used to store dead bodies until they can be collected.
It's okay to not have a morgue if you're happy with having corpses everywhere!
Research to unlock: Health
Requires: indoors, morgue slab (min 1)
A morgue is often built next to an infirmary. Since there is no requirement
for either room to be individually enclosed it's permitted to have both in the
same building without a dividing wall. Not so nice for the patients though!
o Office Minimum Size: 4x4
You will need to have one office each for the admins - your warden, lawyer,
accountant, security chief, foreman and psychologist/s (see Section 08c); also
for your psychiatrist/s if you're playing with the Criminally Insane option in
the 'Psych Ward' expansion.
When you hire a new administrator they will claim one available office at
random. If you want them to use a specific room then ensure that there are
no other vacant offices (you can temporarily remove "office" designations).
It's possible to build open-plan spaces with several offices in a single room
but you need to leave a gap between each "office" when designating them, for
example you can fit three 4x4 offices in a room with a 4x14 interior.
Requires: indoors, office desk (1), chair (1), filing cabinet (1)
Offices are simply required to accommodate your administrative staff so there
is no benefit in making the offices larger or adding additional furniture,
except psychiatrists need a wide sofa for their Psychiatric Consultation.
Most of the offices can be safely built at the outskirts of your prison site
although you might want the foreman's office closer to the workshop/s and the
psychologist nearer the common room as they're required for programmes there.
If you plan on taking Death Row inmates and doing lots of executions then you
might also want to put your warden and chief nearer the execution chamber!
o Parole Minimum Size: 4x4
If you have a parole room and run Parole Hearing programmes (see Section 07f)
then prisoners will have parole hearings to determine if they are eligible
for early release from prison.
An inmate may become angry if their parole is denied so you should maintain a
security presence in the parole rooms!
Parole rooms are also used by Death Row prisoners to appeal against their
death sentence via the Death Row Appeal programme (see Section 07f).
Requires: indoors, visitor table (1)
The early release bonuses are pretty handy so if you find yourself getting a
backlog of parole hearings (shown on To-Do List) you should build additional
parole rooms and schedule additional hearings.
It's possible to divide a large indoors space into several parole rooms but
you need to leave a gap between each one when designating them as parole -
this allows one deployed guard to oversee several tables.
Personally I prefer to build a block of 5x4 rooms (tables fit neatly) and add
connecting doors between them for guards on patrol routes.
o Reception Minimum Size: N/A
This optional room will usually be located near the main entrance of the
prison. All new prisoners will be stripped on arrival, searched, issued with a
new prison uniform and then escorted to their cell.
Requires: indoors, office desk (1), table (1), chair (1)
The search will detect any contraband on the new prisoners but the reception
requires a significant level of staffing to operate.
This room was added in the Alpha 31 update of the PC game.
o Security Minimum Size: 4x4
Most idle guards will wait in a security office so you can build these rooms
close to danger hot-spots or in central locations to provide a faster response
time when there's trouble.
Also your prison must have at least one security room to activate an informant
(see Section 08j) to receive intel about reputations and contraband. Putting
a security office near the cell blocks will save time for that.
If you're playing with the optional gangs system a security office with a door
opening directly onto a common room or yard will project the influence of the
guards to make it harder for gangs to capture the territory.
Research to unlock: Security (and hire chief)
Requires: office desk (1), chair (1), filing cabinet (1)
Optionally you can also build your CCTV monitors, phone taps and remote door
controls in a security office. These devices will all still function if placed
in other areas but if you have them all together then you only need a small
number of extra guards to provide cover when the guards manning the equipment
get tired and go on a break in a staff room.
o Shop Minimum Size: 4x4*
At the commissary your prisoners can buy soap and shampoo to reduce their
Hygiene need, towels and blankets for their Comfort need, snacks for their
Food need and (ahem) specialist magazines for their (ahem) Recreation need.
Update 13 on the PC version of the game added the Luxuries need which can also
be satisfied by buying items from the shop.
All items sold by the store cost $5 each. Prisoners can spend the money which
they earn from prison labour ($0.50/hour), from trading contraband and from
gifts received from their visitors.
The potential to buy shop goods with their wages encourages inmates to attend
their work duties (but therefore reduces their urge to sign up for courses).
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
For every twelve squares of floorspace in the shop you can assign one prisoner
to work there. The maximum number of workers on consoles is twenty so there's
no point making a shop any bigger than 240 squares (12 x 20).
In PC Update 13 in December 2017 the maximum capacity for workers in a single
large room was raised from twenty to one hundred.
*A shop needs one worker per serving counter plus at least one more to process
the goods so a store with the minimum requirement of one "shop front" actually
needs to be at least 24 squares (e.g. 4x6 or 5x5) in order to be operational.
Prisoners can visit the shop during Free-Time phases on their daily regime
(see Section 07c) but of course there will need to be prisoners working there
at the same time! Inmates do prison labour during Work phases but any inmates
without assigned job duties get Free-Time instead. You could also schedule
simultaneous Work and Free-Time phases for different categories of prisoner.
Requires: indoors, table, shop shelf (min 1), shop front (min 1)
_______ ___
The shop front (the |===| in my picture) is a counter for | _____|===|_ |
serving customers. It must always be built into a wall and | | | |
it must face onto an indoor area, either another defined | | S H O P | |
room (like a common room) or a corridor. The shop front | | | |
sprite will be automatically oriented so that the correct | |_ _______| |
sides face the interior and exterior. |___|-|_________|
This room was added in the Alpha 34 update of the PC game.
o Shower Minimum Size: N/A
Any prisoner with a high Hygiene need will use an available shower head during
the Shower, Free-Time or Lockup phases of their daily regime. A shower room
provides a communal shower that can be used by several inmates at the same
time, although you could also install shower heads elsewhere, for example in
the yard or in individual cells (for a +1 bonus to cell quality).
Requires: shower head (min 1)
Adding more shower heads increases the capacity of a shower room. Optionally
you can build individual cubicles or interior walls for mounting shower heads
but these are not required. Having a larger shower room with spacing between
the shower heads will help reduce any trouble there but better options are to
have the showers in each cell and to include Free-Time on the daily regime
instead of mandatory Shower time for all prisoners at the same time.
Shower rooms can often cause flooding so they should always be fitted with
drains around or under the doorway/s.
o Solitary Minimum Size: N/A
After researching Prison Policy you can use the Policy menu (see Section 07d)
to set punishments for a variety of offences. These punishments can either be
lockdown (in the prisoner's own cell) or solitary (in a solitary cell). Both
punishments give the "Suppressed" status effect (see Section 08b) but solitary
confinement suppresses inmates twice as fast.
Food will be delivered by a guard if necessary and adding a toilet to each
individual cell can prevent problems with Bladder/Bowels needs.
Requires: enclosed (no mandatory furniture or equipment)
Since there is no minimum size or object requirement for a solitary cell you
can make them 1x1 (surrounded by seven wall/fence sections and one door). This
is sufficient for a single prisoner (and a toilet if you want to add one).
_____ _________________________
| _ | | _ _ _ _ _ _ | - a block of six
| |0| | - one solitary cell | |0| |0| |0| |0| |0| |0| | solitary cells
|_|=|_| (with toilet) |_|=|_|=|_|=|_|=|_|=|_|=|_| sharing walls
You can build small blocks of solitary cells in any random spare spaces in
your prison or a row of several if you have a long narrow area to fill. They
don't need to be indoors and can be built outdoors using walls or fences.
If you don't have enough solitary cells to meet demand you'll get a backlog of
waiting prisoners (shown on your To-Do List) who'll be kept cuffed in their
cells until a solitary space is available. Prisoners in this situation will
soon end up with several critically unsatisfied needs.
Some inmates can be recruited from solitary as informants (see Section 08j) -
it's convenient to keep all your solitary cells in the same area so that you
can check them all more quickly.
o Staff Room Minimum Size: 4x4
When a member of staff is tired they need to rest and they will recover much
faster in a staff room. (Instead of using a staff room, tired armed guards
will go to the armoury and guard dogs recover in dog crates in the kennel.)
Requires: indoors, sofa (wide), drink machine
There is no need to make a staff room any larger than the 4x4 minimum or to
add any extra items - it's the room itself that gives the recovery effect.
However if you're playing on PC with "staff needs" you can add toilets, TVs,
radios, pool tables, more sofas and serving tables for food.
If you build a staff room near the centre of your prison or staff rooms at
each end of the site that will reduce the time it takes for tired staff to
travel there and back.
A staff room is a source of contraband items so it should be zoned for Staff.
This room was added in the Alpha 15 update of the PC game.
o Storage Minimum Size: N/A
When you dismantle an object it will be packed back into its crate and left in
the same location but if you have a storage zone/room it will be transferred
there instead so you can keep the object for next time and have a tidier jail
too. Logs from trees and leftover building materials will also go to storage.
Having storage in a central location will make it quicker for your workmen to
collect objects and materials for building and logs for the workshops.
Requires: (no requirements)
Any undesignated area can be defined as storage. It has no requirements to be
indoors/outdoors, enclosed by walls or furnished. However storage is a source
of several contraband tools so the area should either be zoned as Staff-only
(Security Sectors menu) or enclosed by walls with metal detectors on all the
doorways (and a guard nearby to confiscate contraband).
o Visitation Minimum Size: N/A
Once you have a visitation room prisoners will receive visits from family
members there - this helps to reduce their Family needs.
The To-Do List shows how many families are currently waiting to visit inmates.
Visiting hours are between 8am and 8pm daily.
Requires: indoors, visitor table or visitor booth (min 1)
Additional tables/booths allow multiple visits at the same time.
Each prisoner with visitors will receive a cash gift of approximately $5-$10
from their relatives but it always seems to be a random amount like $7.54 or
$9.08 as if they've emptied all their pocket change or something! Inmates can
spend their money at the shop - or use it to buy contraband items.
Visitation can be a significant source of contraband so it's a good idea to
have a metal detector and a guard dog assigned to find smuggled goods.
You can prevent the transfer of contraband by building the room with a full
row of booths across the width of it so that prisoners can only access one
side of the room and visitors the other.
o Workshop Minimum Size: 5x5
Prisoners working in a workshop can use a workshop saw bench to cut sheet
metal and then a workshop press bench to make it into licence plates. Metal is
delivered automatically and finished licence plates are taken to the exports
zone (see below) and sold for money.
Each piece of sheet metal costs $10 and can be cut into two licence plate
blanks which will be pressed into two licence plates that sell for $10 each.
A workshop saw bench can also cut wood into planks. If you add an optional
carpentry table and have at least one qualified carpenter then you can make
planks into beds. Planks and beds can also be sold for money.
Each new tree costs $100 and when it's fully grown it will provide three logs
(when it's chopped down or "dismantled") which can be sold for $50 each. If
you have a workshop then each log will be cut into four planks which can also
be sold for $50 each. If you have a carpenter table with a trained operator
every six planks will be used to make a bed which can be sold for $400 each.
The process of farming trees for production can be automated by designating a
forestry zone (see above) with at least one gardener to plant the trees.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
For every twelve squares of floorspace in the workshop you can assign one
prisoner to work there. The maximum number of workers on consoles is twenty so
there's no point making a workshop any bigger than 240 squares (12 x 20).
In PC Update 13 in December 2017 the maximum capacity for workers in a single
large room was raised from twenty to one hundred.
Every workshop labourer requires either a workshop saw bench, workshop press
bench or carpentry table. Additionally every prisoner must have passed the
Workshop Safety Induction programme (see Section 07f) in order to be able to
work in the workshop. The Carpentry Apprenticeship programme is also required
to use the carpenter table to make beds.
Requires: workshop saw (min 1), workshop press (min 1), table (min 1)
A workshop requires one standard "table" (the carpenter tables are optional).
A workshop must always have at least one press but it's only used for making
licence plates so you might want to avoid wasting money, space and power on
further presses if you intend to focus on the timber economy.
Workshops are a significant source of contraband - several types of tools can
be used as weapons or to dig escape tunnels. Most of these contain metal so
you'll benefit from having metal detectors on your workshop doors and guards
deployed nearby to confiscate illicit items. Guards deployed actually inside
the workshops will help discourage theft also.
o Yard Minimum Size: 5x5
All prisoners will go to a yard during a Yard phase of the daily regime and
they also have the option of using them during any Free-Time.
Visiting a yard helps satisfy an inmate's Freedom need. He can also reduce his
Exercise need by jogging there (so you should build pathways for this).
Requires: secure (no mandatory furniture or equipment)
An outer wall or fence around your entire prison site is enough to make a yard
"secure" - the yard doesn't need to be individually enclosed (however that can
be useful during a Lockdown).
Although no furniture is required you can add various items to reduce inmate
needs such as phone booths, weights benches, showers, toilets and seating or
even pews, prayer mats, radios and pool tables!
_____________________________________________________________________________
The following extra rooms are only available in the PC edition of the game:
_____________________________________________________________________________
o Dormitory (added in PC Update 1) Minimum Size: 2x3
Even if a normal cell is given additional beds it can only provide prisoner
accommodation for one inmate, however Update 1 added the option of creating
dorms which can be used to house two or more prisoners.
The minimum 2x3 cell (with either two beds or one bunk bed) can accommodate
two prisoners but you can increase the capacity by adding more beds and making
the dormitory larger - you require four squares of floorspace per person if
you want three or more prisoners.
Requires: enclosed, indoors, bed or bunk bed (min 1), toilet (min 1)
Using dormitories allows you to pack more inmates into any given area but
sharing a room will fail to satisfy their Privacy needs unless you have more
than twelve squares of floorspace per person! It will also make it easier for
them to work together on digging escape tunnels.
You can increase the quality of a dorm like a normal cell by increasing the
floorspace and by adding a shower, chair, TV, etc, except now the requirements
scale with the number of prisoners allocated to the room, for example you need
to have one exterior window per every eight inmates for the +1 bonus.
o Family Cell (added in PC Update 2) Minimum Size: 4x4
Update 2 added the option of creating a women's prison where there's a random
chance that any new prisoner will be a mother with a baby. Each mother needs a
family cell which is larger than a normal cell and has more features.
Requires: enclosed, indoors, bed, toilet, crib, shower head (and drain!)
A family cell can only be used by a prisoner who has a baby.
o Gymnasium (coming soon?) Minimum Size: 7x7
This is effectively a common room for Exercise instead of Recreation.
Requires: indoors, weights bench, gym mat
o Nursery (added in PC Update 2) Minimum Size: N/A
The nursery was also added as part of Update 2. It functions as a communal
area where mothers and their babies can spend their time.
Requires: crib (min 1), play mat (min 1), serving table, table, bench
The serving table, bench and table are required because once a nursery is
provided, any mothers will eat all their meals there instead of a canteen. A
nursery doesn't require its own kitchen however - food will be delivered by
kitchen staff from an existing kitchen.
Inmates without babies will not eat in a nursery - they need a canteen.
o Padded Solitary Cell (PC 'Psych Ward' DLC required) Minimum Size: 1x1
Alongside the padded cell and padded holding cell, this is a special version
of a solitary confinement cell for use with criminally insane prisoners.
Requires: enclosed (no mandatory furniture or equipment)
o Psychiatrist's Office (PC 'Psych Ward' DLC required) Minimum Size: 4x4
In the original console version of 'Psych Ward' a psychiatrist will take any
standard office with the usual basic requirements, but the room needs a wide
sofa to run the Psychiatric Consultation programme (see Section 07f) there.
For the 'Psych Ward' expansion on PC there's a separate room type for your
psychiatrists and a large sofa is actually required to make the room valid.
The effectiveness of the psychiatrist's treatments can be increased by adding
the office upgrades which are unlocked by completing therapy sessions.
- Leather Sofa (10 sessions)
- Medicine Cabinet (20 sessions)
- Rorschach Test (30 sessions)
- Flip Board (40 sessions)
- Anatomy Model (50 sessions)
Requires: indoors, office desk (1), chair (1), filing cabinet (1), sofa (1)
You can use the Chair, Chair (Office), Leather Chair or Wooden Stool (!) and
either the Wide Sofa or the Leather Sofa upgrade (once unlocked).
o Staff Canteen (added in PC Update 11) Minimum Size: N/A
If you're playing with the optional staff needs system (see Section 07a) and
you code a canteen as Staff-only it will be labelled as a "staff canteen".
Requires: indoors, table (1), serving table (min 1) and bench (min 1)
Members of your security staff will use the staff canteen during their breaks
and eat the food provided in order to satisfy their Food needs.
Instead of prison kitchen food they can enjoy delicious sandwiches, crisps
(potato chips) and fresh fruit delivered by an external catering supplier.
It's not essential to provide a staff canteen - you also have the option of
adding serving tables to your staff rooms instead.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 06e | Objects s06e |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
The game includes a wide variety of furniture, appliances and other equipment
which you can add to your prison layouts.
- Some objects are required to make rooms valid (see Section 06d).
- Some objects can be added to cells or communal areas (e.g. yards, common rooms
and canteens) and used by prisoners to satisfy their needs (see Section 07a).
(Inmates will only use objects that are located in designated rooms/zones.)
- Some objects can be used by prisoners or staff to perform tasks like cooking
meals, sawing wood or monitoring CCTV.
- Some objects (now marked with a green "+" in the console menus) will enhance
the quality rating of a cell (see Section 08h).
When browsing the Objects menu you can tap Square to sort the list by spelling,
quantity and price or to filter the list to show only items that can be used to
improve cell quality or useful items for the room that your cursor is currently
hovering over (e.g. school desks for a classroom). If you find your objects list
switching as you move your cursor you have the contextual room filter on.
(The PC edition also has a search function where you can type object names and
"The Slammer" update added the ability to search the object list by room type.
PC also has the developer cheat mode which allows you to add objects (and staff)
without any cost by using the "Spawn" toolbar button.)
_ _ _
o Altar [$500] Size: |_|_|_|
|_|_|_|
This is required for a chapel but it doesn't actually do anything.
_
o Arcade Machine [$500] (added in PC Update 8 and "The Shovel") Size: |_|
This is a retro arcade game cabinet which can be used - much like the pool
table - by one or two players to satisfy their Recreation and Comfort needs.
Requires: electricity supply
_ _
o Bed [$200] Size: |_|_|
This is required for a cell. It's used by a prisoner to satisfy their Sleep
need during the Sleep phase of the daily regime. It also provides Comfort.
If you have prisoners spending a lot of time in your holding cell (or even in
solitary cells!) then you could consider placing beds there too.
_ _ _ _
o Bench [$30] Size: |_|_|_|_|
This is required for a holding cell or canteen. Each bench provides seating
for up to four prisoners.
Benches can also be placed in other areas as a cheap way to provide Comfort.
_ _
o Bench (Small) [$20] (added in Community Update and "The Slammer") Size: |_|_|
This is half the length of the standard bench so it can be fitted into smaller
spaces. On PC it can be used with the small table.
_
o Bin [$20] Size: |_|
These can optionally be used to provide local storage for garbage before it's
collected and taken to the garbage zone by workmen. Bins in the kitchen and
canteen allow catering staff to dispose of waste more efficiently.
_ _ _ _
o Bleachers [$200] (added in "The Slammer" / "The Shovel") Size: |_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|
This is tiered outdoor seating with three levels of benches. |_|_|_|_|
These are based on the type of seating you might see around an American prison
yard or school gym.
The later version added on consoles has five tiers. It has a 2x4 footprint but
when built facing north or south it appears as a 4x4 square.
_
o Bookshelf [$30] Size: |_|
A bookshelf in a cell gives a +1 bonus to cell quality. It's supposed to give
Recreation too but it appears to be broken so use a TV or radio instead.
"The Slammer" update on PC added one of my most-wanted features - bookshelves
now help to reduce an inmate's Literacy need; the area of effect is shown with
a green zone. Sadly this feature has yet to be added on consoles so you'll
need to keep using libraries there instead, although that's useless for any
prisoners on permanent lockdown.
(I'd love to see library trolleys added to the game. They could function like
the laundry baskets and deliver books to prisoners on lockdown.)
_ _ _
o Carpenter Table [$1500] Size: |_|_|_|
|_|
This is an optional object for a workshop. After logs have been sawed into
planks they can be processed on carpenter tables to make beds.
Six planks can be made into one bed which can be sold for $400.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
A prisoner needs to pass the Carpentry Apprenticeship programme (see Section
07f) in order to be qualified to operate a carpenter table.
Once a bed has been completed inmates will be unable to use the table until
the bed is removed by a workman for export so you might want to add additional
tables or hire more workmen.
_
o Chair [$30] Size: |_|
This is required for an office, security room or reception. Chairs are also
required in a common room for an Alcoholics Group Therapy session and in a
psychologist's office for Behavioural Therapy sessions.
Additionally a chair in a cell gives a +1 bonus to cell quality.
_
o Chess Table [$50] (added in "The Shovel" update / coming soon?) Size: |_|
This Rimworld staple is also a good fit for Prison Architect.
It gives Recreation and also improves the grading of a common room.
_ _
o Cooker [$500] Size: |_|_|
This is required for a kitchen. It's used to cook ingredients for meals.
You should have one cooker for each cook (or prisoner) working there.
One cooker can cook 10 items each of two different ingredients in four hours.
Requires: electricity supply
_ _
o Dog Crate [$100] Size: |_|_|
This is required for a kennel. A tired guard dog can use a dog crate to rest
in the same way that a tired guard can use a staff room. An injured dog can
also heal while in a crate.
Research to unlock: Security \ Patrols \ Dogs
You don't need one crate per dog because only some of the dogs will be tired
(or injured) at any given time.
_
o Drain [$20] Size: |_|
These can be used to restrict flooding from showers (and sprinklers). You can
build drains in or across the doorways of shower rooms or deluxe cells with
individual showers.
You can also get a flood when a rampaging prisoner damages his cell toilet!
_
o Drink Machine [$500] Size: |_|
This is required for a staff room but it doesn't actually do anything (so it
doesn't need electrical power).
_ _
o Electric Chair [$5000] Size: |_|_|
|_|_|
This is required for an execution room.
Requires: electricity supply (lots!)
The chair will usually need additional capacitors or even a whole new power
station but the execution process includes a power check so you will be told
if you need to increase its electrical supply.
_
o Filing Cabinet [$30] Size: |_|
This is required for an office or security room but it has no function.
_ _
o Fridge [$500] Size: |_|_|
This is required for a kitchen. It's used to store cookery ingredients that
have been transferred to the kitchen from the delivery zone.
One fridge can hold 20 items each of two different ingredients so you'll need
more refrigerators when serving medium or high variety meals.
Requires: electricity supply
_
o Guard Locker [$200] Size: |_|
This is required for an armoury. Each armed guard requires one guard locker.
Research to unlock: Security \ Armoury
_ _
o Guard Tower [$3000] (added in PC Update 3 / Community Update) Size: |_|_|
|_|_|
A guard tower provides a vantage point for a sniper (see Section 08c).
Research to unlock: Security \ Armoury \ Guard Towers
Requires: sniper
They can be built to increase the security of your perimeter and to provide a
suppression effect in more dangerous outdoor areas like yards.
Each tower must be positioned so that it's accessible to the sniper. On PS4
the two tiles directly behind (above) the tower must not contain walls.
_
o Gym Mats [$30] (added in "The Shovel" update / coming soon?) Size: |_|
This is a blue padded floor-mat.
It's used for Exercise and also improves the grading of a gym.
_ _ _
o Ironing Board [$100] Size: |_|_|_|
This is required for a laundry. They're used to iron clothing after washing.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
_
o Laundry Basket [$100] Size: |_|
This is required for a laundry. It's a wheeled hamper used by prisoners and
janitors to carry clean clothing from the laundry to the cells and dirty
uniforms in the opposite direction.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
Each basket can hold sixteen uniforms so you should add more if you've got a
big laundry serving a large number of cells. For the same reason it's best to
not have a laundry assigned to fewer than sixteen cells - you can check this
in the Logistics menu (see Section 08h) after unlocking Micromanagement.
_
o Laundry Machine [$1000] Size: |_|
This is required for a laundry room. It's used to wash dirty clothing.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
Requires: electricity supply + water supply
_ _ _
o Library Shelf [$250] Size: |_|_|_|
This is required for a library. It's used for storing/displaying the books.
Prisoners with Literacy needs borrow books directly off the library shelves.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
o Light [$30] Size: o
Lights are used to illuminate rooms/corridors (at any time) or outdoor areas
(at night). In the console games indoor lights are always added automatically
to all indoor areas but you can also add/move/remove them manually.
If a room remains dark despite having lights installed and powered then you
probably have the "fog of war" option enabled and you need to either fit CCTV
cameras or deploy guards there.
Requires: electricity supply (if indoors)
Indoor lights will receive power if there is an electrical cable no more than
fifteen squares away in the same room (or just outside a doorway).
Outdoor lights don't require a power supply. They probably have solar cells.
Cells, geddit?! :)
_
o Light (Flood Light) [$250] (added in "The Slammer" / "The Shovel") Size: |_|
This outdoor light has a straight pole with a large angled light at the top.
Requires: electricity supply
o Light (Floor Lamp) [$70] (added in "The Sneezer" / "The Shovel") Size: O
This is an indoor "standard lamp" with tall pole and a lampshade.
Requires: electricity supply
_ _
o Medical Bed [$500] Size: |_|_|
|_|_|
This is required for an infirmary. An injured prisoner or guard in a medical
bed will be treated by one of the doctors. One customer per bed!
Research to unlock: Health
An empty bed is also needed by each patient on the drug rehab programme.
_
o Metal Detector [$1000] Size: |_|
These can be placed in front of doorways and used to find metallic contraband
items on prisoners (which will be confiscated if there's a guard nearby).
Since each metal detector is only one square wide you will need two to cover
a large jail door or possibly even more to span the width of a corridor (if
you don't want to add wall sections to create a bottleneck).
These are most efficiently placed in entrances that are used by all prisoners
several times per day for example at cell blocks and canteens.
Requires: electricity supply
_ _
o Morgue Slab [$100] Size: |_|_|
This is required for a morgue. They're used to store dead bodies prior to
being transported away from the prison. One customer per slab!
Research to unlock: Health
_ _
o Office Desk [$30] Size: |_|_|
This is required for an office, classroom, security room or reception but it
doesn't actually do anything (so that computer doesn't need power).
Additionally an office desk in a cell gives a +1 bonus to cell quality.
o Painting [$150] (added in "The Sneezer" update / coming soon?) Size: =
This is a portrait painting in a fancy frame which can be hung on a wall.
Although it would also be a good cosmetic addition for an office or staffroom,
it can actually provide Comfort and Spirituality for prisoners. It seems to
have an area of effect because I've seen a decrease in a prisoner's spiritual
need when he has a painting in his cell - even while he's sleeping!
There are two different paintings - on PC you can choose which one to build
but on consoles you get one at random.
_ _ _ _
o Pew [$200] Size: |_|_|_|_|
This is required for a chapel. It can be used to seat up to four prisoners in
a Spiritual Guidance session. Additional pews provide extra capacity.
They can also be placed in communal areas to allow prisoners to reduce their
Spirituality need by praying.</pre><pre id="faqspan-4">
_
o Phone Booth [$300] Size: |_|
Prisoners (specifically the ones with family members) can use these optional
objects to phone home and hence reduce their Family need.
You would typically place these in communal areas like canteens, yards and
common rooms. If all your phones are used often and prisoners still have unmet
Family needs then you should probably build more phones or visitation.
Phones can also be bugged with a phone tap (see below) to provide intel.
Death Row inmates and prisoners on permanent lockdown can be given phones in
their cells for family contact. _ _ _
|_|_|_|
o Pool Table [$300] Size: |_|_|_|
This would usually be located in a common room (or yard) where it can be used
by one or two prisoners during Free Time to reduce their Recreation need.
o Potted Plant [$30] (added in "The Shovel" / "The Sneezer" updates) Size: O
This is a leafy plant in a pot which can be used indoors or outdoors.
It's a nice cosmetic addition for most rooms - a feature I'd wanted for ages.
_
o Prayer Mat [$50] Size: |_|
This is required for a chapel. Each mat can be used to seat one prisoner in a
Spiritual Guidance session there. Four adjacent prayer mats provide the same
seating capacity as a pew (see above).
They can also be placed in cells and communal areas to allow prisoners to
reduce their Spirituality need by praying.
_
o Radio [$100] Size: |_|
This can be used to satisfy prisoners' Recreation needs. It's battery-powered
so it doesn't need an electricity supply.
Additionally a radio in a cell gives a +1 bonus to cell quality.
On consoles each radio can be used by one inmate standing directly in front of
it. Since Update 8 in the PC edition one radio gives a Recreation benefit to
all prisoners in the room and with the addition of staff needs in Update 11
you can use radios (and other items) to satisfy staff Recreation needs too.
_ _
o School Desk [$30] Size: |_|_|
This is required for a classroom where most education programmes are taught.
Each desk provides seating for one student in the classroom.
Research to unlock: Education
_ _ _ _ _
o Serving Table [$20] Size: |_|_|_|_|_|
This is required for a canteen. Meals cooked in the kitchen/s are delivered to
serving tables. Prisoners then take food and a tray from there and sit on any
available bench or chair to eat their meal.
_ _
o Shop Front [$500] Size: |_|_|
This is required for a shop. It must be built into a wall and functions as the
serving counter with shop staff on one side and customers on the other.
Don't leave a gap in the wall for the counter - just build a full-length wall
as usual and then add the shop front on top of it.
The staff side will obviously face into the shop room but I think the customer
side might need to be indoors too - in which case you would want a room there
(for example a common room) or a corridor at least.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
_ _ _
o Shop Shelf [$250] Size: |_|_|_|
This is required for a shop. It's used for storing/displaying the goods.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
o Shower Head [$20] Size: o
These are required for a shower room but you can also build shower heads in
communal areas like yards and canteens so inmates can use them as necessary.
Additionally a shower in a cell gives a +1 bonus to cell quality.
Shower heads don't need to be mounted on a wall but they look neater if they
are. You might choose to build additional walls within a shower room for this.
It's possible to build a shower head over a toilet which allows you to boost
the cell quality without needing additional space or plumbing. Personal cell
showers also eliminate the threat of violence in communal shower rooms.
Showers always cause flooding so you should build drains around them or under
the doorway of a room with a shower to prevent water from spreading.
Requires: water supply / water supply and hot water supply (PC only)
If you are playing with the optional temperature system on PC then you can
choose whether to provide hot or cold showers! A shower head connected to the
standard water network will give a cold shower which causes the suppressive
"Frigid" effect but also greatly increases Warmth and Comfort needs. However
if a shower head is also connected to a water boiler via hot water pipes it
will give hot showers which helps to satisfy the Warmth need instead.
_ _ _
o Sink [$20] Size: |_|_|_|
This is required for a kitchen. It's used to wash dirty food trays.
The number of kitchen sinks needed depends on both the number of prisoners
being fed and the number of hours between meals in the daily regime.
Requires: water supply / water supply and hot water supply (PC only)
If you are playing with the optional temperature system on PC, your cooks will
wash trays more slowly unless their sinks have hot water from a boiler.
_
o Small Bush [$50] (added in "The Slammer" / "The Shovel" updates) Size: (_)
Even with the enhancements on PC, the Hedge "wall" has straight sides so a
single 1x1 unit looks quite unnatural.
With this addition you can now plant individual bushes which are bushy!
_ _
o Sofa (Standard) [$200] Size: |_|_|
This can be used as a decorative item in staff rooms and common rooms.
_ _
o Sofa (Wide) [$300] Size: |_|_|
This is required for a staff room. (Remember to use this two-seater version.)
It's also needed for a psychiatrist's office if you have the 'Psych Ward' DLC
on consoles and you want to run the Psychiatric Consultation programme.
In 'Psych Ward' on PC you can also use the Leather Sofa upgrade instead.
_ _ _
o Sorting Desk [$100] Size: |_|_|_|
This is required for a library or mail room. It's used for sorting books/mail.
o Sprinkler [$20] Size: o
These can reduce the rate at which a fire spreads through the prison thus
buying more time for the emergency services to respond to the situation.
Requires: water supply
If the fire damages the water pump station supplying the sprinklers (or the
electrical generator powering it) then the sprinkler system will be disabled.
_ _ _ _
o Table [$100] Size: |_|_|_|_|
This is required for a canteen, workshop, armoury or mail room. They can also
optionally be used to store clothing in a laundry.
It's the same length as the standard bench so they fit neatly together.
o Toilet [$100] Size: 0
This is required for a cell. It's used by prisoners to relieve their Bladder
and/or Bowels needs.
You can never have too many toilets available! You can add them in any area
where prisoners spend their time, for example yards, solitary cells and even
inside the canteen. You don't need to build rooms or dividing walls around
them - inmates aren't that fussy. (when you gotta go, you gotta go!)
Requires: water supply
_ _ _
Escape tunnels always start from cell toilets. |_|_|_|
|_|_|_|
o Tree [$100] Size: |_|_|_|
Trees can be added in and around your prison as a decorative feature. They
cannot be built by a workman - you need a gardener to plant a tree.
Trees can be planted in any outdoor "flooring" type except water. You always
get a deciduous tree in grass, a palm tree in sand or an evergreen tree in any
of the other terrain types.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Groundskeeping
Once a tree is fully grown (after around 3-4 game days) it can be manually
flagged for dismantling. Each tree provides three logs which will be sold or
made into planks or beds (and then sold) if you have a workshop.
If you have a forestry zone, trees will be planted in there automatically by
gardeners and harvested automatically by workmen.
(If you have PC Update 15 and you're playing with Escape Plans enabled,
prisoners can get over a wall/fence by climbing a neighbouring tree.)
_ _ _
o Tree (Cactus) [$100] (added in "The Sneezer" / "The Shovel") Size: |_|_|_|
|_|_|_|
This large outdoor cactus is suited to sandy/desert terrain. |_|_|_|
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Groundskeeping
_ _ _
o Tree (Palm) [$100] (added in "The Slammer" / "The Shovel") Size: |_|_|_|
|_|_|_|
Originally palm trees would grow when you planted trees into sandy |_|_|_|
terrain but this option lets you plant them in other types of ground.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Groundskeeping
_ _ _
o Tree (Snowy Conifer) [$100] (in "The Slammer" / "The Shovel") Size: |_|_|_|
|_|_|_|
This wintery fir tree is intended for use with the Snow terrain. |_|_|_|
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Groundskeeping
_ _ _
o Tree (Spooky) [$100] (added in "The Sneezer" / "The Shovel") Size: |_|_|_|
|_|_|_|
This is a dark, gnarled, barren tree. Probably haunted. :o |_|_|_|
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Groundskeeping
_
o TV [$200] Size: |_|
Televisions can optionally be placed in cells or communal areas (even yards!)
to satisfy the Recreation need.
Additionally a TV in a cell gives a +1 bonus to cell quality and televisions
will make a common room or yard more desirable as gang turf.
Requires: electricity supply
On consoles each TV can be used by one inmate standing directly in front of
it. Since Update 8 in the PC edition one television can be used by up to nine
prisoners on seats in the 3x3 block in front of it and they get the TV effect
even during other seated activities (for example eating in the canteen).
_ _ _
o Tyre Apparatus [$350] (in "The Shovel" update / coming soon?) Size: |_|_|_|
This is a vertical outdoor climbing-frame made of tyres. (UK spelling!)
It's used for Exercise and also improves the grading of a yard.
_
o Tyre Stack [$50] (added in "The Sneezer" / "The Shovel" updates) Size: (_)
This is a pile of four large tyres.
These can be placed individually or together in a wall to form a barrier.
_ _
o Visitor Booth [$1000] (added in PC Update 3 / "The Shovel") Size: |_|_|
|_|_|
These are an alternative to visitor tables (see below) in visitation.
The advantage of using booths is that there is no physical contact between a
prisoner and their visitors so contraband cannot be exchanged. This can only
be achieved if both ends of the booth are blocked by either walls or another
visitor booth. Players usually build a row of booths along the middle of a
room with a prisoner entrance on one side and a visitor door on the other.
However each booth has seating for only one visitor (instead of three) and the
prisoner is separated from their family member by a glass partition so they
get less satisfaction of their Family need. Booths cost more than tables too.
Communication at a booth is via telephone handsets so (on PC at least) it's
possible to connect a phone tap (see Section 06g) to gather intel.
On PC the prisoner and visitor sides are clearly labelled. On consoles it
seems that the inmate always sits on the side with the black box which is
either the left side, right side or the bottom (even if you rotate it 180°,
they'll still sit at the bottom seat).
_ _ _
o Visitor Table [$300] Size: |_|_|_|
|_|_|_|
This is used in both visitation rooms and parole rooms.
Each visitor table in a visitation room allows one prisoner to meet with up to
three relatives and thus reduce their Family need. Inmates will sometimes also
use them for meetings with their lawyer.
_ _
o Weapon Rack [$1000] Size: |_|_|
This is required for an armoury. (Although it's the room rather than the rack
that actually supplies weapons for guards - or invading inmates!)
Research to unlock: Security \ Armoury
_
o Weights Bench [$100] Size: |_|
This optional item reduces a prisoner's Exercise need.
They should be positioned in communal areas where inmates spend their spare
time, for example yards and common rooms. They can also be added to cells to
provide exercise for anyone on permanent lockdown.
I've found that in some prisons my inmates will always prefer to jog in the
yard and won't ever use weights benches in communal areas during Free-Time or
in the yard during Yard time.* In this situation they will still use weights
located in the canteen during Eat time or in their cells. They'll also use
weights in the common room or canteen during Free-Time if I remove the yard.
Weights benches will make a yard or common room more desirable as gang turf.
*It's possible this is related to the current or previous danger level of the
jail since prisoners will only jog in the yard when they feel safe there.
o Window (Standard) [$200] Size: =
Barred windows can be added as a cosmetic feature in any room's walls.
Additionally an exterior window in a cell gives a +1 bonus to cell quality.
Since "The Sneezer" update on PC, a window will now be shown on both sides of
a wall (or at least on north-south walls where you can see both sides).
o Window (Large) [$200] Size: = =
This is the double-width version for the same price.
o Window Glass (Standard) [$200] (in Community Update / coming soon?) Size: =
Glazed windows can be added as a cosmetic feature in any room's walls.
Additionally an exterior window in a cell gives a +1 bonus to cell quality.
o Window Glass (Large) [$200] (in Community Update / coming soon?) Size: = =
This is the double-width version for the same price.
o Window (Classy) [$300] (added in "The Shovel" / PC 'Psych Ward' DLC) Size: =
This is a fancy full-length window with curtains (drapes).
(It gives the bonus to cell quality on PC but not on consoles.)
_
o Wooden Drawers [$100] (added in "The Sneezer" / "The Shovel") Size: |_|
This is a chest of drawers (or a 'dresser' in US English).
You could use this in an office or maybe a cell if you have enough space.
o Wooden Stool [$30] (added in "The Sneezer" / "The Shovel" updates) Size: o
This is a small round stool made from timber.
_
o Wooden Table [$50] (added in "The Sneezer" / "The Shovel" updates) Size: (_)
This is a round table with a pale wooden top that matches the stools.
_ _ _
o Workshop Press [$1500] Size: |_|_|_|
This is required for a workshop.
It's used to stamp licence plate blanks into licence plates for selling.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
Requires: electricity supply
_ _ _
o Workshop Saw [$1500] Size: |_|_|_|
This is required for a workshop.
It's used to cut sheet metal into licence plate blanks or logs into planks.
One piece of sheet metal can be cut into two blanks (which can then be stamped
on a workshop press to make licence plates for selling).
One log can be cut into two planks for selling (or for making into beds if you
have carpenter tables and trained workers).
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
Requires: electricity supply
o Dismantle Object
Dismantled objects will be kept in your storage zone for future use.
_____________________________________________________________________________
The following extra objects are only available in the PC edition of the game:
_____________________________________________________________________________
_
o Anatomy Model [$200] (PC 'Psych Ward' DLC required) Size: |_|
This is a mounted human skeleton (or at least a skull and ribcage).
After unlocking this object by completing 50 psychiatric sessions, it can be
added to a psychiatrist's office to improve their treatment ability by 5%.
_
o Barbed Wire [$200 per unit] (added in PC Update 15) Size: |_|
This expensive new security option was added as a partial counter to the
escape ropes that were added with the Escape Plans gameplay setting in Update
14. Barbed wire is applied to existing exterior walls/fences as an upgrade.
An inmate wanting to use an escape rope will try to find a section of fence
without barbed wire. If none is available they will use their improvised rope
on a barbed section but climbing over it will cause them damage.
Inmates can also climb a neighbouring tree to get over a barbed-wire fence!
o Bathroom Sink [$100] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: =
This is a white individual wall-mounted sink.
It's a good cosmetic addition for a communal toilet or infirmary.
Requires: water supply
_ _ _
o Bench (Oak) [$20] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: |_|_|_|
This wooden bench is three tiles long to match the oak table.
_ _ _
o Bench (Park) [$50] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: |_|_|_|
A brown wooden bench to use in outdoor locations.
_ _ _
o Bookcase (Short) [$150] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: |_|_|_|
This is a lower version of the library/shop shelf unit with only two shelves
instead of the usual three.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour (?)
_ _
o Bunk Bed [$500] (added in PC Update 1) Size: |_|_|
These were created for use in dorms. They take up the same floorspace as a
standard bed but can be used by two prisoners.
(These always remind me of Fletcher and Godber.)
_ _
o Chair (Office) [$200] (added in "The Slammer" update) Size: |_|_|
This is a large luxury chair which is positioned in the middle of two tiles so
it's finally possible to have a seat centred behind an office desk!
(This would work wonders for my OCD... if only it was available on PS4!)
o Coat Stand [$30] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: O
This is a hatstand pole holding a hat, coat and umbrella.
It could be added as a cosmetic feature in the corner of an office.
_
o Crib [$200] (added in PC Update 2) Size: |_|
This is required for a family cell or nursery (in a women's prison).
It gives somewhere for one prisoner's baby to fulfil their Sleep need.
o Dog Bowl [$20] (added in "The Sneezer" or PC 'Psych Ward' DLC?) Size: 0
This has separate dishes for dogfood and water.
These can be added in kennel areas to "increases" dog stamina slightly.
(Does it buff the stat or the tiredness recovery rate?)
Research to unlock: Security \ Patrols \ Dogs
_
o Door Mat [$10] (added in "The Slammer" update) Size: |_|
These can be placed at doorways, corridors and paths.
(Do they actually reduce the amount of dirt left by people walking past?)
_
o Flip Board [$100] (PC 'Psych Ward' DLC required) Size: |_|
This is a flipchart stand displaying a "brain chart".
After unlocking this object by completing 40 psychiatric sessions, it can be
added to a psychiatrist's office to improve their treatment ability by 5%.
o Footbridge [$250 x N] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: (varies)
Pedestrian bridges can be constructed over land, water or the access road, but
they can't be built over walls/fences or buildings.
You need to click and drag to define the start and end points of the bridge
and press "R" to rotate between east-west and north-south options.
There's a minimum size and the maximum length is twenty tiles. The cost will
increase with the length ($250 per tile).
o Footbridge B [$250 x N] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: (varies)
This is an alternate design of footbridge where the stairs at each end are
perpendicular to the span of the bridge.
_
o Gravestone [$100] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: |_|
Although (unlike Rimworld) you don't need to process corpses manually, you can
now optionally honour the dead with a small monument.
One additional gravestone becomes available for every death in your prison.
_ _ _
o Guard Pavilion [$4000] (added in "The Slammer" update) Size: |_|_|_|
|_|_|_|
(This item is unlocked by registering for a free Paradox account.) |_|_|_|
This is a larger version of the guard tower which can be used by any type of
guard that you assign to it (not just snipers).
The standard pavilion is symmetrical with a centred tower surrounded by the
raised platform where the guard patrols. A guard on a pavilion walkway has a
suppressive effect and also cannot be attacked by prisoners.
_ _ _
o Guard Pavilion (Corner) [$4000] (added in "The Slammer" update) Size: |_|_|_|
|_|_|_|
(This item is unlocked by registering for a free Paradox account.) |_|_|_|
This version is designed to be fitted into a corner space, for example the
corner of a walled yard or the junction of two perimeter walls.
o Hand Dryer [$50] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: =
This is a wall-mounted electric hand-dryer.
It's a good cosmetic addition for a communal toilet or infirmary.
Requires: electricity supply
_ _
o Ironing Board (Small) [$50] (added in "The Slammer" update) Size: |_|_|
These can be used for laundry rooms. They're a third shorter than the original
boards so they take up less space - and don't look so bizarrely oversized!
_ _
o Large TV [$500] (added in PC Update 8) Size: |_|_|
This functions like the standard TV in the PC edition but it can be used by
inmates seated in a 7x7 area in front of it (instead of 3x3).
Requires: electricity supply
_
o Leather Chair [$400] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: |_|
This is a fancy but expensive upholstered 1x1 chair.
_ _
o Leather Sofa [$600] (PC 'Psych Ward' DLC required) Size: |_|_|
It's an upholstered chaise-longue intended for psychiatric therapy although
you can also use the standard blue 1x2 sofa instead.
After unlocking this object by completing 10 psychiatric sessions, it can be
added to a psychiatrist's office to improve their treatment ability by 5%.
_
o Medicine Cabinet [$400] (PC 'Psych Ward' DLC required) Size: |_|
This is a tall unit with two drawers and two shelves full of bottles.
After unlocking this object by completing 20 psychiatric sessions, it can be
added to a psychiatrist's office to improve their treatment ability by 5%.
It'd also look good in an infirmary or maybe even a kitchen.
o Moose Head [$500] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: =
This is an old-fashioned wall-mounted hunting trophy on a wooden plaque.
(It might bamboozle the Major in a Torquay hotel reception!)
_ _ _
o Outdoor Table [$150] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: |_|_|_|
|_|_|_|
This is a traditional wooden picnic table with built-in benches. |_|_|_|
o Plant (Cactus) [$30] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: O
This is a different type of potted plant.
_
o Play Mat [$50] (added in PC Update 2) Size: |_|
This is required for a nursery (in a women's prison).
It provides somewhere for one prisoner's baby to fulfil their Play need.
o Radiator [$200] (added in PC Update 4) Size: =
Radiators are used to increase the temperature of indoor areas.
Update 4 added a thermodynamics system where prisoners have a Warmth need and
temperatures decrease at night. Update 6 then added seasons and weather where
outdoor temperatures vary through the virtual "year" and prisoners exposed to
rain have increased Warmth and Clothing needs. Update 6 also made the whole
temperature/seasons/weather model optional where previously it was mandatory.
Requires: hot water supply (from water boiler)
Originally radiators had no requirements but with the addition of boilers (see
below) and hot water pipes in Update 5 they now need hot water.
_
o Rorschach Test* [$100] (PC 'Psych Ward' DLC required) Size: |_|
This is a picture of an amorphous symmetrical inkblot mounted on an easel.
After unlocking this object by completing 30 psychiatric sessions, it can be
added to a psychiatrist's office to improve their treatment ability by 5%.
*Hermann Rorschach invented his famous test in the 1920s as a diagnostic tool
for schizophrenia, but it was later used more widely in psychoanalysis. The
patient is shown a series of ambiguous inkblot images and asked to give their
interpretation and feelings of each one - this process is intended to reveal
aspects of their personality and subconscious.
_
o Shower Pillar [$50] (added in "The Slammer" update) Size: |_|
This is a tiled column which provides an island for a shower room where you
can install shower heads on all four sides.
o Sign (Arrow Left) [$10] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: =
o Sign (Arrow Right) [$10] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: =
o Sign (Armoury) [$10] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: =
o Sign (Canteen) [$10] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: =
o Sign (Infirmary) [$10] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: =
o Sign (Showers) [$10] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: =
o Sign (Toilets) [$10] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: =
These seven options are white signs marked with simple black symbols.
They can be placed on walls in the same way as windows.
o Sink Mirror [$100] (coming soon?) Size: =
This is a combined sink and wall mirror.
Requires: water supply
o Steel Footbridge [$250 x N] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: (varies)
o Steel Footbridge B [$250 x N] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: (varies)
These are metal versions of the footbridge (see above).
_ _ _
o Table (Oak) [$150] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: |_|_|_|
|_|_|_|
This is a wide wooden table with a red table-runner along the centre.
It's a fine choice for banqueting, especially if you build several in a row.
o Street Lamp [$150] (added in "The Slammer" update) Size: O
This outdoor light has a tall straight pole that curves near the top.
Requires: electricity supply
o Table (Oval Staff) [$??] (coming soon?) Size: ???
This is an elliptical coffee-table for offices, staffrooms and swanky cells.
_ _
o Table (Small) [$50] (added in "The Slammer" update) Size: |_|_|
This is half the length of the standard table so it can be fitted into smaller
spaces. It can be used with the small bench, for example in a small canteen or
to fill odd spaces more efficiently in a big one.
_ _ _
o Table Football [$200] (coming soon?) Size: |_|_|_|
|_|_|_|
This is used for playing table football* (foosball).
It gives Recreation and also improves the grading of a common room.
*Table football was invented by Harold Searles Thornton in the UK in 1921.
o Table Tennis [$200] (coming soon?) Size: ???
This is used for playing table tennis (ping-pong).
It gives Recreation and also improves the grading of a common room.
_ _ _
o Tree (Sakura*) [$150] (added in "The Sneezer" update) Size: |_|_|_|
|_|_|_|
This cherry tree is completely full of pink blossom. |_|_|_|
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Groundskeeping
*"Sakura" is the Japanese name for the cherry tree and its blossom. Flowers,
particularly cherry blooms, are celebrated in Japan with the annual "Hanami"
(flower viewing) events. This is such a big deal that the predicted blooming
dates across the country are reported on the TV weather forecasts.
o Wall Light [$30] (added in "The Slammer" update) Size: =
This lighting unit mounts onto any wall in the same way as a window.
Requires: electricity supply
_ _
o Water Boiler [$500] (added in PC Update 5) Size: |_|_|
Since Update 5 - when playing with the optional temperature mechanics - you
can add boilers to provide heated water which can be delivered via dedicated
hot water pipes to radiators, showers and sinks.
- Every radiator requires a supply of hot water.
- If a shower is connected to both the hot and cold water supplies it will
help to satisfy inmates' Warmth and Comfort needs, however if it only has
cold water it'll give them a suppressive effect.
- A kitchen sink supplied only with cold water will increase the time taken
for cooks to wash canteen trays, but adding hot water will make them faster.
The temperature of heated water decreases with distance from the water boiler
so the radiators/showers/sinks mustn't be too far from it.
Requires: electricity supply + water supply (large pipe)
o Window (Classy Large) [$300] (PC 'Psych Ward' DLC required) Size: = =
This is the double-width version of the posh window with curtains.
_____________________________________________________________________________
The following extra objects are only available in the PS4 and Xbone editions:
_____________________________________________________________________________
_
o Arrow Decal (Blue/Red) [$20] (added in "The Shovel" update) Size: |_|
_
o Arrow Decal (Blue/Green) [$20] (added in "The Shovel" update) Size: |_|
_
o Arrow Decal (Blue/Yellow) [$20] (added in "The Shovel" update) Size: |_|
_
o Arrow Decal (Orange/Blue) [$20] (added in "The Shovel" update) Size: |_|
These four options are cosmetic arrow stickers that can be stuck on floors.
_ _
o Bed (Comfy) [$800] (added in PS4/Xbone Community Update) Size: |_|_|
This is the same size as the standard bed but it has a wooden frame and the
blanket is blue instead of green.
It costs four times more than the basic bed but its luxurious memory-foam
mattress gives a superior benefit to Comfort and Sleep needs.
Additionally a comfy bed in a cell gives a +1 bonus to cell quality.
_
o Bird Cage [$150] (added in "The Shovel" update) Size: |_|
This is a rectangular metal cage containing a small green bird.
Now you can have your very own Birdman of Alcatraz.
o Bucket [$20] (added in "The Shovel" update) Size: o
This makes a simple cosmetic addition for a cleaning cupboard.
_
o Canvas & Paints [$50] (added in "The Shovel" update) Size: |_|
This is an artist's easel with a canvas, paint palette and rag.
A prisoner can use it to reduce their Recreation need.
(Remember to wash your brush and then beat the devil out of it!)
o PA System [$250] (added in "The Shovel" update) Size: O
This is a loudspeaker on a pole that gives suppression within a circular area.
The radius of effect is shown when placing the object.
Requires: electricity supply
o Punch Bag [$150] (added in "The Shovel" update) Size: O
Like the gym mat, this gives another alternative to weights for Exercise.
o Shower Head (Hot) [$120] (added in PS4/Xbone Community Update) Size: o
This looks like a standard shower except for three red stripes on the head.
Requires: water supply
It provides hot showers with Comfort and Hygiene bonuses without needing the
water boilers and separate hot water pipes of the PC edition of the game.
Additionally any shower in a cell gives a +1 bonus to cell quality.
o Wall Safe [$200] (added in "The Shovel" update) Size: =
This wall-mounted safe is a nice cosmetic addition for an office.
_
o Water Cooler [$250] (added in "The Shovel" update) Size: |_|
This is a standard water dispenser with bottle, taps and cups.
It'd look good in an office, staffroom, canteen, reception, visitation, etc.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 06f | Utilities s06f |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
Several objects (see Section 06e) require electricity or water supplies which
are provided by power stations and water pumps respectively. Aside from the
initial building costs there are no expenses for utilities.
Utilities are delivered around the prison via underground supply networks. The
cables and pipes can overlap and can be built anywhere except below water, fire
hydrants and perimeter walls (which are designed to restrict tunnelling); also
you can't put water pipes under a power station.
Any appliance that lacks the necessary water or electricity supply will be
marked with a blue water-drop or yellow lightning icon respectively (and it will
not function until it's connected). The smaller lightning icon indicates a light
without power and can be safely ignored if you choose.
Power Supply
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
The electrical networks are required to power appliances like cookers, fridges,
laundry machines and of course the electric chair!
o Electrical Cable [$10/square]
Most electrical items require a direct cabled connection to a power station.
Each power station has a separate power network indicated by different shades
of green for their cables (when viewed via the Power Supply menu). You should
always keep these separate because if two power stations are linked together
- either directly or with cables - then both networks will fail.
Some objects (lights, TVs, door servos and CCTV cameras) will be automatically
connected to the electrical supply if the object is indoors and an interior
cable runs within fifteen squares. These connections can run within rooms,
through doors and around corners but cannot cross walls, however if a cable
runs directly under an interior wall it can supply the rooms on both sides.
o Power Station [$5000]
These provide the electricity for a prison. The bar display shows the current
(heh) drain on each unit - when your power station becomes overloaded you can
upgrade it with capacitors so you should build your power stations (3x3) with
enough space to add capacitors on all sides (5x5 total).
When a power station becomes overloaded it will shut down, disabling every
electrical object in its cable network (including water pumps so this can
knock out your water supply too). If this happens you'll need to add some
capacitors to increase the output and then click the power station to turn it
back on. If you already have the maximum number of capacitors then you'll need
to build a new power station and add/remove cables to move some of the load
over to it (you must ensure that both networks are kept separate).
_ _ _ _ _
o Capacitor [$1000] |_|_|_|_|_|
|_| |_|
You can add up to sixteen capacitors to a power station to raise |_| |_|
its potential (heh) power output - these must be constructed on |_|_ _ _|_|
the sixteen adjacent squares as illustrated here. |_|_|_|_|_|
A basic power station is the same size (3x3) as a water pump station but
adding a full set of capacitors increases it to 5x5.
o Power Switch [$10]
The switch can be built into any electrical cable allowing you to temporarily
disconnect some or all of a network from its power station.
o Remove Cables
This is a demolition function specifically for electrical cables.
Water Supply
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Water is required for showers, toilets, sinks, laundry machines and sprinklers.
o Large Pipe [$15/square]
The large water pipes can be used to carry water from pump stations over any
required distance, however prisoners attempting to escape by digging out can
use large pipes as part of their tunnel.
The in-game description references a line spoken by Red (Morgan Freeman) in
the 1994 movie 'The Shawshank Redemption'.
o Small Pipe [$2/sq]
These provide only a small advantage to tunnelling prisoners but the smaller
pipe only has sufficient water pressure to cover 39 squares in distance.
It's recommended to use the large pipes to form the primary supply of water
around the site and then the cheaper and more secure small pipes to deliver
water to each individual building, especially the cell blocks.
o Water Pump Station [$5000]
This serves as the source of water for all appliances that need it.
There may be a limit on how much water one pump can provide but I haven't hit
it yet in a 500-bed prison with showers and toilets everywhere!
Requires: electricity supply
o Pipe Valve [$10]
This is the plumbing equivalent of a switch - it can be used to stop the flow
of water in a pipe.
o Remove Pipes
This is a demolition function specifically for water pipes.
______________________________________________________________________________
The following extra feature is only available in the PC edition of the game:
______________________________________________________________________________
o Hot Water Pipe [$2/square] (added in PC Update 5)
In the PC edition of the game you have the option of using the temperature
system (literal temperature, not prisoner unrest "heat"). This includes water
boilers which can be connected via hot water pipes to radiators and showers
(to help satisfy inmates' Warmth and Comfort needs) and to kitchen sinks (to
allow the cooks to washes dishes more quickly).
As long as a boiler is connected directly to a water pump station using only
large pipe it can deliver heated water over 59 squares of hot water pipe. The
range will be considerably reduced if there are any small pipes in the supply.
Hot water pipes are built on a separate utilities layer so they can overlap
with cold water pipes and electricity cables.
Any radiator or shower head without a hot water supply will be indicated with
a flashing red water-drop icon. A radiator without hot water won't work and a
shower with only a standard water supply will give cold showers - brrr!
(The Community Update on PS4 and Xbox One added new shower heads with built-in
heaters which can provide hot showers without any additional plumbing.)
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 06g | Surveillance s06g |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
This section provides tools to observe and monitor prisoners.
Research to unlock: Security \ Surveillance
_
o CCTV [$200] Size: |_|
If you are playing with the "fog of war" option enabled you will not be able
to see prisoners in any indoor areas without guards or CCTV coverage.
A CCTV camera can be mounted to any wall and should then be connected to a
CCTV monitor desk in a security room. Each camera rotates through a 180° arc
and temporarily removes the "fog of war" effect.
Requires: electricity supply + wiring
One of the grants (see Section 07e) requires some CCTV equipment but otherwise
cameras give no benefit if you're playing without the "fog of war" feature -
your guards cannot gain intel from having CCTV installed. I personally think
cameras make a nice cosmetic feature though.
_ _ _
o CCTV Monitor [$1000] Size: |_|_|_|
Each CCTV camera must be connected to a CCTV monitor workstation which must be
manned by a guard.
Although it's possible to connect more cameras if you wish, each guard will
only be able to monitor the footage from up to eight cameras at once.
Requires: electricity supply + wiring + guard
_
o Phone Tap [$1000] Size: |_|
A phone tap can be connected to one or more phone booths. This allows a guard
to eavesdrop on telephone conversations to obtain intel about hidden prisoner
reputations (see Section 08b)* although each guard can only monitor one phone
call at any given time.
On PC your visitation booths can also be bugged with phone taps.
Requires: electricity supply + wiring + guard
If phone taps are positioned in the security room it will allow the same pool
of spare guards there to act as reserves on the phone tap, door control and
CCTV consoles when their colleagues go on breaks.
*What are they saying? "Hi mum. As you know, I'm an ex-cop."?
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 06h | Automatic Doors s06h |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
The options here let you automate doors, controlled remotely by a guard or
triggered by either a timer or a floor sensor.
(Jail doors fitted on cells will always be locked automatically during Sleep and
Lockup time without the need for additional equipment.)
Research to unlock: Security \ Remote Access
_ _
o Door Control System [$1000] Size: |_|_|
This is a control desk, usually built in a security room, which can be wired
to any number of door servo motors (see below). This allows a guard operating
the desk to open the doors remotely instead of needing to have guards near
each of the doors to open them manually.
Each control system can open doors at a maximum rate of two per second so if
you have a lot of automatic doors and you're seeing delays on doors opening,
you should consider building a second control desk and spreading the load.
Requires: electricity supply + wiring + guard
When the console is manned by a guard a green light will show. When the guard
becomes tired they will go to a staff room to rest and leave their station
unattended so it's a good idea to deploy spare guards in security as back-up
for the operators of your door controls (and your CCTV and phone taps).
If your security office is captured by rioting inmates and they destroy your
door control system, all automatic doors will be forced to stay open.
_
o Door Servo [$200] Size: |_|
This is the mechanism which must be fitted to each door or gate that you want
to control remotely.
A door servo always needs to be connected to a controller - a door control
system, a door timer or a pressure pad. It can then be connected directly to
several other door servos which will all open at the same time, but you can't
then "daisy-chain" one of those doors to another.
If a door servo is wired to several controllers, it functions as a logical OR</pre><pre id="faqspan-5">
gate - the door will open if any of the inputs is activated.
Requires: electricity supply + wiring
The servo should be installed in the wall next to the door (on the side which
the door slides into) and with the gear wheel facing towards the door - but in
the console editions if you connect a door control system directly to a door,
the game will automatically add the door servo for you. (That doesn't work
with pressure pads or door timers though.)
_
o Door Timer [$1000] Size: |_|
This unit can be connected to one or more door servos for complete automation.
You can click to select a door timer and then program it with a schedule that
specifies if the connected door/s should all be open/closed for each hour of
the day or open/closed depending on the activities scheduled in your jail's
daily regime (see Section 07c).
Requires: electricity supply + wiring
_
o Pressure Pad [$100] Size: |_|
This is a floor sensor which can be wired to a door servo.
When someone walks on the pad it sends a signal to open the attached door/s.
Requires: wiring
_____________________________________________________________________________
The following extra options are only available in the PC edition of the game:
_____________________________________________________________________________
_
o Logic Circuit [$100] (PC only) |_|
The logic circuit can be switched between seven modes that each function as
different types of logic gate. Most modes allow you to process control signals
from multiple inputs in different ways.
Requires: wiring
Technically all control circuits work on a binary system where all signals
between components are either 1 (on or "true") or 0 (off or "false").
For example in a simple case where a pressure pad is attached directly to a
door servo, the pad usually outputs 0 (and the door servo does nothing) but
when someone stands on the pad it sends a 1 (and the servo is activated).
The logic circuit has the following seven settings:
AND gate - outputs 1 when both/all inputs are 1
OR gate - outputs 1 when any/all inputs are 1
NOT gate - outputs 1 when input is 0
NAND gate - outputs 1 unless both/all inputs are 1 (NAND = AND + NOT)
NOR gate - outputs 1 when both/all inputs are 0 (NOR = OR + NOT)
XOR gate - outputs 1 when exactly one input is 1 (XOR = exclusive OR)
equality - output matches input (no logic gate effect)
Integrating logic gates into your control circuits makes it possible to build
more sophisticated systems for controlling your automatic doors. For example
you could have a door that only opens when someone steps on a pressure pad
and it's between 3pm and 6pm (door timer) or you could have two doors where
either door always closes when the other one opens.
_
o Logic Bridge [$100] (PC only) |_|
This links to electrical cables and can relay control signals to all devices
connected to the same electrical supply which allows you to control multiple
door servos without requiring individual wiring for each one.
In addition to controlling servos, a logic bridge can also be used to relay
control signals to a switch in your electricity supply.
Requires: wiring
_
o Status Light [$50] (PC only) |_|
This indicator displays a green light when it receives a 1 signal from the
attached circuit. If there are multiple inputs, the light will come on
whenever at least one has a 1 signal.
Requires: wiring
The status light can be used to indicate the signal in any part of a control
circuit. One simple application I saw in a video was a 1x1 solitary cell with
a pressure pad connected directly to a light (indicating an occupant).
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 06i | Wiring s06i |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
Wiring is required to connect automated door controls (see Section 06h) and CCTV
or phone tap surveillance equipment (see Section 06g).
Research to unlock: Security \ Surveillance or Security \ Remote Access
The two menu options here simply allow you to add and remove wires.
o Add Wiring
o Remove Wiring
You can also add wires simply by clicking on any appliance that uses them.
(I think the order in which you connect equipment is crucial on PC. You should
always connect wires from the door control to the door servo, from the CCTV
monitor to the CCTV camera or from the phone tap to the phone booth.)
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 06j | Clone Tool s06j |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
This unlockable feature allows you to copy a small building or a set of rooms
and paste a duplicate of it elsewhere (to be built by your workmen as usual).
Cloning copies all walls, objects, flooring and room designations but it doesn't
include utilities (electricity/water) or wiring.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Clone
_ _
After holding the Cross button and dragging to select | | _ _ | |
the area to copy the menu will show you a breakdown | |_____| | | |_____| |
of the components and the total construction cost. | _______| |_______ |
| | _ _ | |
You can then build the cloned selection as many times | |_____| | | |_____| |
as you like (as long as you have enough cash). |_________| |_________|
For example you could clone a small group of cells (see above) several times in
a vertical row to form a corridor for a cell block.
In the Community Update for PS4 and Xbox One in March 2017 the maximum clone
area was increased from 12x12 to 20x20.
In the PC version of the game the clone tool is on the Quick Build menu. The
max clone area was increased in "The Slammer" update and again in "The Sneezer"
update which also introduced the option to copy between prisons/saves.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 06k | Planning s06k |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
You can use this function to be an actual prison architect - planning out your
designs in advance instead of skipping straight to construction!
You can draw white markings representing walls, objects and paths directly onto
the ground. This is a totally optional process but it's great for checking your
layouts before you start building and for making sure everything fits.
o Walls
Use this to mark where you want to build walls.
o Objects
Use this to mark where you want to add objects.
o Pathways
Use this to mark where you want to build paths.
o Build Plan
This function will build all planned walls. The game will use either brick or
concrete depending on whichever one you used most recently.
Objects and paths will not be constructed since the game doesn't know which
types of object/s or floorings you want to use.
o Erase Plans
This can be used to delete portions of your plans.
You can either remove individual squares or click and drag to erase an area.
o Clear Plans
This removes all planning marks.
"The Sneezer" PC update added door markers and options to build plans, clear
plans and choose which type of wall to use for construction.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 06l | Demolition s06l |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
You might need to demolish part of your jail during expansion or redevelopment
- or just when you put something in the wrong place (OCD trigger).
o Dismantle Object
Removed objects will be taken to the storage zone and can be re-used.
When a tree is "dismantled" it becomes logs which can either be sold directly
or taken to workshop/s and made into planks (and potentially beds).
o Demolish Walls
This removes walls but not foundations or floorings.
Demolition creates wreckage which will be taken to the garbage zone.
Shortcut: hold R1 then click and drag with Square
o Bulldoze
This removes walls, foundations and all interior fittings.
Bulldozing creates wreckage which will be taken to the garbage zone.
Shortcut: hold R1 then click and drag with Cross
The bulldozer tool can be used to remove any odd objects like dummy heads or
food bowls that have got stuck but if you use it in an indoor area you'll need
to rebuild the tile with the Structure menu before re-laying flooring.
You cannot bulldoze the console editions' roadside fire hydrants.
o Clear Indoor Area
This removes all objects, floorings and interior walls from within a building.
It also removes any room designation/s like "shop" or "canteen".
The game will automatically add concrete tile flooring if necessary.
o Remove Tunnels [$20/square]
After an escape tunnel has been found by a search you can manually select it
to be filled to prevent inmates from using it.
You need to click and drag to highlight the area you want to cover. If you do
the whole prison then all discovered tunnels will be removed.
Be *very* careful to not use other demo tools on your cell blocks by mistake!
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 06m | Quick Rooms s06m |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
This menu contains templates for certain types of rooms (see Section 06d) with
all required furnishings which can be picked instantly instead of having to
construct a building and then manually add all the doors and objects as usual.
(This handy feature was pioneered by Double Eleven in the console editions. It
was then added to PC in Update 4 in March 2016 with five "Quick Build" rooms and
many more options were added after D11 took over PC development in 2019.)
When building quick rooms (or any other structures) you can and should overlap
any adjoining walls to save space (and money). Here's an example with cells.
_______ _______________________________
| ___ | | ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ |
| |M 0| | one 2x3 cell | |M 0| |M 0| |M 0| |M 0| |M 0| | five 2x3 cells
| |M | | occupies a | |M | |M | |M | |M | |M | | occupy a
| |_ | | 4x5 block | |_ | |_ | |_ | |_ | |_ | | 16x5 block
|___|-|_| |___|-|___|-|___|-|___|-|___|-|_|
You can't adjust the default size/shape of quick rooms but you're free to modify
them after construction by adding objects and repositioning doors or even by
demolishing and rebuilding walls.
Rooms with appliances requiring electricity or water will not be automatically
connected - you still need to connect the utilities yourself.
An alternative to using quick rooms is the clone tool (see Section 06j) which
allows you to "copy and paste" existing rooms in your prison.
This is a list of quick rooms available on PS4 (and presumably Xbone/Switch):
o Canteen [$6210] Size: 10x12
This has an additional serving table and enough benches to provide seating for
a total of 32 diners.
o Cell [$1410] Size: 2x3
This is the most useful "quick room" since obviously you need lots of cells!
It's the standard minimum size you would use for basic cells and it has no
extra objects - just the required bed and toilet.
o Cell (Improved) [$2250] Size: 3x4
This is slightly larger and includes a shower (with drains), a television and
a small window to give a higher cell quality.
o Cell (Luxury) [$3630] Size: 5x6
This cell has all the features required to give the maximum cell quality (see
Section 08h) provided the window is on an external wall. There's also a prayer
mat which a religious prisoner can use to satisfy their Spirituality need.
However the luxury cell is larger than necessary because the minimum area for
the maximum cell quality bonus is 16 squares (4x4).
o Cell (Solitary) [$1160] Size: 1x2
This is compact but actually slightly larger than necessary. It also has an
optional chair to provide some Comfort.
Solitary cells are generally quick and easy to build so you might prefer to
make your own to fit different spaces (and with toilets instead of chairs).
o Cell - Padded (Medium) [$2250] ('Psych Ward' DLC required) Size: 3x4
This is the padded version of the Cell (Improved) above which can be used to
accommodate an Insane inmate when playing with the Criminally Insane option.
o Cell - Padded (Small) [$1410] ('Psych Ward' DLC required) Size: 2x3
This is the padded version of the basic 2x3 Cell above which can be used to
accommodate an Insane inmate when playing with the Criminally Insane option.
o Classroom [$5220] Size: 7x7
The classroom layout provides desks for up to ten students.
(The maximum capacity for any class would be twenty.)
Research to unlock: Education
o Common Room [$8840] Size: 7x9
This features several optional objects to provide Recreation and Comfort.
o Holding Cell [$5150] Size: 5x10
This adds eight optional beds to satisfy Sleep needs.
o Holding Cell - Padded [$5150] ('Psych Ward' DLC required) Size: 5x10
This is the padded version of the Holding Cell above which can be used to
accommodate Insane intake when playing with the Criminally Insane option.
o House on a Hill [$4400] (added in Version 1.06) Size: 4x4
This provides a 4x4 room surrounded by the rocky cliff edge texture.
With the addition of a drink machine it could be used as a staff room or if
you add a filing cabinet it could be designated as an office.
o Kitchen [$5160] Size: 5x8
This has one extra cooker and two extra fridges to expand its capacity plus
two optional bins to improve staff efficiency. The cookers will need power and
the sink will require water.
o Medical [$5100] Size: 5x8
This has four medical beds on one side and four morgue slabs on the other.
The two halves are zoned as infirmary and morgue so the room fills both roles.
Research to unlock: Health
o Office [$3080] Size: 5x5
This is slightly larger than the minimum required size (4x4) but it contains
only the basic objects necessary to make it valid.
o Office (Comfy) [$2630] (added in Version 1.06) Size: 4x4
This office is a little cheaper and takes up less space. It also contains a
wide sofa (required for the psychiatrist programme) and a bookshelf.
Like the "House on a Hill" above, it has wallpapered walls (inside and out).
o Outdoor Lake [$1085] (added in PS4/Xbone Community Update) Size: 12x13
This is a decorative exterior feature consisting of a large rectangle of grass
with a small lake, three benches, six lights and a tree in each corner.
(The trees will only get planted if you have a gardener in your workforce.)
o Plateau [$1030] (added in Version 1.06) Size: 4x4
This has a 4x4 square of turf surrounded by the rocky cliff texture.
(That's only enough space to build a room with a 2x2 interior.)
o Plateau (Large) [$1530] (added in Version 1.06) Size: 6x6
This type has a larger 6x6 lawn surrounded again by cliffs.
o River [$580] (added in PS4/Xbone Community Update) Size: 36x8
This is four water squares wide with gravel borders on both sides. The shape
is trapezoidal so you can fit multiple river pieces together on their diagonal
ends to create either one long waterway or a moat with right-angled corners,
however you can't build an adjoining piece until the previous one is complete.
o Shop [$7410] Size: 8x10
The shop layout has four shop shelves and two drink machines (decorative).
It includes an ante-room for customers to guarantee that the shop counter set
into the interior dividing wall opens onto an indoor space.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
o Shoreline [$1000] (added in Version 1.06) Size: 3x20
This template gives a long line of cliffs with adjacent rows of water tiles.
o Shower [$3816] Size: 5x9
This room has thirty-three shower heads complete with (small) water pipes but
it will need to be connected to your water network.
(If you have issues with some sections of pipe not being built, overwrite the
missing small pipes with large pipes. Once those have been laid you should be
able to remove them and build small pipes if you want.)
o Sniper Hill [$4030] (added in Version 1.06) Size: 4x4
This is a small plateau with a central guard tower (see Section 06e).
You can build this without unlocking guard towers in Bureaucracy but you'll
need to do the research before you can hire a sniper.
o Staff Room [$5410] Size: 5x6
This room is larger than necessary and has extra sofas.
o Trench [$1100] (added in Version 1.06) Size: 2x20
This template gives a long line of cliffs with an adjacent row of grass tiles.
o Utility [$19794] Size: 6x10
This contains one power station and one water pump station so it can provide
both electricity and water supplies. It also has six capacitors to expand the
generator and enough space to add the maximum total of sixteen.
o Workshop [$28550] Size: 13x14
Finally the workshop comes with three workshop saws, three workshop presses
and three carpenter tables plus four standard tables for storing goods.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
Prisoners need to pass the Workshop Safety Induction course (see Section 07f)
before starting duties in the workshop and they additionally need to complete
the Carpentry Apprenticeship before using those carpenter tables.
(Prices for quick rooms may vary if you still have the initial resources in the
deliveries zone or spare materials in your storage areas.)
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 07 | REPORTS MENU s07 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
Press d-pad up to access the Reports menu with the following options:
o Needs (see Section 07a)
o Intake (see Section 07b)
o Regime (see Section 07c)
o Policy (see Section 07d)
o Grants (see Section 07e)
o Programmes (see Section 07f)
o Finance (see Section 07g)
o Valuation (see Section 07h)
In the PC version of the game the Reports menu can be selected via the icon in
the bottom-right corner of the screen. For the console editions the Staff and
Prisoners options have been moved to the Prison Running menu (see Section 08).
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 07a | Needs s07a |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
Prisoner needs are a core mechanic in all editions of the game but the current
version of the PC game also includes the option of having staff needs.
(In the console version of Escape Mode your prisoner character has several needs
too - see Section 14b for notes on how to satisfy these.)
Prisoner Needs
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
This page shows whether prisoners are satisfied or unsatisfied.
Research to unlock: Psychology (and hire psychologist)
This has a bar graph with each column representing one psychological need. The
icons for each need will also be shown next to a prisoner when they are not
getting that need fulfilled. The coloured portions on the bars indicate what
percentages of the prison population are at the following levels:
green = satisfied yellow = irritated orange = frustrated red = critical
A white section at the top of a bar means that some prisoners don't have that
need, for example usually only a relatively small proportion of your inmates
will have the Drugs, Alcohol, Spirituality and Literacy needs.
o Bladder / Bowels
These two needs both increase naturally over time and can be satisfied by
using a toilet. It's always handy to have lots of toilets everywhere!
o Sleep
The need for sleep increases while a prisoner is awake and can be reduced by
sleeping in a bed during Sleep time (and Free-Time).
Make sure you don't exceed your prison's capacity so that everyone has access
to a bed (in a cell or a holding cell).
o Food
Hunger also increases over time. It will be reduced by eating a meal in the
canteen during the Eat phase of the daily regime.
Unsatisfied Food needs are a major cause of unrest so you should ensure that
you have sufficient catering staff, kitchen equipment and canteen space for
your population. You can change the number of meals in the daily regime (see
Section 07c) and the quantity/variety of meals under Policy (see Section 07d).
o Safety
The Safety need increases when the prison's danger level is high. This will
make an inmate more likely to steal a contraband weapon or try to escape.
The danger level can be reduced by deploying more guards and by satisfying the
other needs of the prison population.
o Hygiene
The need for personal hygiene increases over time and it's not unusual for
many of your prisoners to have severe Hygiene needs every morning.
The Hygiene need can be satisfied by using a shower during the Shower or Free-
Time phases of the daily regime.
o Exercise
This need can be satisfied with objects like weights benches, punch-bags and
gym mats. These can be added to communal areas (i.e. common rooms, yards and
canteens) or inside individual cells.
If fitness equipment is not provided, prisoners can at least run around the
yard during either Yard time or Free-Time.
o Family
The need for family contact can be reduced by having a visitation room (see
Section 06d), phone booths (see Section 06e) in communal areas or cells and a
mail room (see Section 06d) to deliver letters from home.
o Recreation
This need can be satisfied with objects like TVs, radios, pool tables, arcade
games, chess tables, table tennis/football and canvases for painting.
These can be added to communal areas (i.e. common rooms, yards and canteens)
or inside individual cells.
o Comfort
Prisoners can obtain Comfort by sitting on a seat or bench or by sleeping in a
bed. In the PC edition they can also get it from showers with hot water.
o Environment
A dirty prison environment will fail to satisfy this need. You can address
this by hiring janitors or assigning prison labour to cleaning cupboards.
o Privacy
Privacy is provided by assigning prisoners to standard cells. Some inmates
will have increased privacy needs when sharing a holding cell (or dormitory).
o Freedom
Prisoners will fulfil their Freedom needs by having more outdoor Yard time,
more Free-Time and less Lockup time.
o Clothing
The Clothing need increases over time as prisoner uniforms get dirty. It can
be reduced by running a laundry service to provide clean clothing.
o Drugs / Alcohol
Some inmates are addicts and will attempt to obtain contraband drugs/booze.
(These are the guys who vomit yellow everywhere - lovely!)
Their needs can be reduced by running rehab programmes (see Section 07f).
o Spirituality
Prisoners with Spirituality needs can reduce these by going to the prison
chapel during their Free-Time or by attending a meeting of the Spiritual
Guidance programme (see Section 07f) also in the chapel.
Additionally they can use a prayer mat in their cell or a pew/mat in a yard or
a common room.
o Literacy
If an inmate has a desire to read, this can be satisfied by visiting a library
during his Free-Time (or Work time if he has no job). On PC the bookshelf
object provides Literacy too now which is useful for permanent lockdown.
PC Update 2 added women's prisons. Female prisoners have the same needs as males
but at different levels. Some female inmates are mothers with babies and their
infants have their own needs for Sleep (in cribs) and Play (on play mats).
PC Update 4 added the temperature mechanic including a Warmth need which can be
satisfied by radiators and showers supplied with hot water.
PC Update 13 added the Luxuries need which is satisfied by buying shop goods.
Staff Needs
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
PC Update 11 added an optional system of needs for your guards, armed guards,
dog handlers and snipers. These work just like the prisoner needs and are shown
on a new tab on the Needs page.
PC Update 12 extended the system to include your cooks, janitors and gardeners.
Your staff have the following needs:
o Bladder / Bowels
Staff will only use toilets in staff rooms or other areas coded Staff-only.
o Food
Your guards won't use prisoner canteens and they certainly won't eat prisoner
meals! They will instead dine in either a staff room with a serving table or
in a canteen that's been designated as Staff-only and they feast on special
(more expensive) food that gets delivered by an external supplier.
o Safety
Guards will feel safer when they are equipped with body armour and tazers,
covered by a sniper tower and close to other guards.
o Recreation
You can use the usual items to satisfy the Recreation need so you should put
televisions, radios, pool tables, etc, into staff areas.
o Comfort
Guards will use the sofas in staff rooms to relax.
o Environment
This works exactly like the Environment prisoner need. Hiring cleaning staff
or allocating inmates to cleaning duties will reduce this need.
o Rest
This replaces the existing tiredness system that causes staff members to stop
working when tired and to visit a staff room if available.
o Warmth
If you have the temperature system enabled then staff will also need Warmth.
Unsatisfied staff needs can contribute to the danger level of your prison so it
is possible to have heat even before accepting any prisoner intake! Guards with
unsatisfied needs get the Pissed Off status and are more aggressive.
PC Update 12 applied significant revisions to the scheduling of staff breaks and
the overall effects of staff needs on your prison.
Instead of setting the number and duration of daily breaks, staff will now take
breaks whenever they want to satisfy their needs but on the Policy menu you can
set the maximum percentage of staff that can be on breaks at the same time.
The satisfaction of individual staff needs now contributes to a single overall
percentage stat for your jail's "staff morale". Staff morale will be reduced by
unsatisfied staff, current staff injuries and historic staff deaths. Update 12
also added the option to adjust staff salaries with multiple 10% pay rises/cuts
via the Policy menu (see Section 07d). Wages also affect staff morale.
Having a high staff morale helps to reduce the danger level of your prison but
conversely a low morale score will increase the threat of disorder.
If staff morale drops to 0% your staff will threaten to declare a strike unless
they receive a hefty 50% increase to their wages within six hours (game time).
If you fail to meet their demands then 80% of your workforce will protest on the
main road at a picket line complete with placards and braziers.
During a strike you cannot hire new staff and all deliveries, exports, garbage
collections and prisoner intake will cease, however emergency services can still
be summoned if necessary. The Bangup order is automatically issued to make all
compliant inmates return to their cells but, with the reduced staffing and high
danger level, the risk of a riot is great.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 07b | Intake s07b |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
The Intake sub-menu lets you open your jail to new prisoners and specify what
types you want to accept in the next intake. Intake is turned on by default on
PC and off by default on consoles.
The screen shows how many prisoners are available in each of the three main risk
categories (Minimum Security, Medium Security and Maximum Security) and you can
choose with the d-pad how many of each will be delivered in the next intake.*
Each number increases by about a dozen per day and caps out at 100 so at most
you will have 300 inmates available across Min-Sec, Med-Sec and Max-Sec.
("The Slammer" PC update added SuperMax intake and then "The Sneezer" PC update
added 'Prisoner Transfer!' intake - "too dangerous for other prisons".)
Death Row prisoners will become available after researching Death Row and zoning
some cells as Death Row (Security Sectors menu). You'll also need an execution
chamber and at least one accessible parole room (for Death Row appeals). If an
appeal is successful the prisoner will either get released or be bumped down to
Maximum Security so you'll need some Max-Sec or Shared cells too and you should
be aware that accepting Death Row prisoners and running appeals will leave you
with a lot of tough hombres in Max-Sec which you might not've expected if you're
operating a primarily Min-Sec prison for example!
(There is no intake for SuperMax (on consoles) or Protective Custody. You can
assign existing prisoners to these categories manually if they have dangerous
(e.g. Deadly) or vulnerable (e.g. Snitch) reputations respectively. To take full
advantage of this you would usually set up separate cell blocks and regimes or
even secure wings for both of these special categories.)
You'll get the following initial bonus per person when new prisoners arrive:
Min-Sec = $300 Med-Sec = $500 Max-Sec = $1000 Death Row = $2500
Insane Security = $2500 ('Psych Ward' DLC required)
(In the PC game SuperMax intake gives $2000, Criminally Insane gives $3000 and
the new Prisoner Transfer option gives $15k per person!)
An inmate in a higher risk category gives more cash but they will obviously be
more dangerous and the daily funding you receive is the same for all prisoners.
(You can increase the bonus amounts by adjusting the percentage Intake Payments
setting before you start a new game.)
A countdown to the next prisoner intake will be shown on your To-Do List. New
prisoners arrive by bus at 8:00am and will wait in the deliveries zone to be
escorted to their cells (and will stay there if no cells are available). If you
have a reception room they'll be processed and searched there on arrival.
(If you get in the habit of manually screening your new arrivals you can handle
inmates with dangerous and vulnerable reputations appropriately.)
Take care with your intakes if you're using Security Sectors (see Section 08e)
to zone cell blocks for different risk categories. For example you might take
ten new Min-Sec inmates because the header bar shows 40/50 (forty prisoners and
fifty beds in total) but those ten spare cells might be coded for Med-Sec and
those unfortunate Min-Sec guys would be unable to use them.
(This won't be an issue with Insane prisoners in the PS4/Xbone 'Psych Ward' DLC
because the Intake menu shows how many padded cells are currently available.)
Even if you're aiming to merely maintain your prison population you will still
need to use the Intake function periodically to allow for releases, paroles,
escapes, executions and miscellaneous deaths! Keeping your prison "topped up"
maximises your daily prisoner grant and your available workforce.
If you have prisoners stuck at your entrance (even though you have enough beds)
it might be because they've already received a solitary punishment (for example
if they were caught with contraband) but no solitary cells are available.
*Since Update 1 the PC edition gives you have more control over your intake -
you can specify the number per day, fill to capacity (with sliders to set the
ratios of security categories) or even take all available!
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 07c | Regime s07c |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
The regime specifies what each prisoner should be doing during each hour of the
daily routine in the prison.
Research to unlock: (hire warden)
The regime display is divided into twenty-four blocks so you can specify the
activities separately for each hour. You also have the option of setting unique
regimes for each of the inmate risk categories (e.g. Medium Security) except for
Death Row prisoners who are mostly confined to their cells and have no regime.
You can schedule different categories of prisoners to use the same resources
(e.g. showers and yards) at different times to reduce congestion or to keep
Protective Custody or SuperMax inmates away from others in Shared facilities.
Although the full timetable can always be viewed in the Regime menu the current
activities for each category of prisoner are also shown at the top of the screen
immediately below the clock.
It can be good to have blocks with several hours of the same activity instead of
having lots of changes throughout the regime which cause prisoners to waste time
moving between them. Making rooms smaller and closer together and paving outdoor
paths can also help save time. You might even design your overall prison layout
to match the flow of your regime so inmates can move quickly from their cells,
into the showers, then the canteen, workshops and yard for example.
The following options are available within the regime:
o Lockup
During this time prisoners are locked in their cells.
They are free to use any items there such as showers, toilets, radios, etc, to
satisfy any outstanding needs.
o Sleep
This is when inmates go to bed. If they get enough sleep this will satisfy
their Sleep need and it will also contribute to their Comfort need.
Sleep should be scheduled between 10pm and 2pm and you'll want to give them at
least six hours. (I think the limit on PC is 8pm to 8am but it was extended on
consoles to allow afternoon naps!)
If your inmates have unsatisfied Sleep needs check you have enough Sleep time
(and beds) and that no-one is staying up at night digging escape tunnels!
o Eat
Cooks (and inmates assigned to work in the kitchens) will prepare and serve
meals for the Eat phases of the regime. Prisoners will go to their assigned
canteen to eat - this will satisfy their Food need.
It takes four hours to prepare the meals so you should allow at least that
much time between Eat phases on the regime.
Two meals per day should be sufficient. Check your To-Do List to ensure that
you have sufficient staff and kitchen equipment for all prisoners to be fed
and check the Needs menu to make sure that your meal quantity/variety settings
are high enough to provide satisfaction of the prisoners' Food needs.
Prisoners are required to remain in the canteen during Eat time so you should
give them a few phones, radios, toilets, etc, to use after meals if they want.
o Yard
All prisoners are required to go to yards during this time. This helps with
their Freedom and Exercise needs (paving will encourage jogging).
Objects can be placed in yards to help satisfy needs too, for example phone
booths (Family), benches (Comfort) and of course weights benches (Exercise).
You can even add showers (Hygiene), toilets (Bowels/Bladder), prayer mats or
pews (Spirituality) and televisions or pool tables (Recreation)!
If you schedule Yard time immediately before Eat time and build your yard next
to the canteen this will ensure that all prisoners arrive promptly for meals.
o Shower
All prisoners are required to go to shower rooms (or use individual showers in
their cells) during this time.
They can use the showers to satisfy their Hygiene needs but, if you choose to
use Shower time with communal shower rooms (especially after Sleep time), you
should at least add toilets so they can work on two other needs while they're
stuck in there.
Inmates should use the nearest available shower so you can force them to use
personal cell showers by scheduling Shower or Lockup time immediately after
the Sleep phase. (If you give them a chunk of Free-Time instead then most of
them will prefer to grab an extra hour in bed!)
o Free-Time
This option satisfies the Freedom need and gives prisoners the option to visit
the yard, showers, common room, chapel, library, shop or cells as they wish.
Using Free-Time instead of Yard or Shower phases gives prisoners more options
on how to satisfy their needs plus it reduces the number of inmates that will
be congregating in the same area. However Free-Time has a negative effect on
a prisoner's Punishment grading and Yard time encourages exercise which will
contribute to their Health grading. So it's better to keep some Yard time as
long as you have plenty of options there for satisfying various needs.
Scheduling Free-Time before Work time allows prisoners to satisfy any major
needs which lets them concentrate better on programmes and classes.
o Work
During Work phases prisoners that have been allocated to prison labour (see
Section 08h) and are suitably trained will report to their jobs.
If you have inmates working in the kitchens you should schedule Work in the
hours before Eat time so they can contribute to the cooking process.
Work phases are also used for educational/reform programmes (see Section 07f)
so you should ensure that you have enough consecutive Work hours to support
the durations of the sessions you're running. I like to have four hours since
this is enough for two 2-hour sessions or one 3-hour session.
On consoles any prisoners that don't have work or programme commitments will
treat Work time as Free-Time and use it to satisfy any urgent needs.
Since Update 8 the PC edition of the game has the options "Work/Free-Time" and
"Work/Lockup" so you can specify whether inmates without jobs or programmes
get Free-Time or Lockup instead.
Insane inmates in the PC 'Psych Ward' DLC cannot be allocated to prison labour
so they have "Programs" instead of "Work" on their regimes.)
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 07d | Policy s07d |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
This allows you to adjust the prison's punishment, meal and parole policies.
(Press Square to toggle between the punishment and catering/parole screens.)
Research to unlock: Prison Policy
(If you're playing on PC with staff needs (see Section 07a) then you can also
set the percentage of staff that can be on a break at the same time and you can
increase/decrease staff wages in 10% increments to balance expenses vs morale.)
Punishment
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Specific punishments can be set for each of the offences listed below. For each
one you can choose whether the prisoner goes into lockdown in their own cell or
into a solitary cell (and for how many hours).
You can also specify whether the inmate and/or their cell should be searched. If
you're playing on PC and the cell search is applied to a prisoner in a dorm then
all searchable locations in the whole dormitory will be searched.
(Version 2.0 of the PC edition of the game in August 2016 added the option to
automatically re-assign a prisoner's security category after an offence too.)
o Complaints
o Destruction of Property
o Escape Attempt
o Attacked Prisoner
o Attacked Staff
o Serious Injury
o Intoxication*
o Murder
o Possession of Contraband (Weapons/Tools/Drugs/Luxuries)
Lockdown and solitary confinement both cause the "Suppressed" status which will
temporarily reduce the chance of misconduct (but it also has negative effects on
their movement speed and their educational performance). Solitary confinement
increases suppression twice as fast as lockdown.
If a solitary cell is not available for a prisoner with a solitary punishment
they will be kept handcuffed in their cells until one is vacated or built. All
their needs will skyrocket during this time so make sure you have enough cells
ready, especially for the aftermath of riots!
You can apply lockdown/solitary punishments to any prisoner from their options
menu (press Square). After researching Permanent Punishments prisoners can be
sent to lockdown/solitary indefinitely (meals will be delivered by guards). This
could be used to keep gang members or inmates with other dangerous or vulnerable
reputations away from the general population but you should provide objects in
their cells to fulfil most of their needs. Prisoners on permanent lockdown will
still leave their cells to attend parole hearings.
A prisoner with the "Stoical" reputation will not get suppressed by punishment.
*Any inmate caught in an intoxicated state will also be automatically referred
to a rehab programme (see Section 07f) if available.
Nutrition
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
You can adjust both the quantity and variety of meals prepared in the kitchens.
Raising the quantity increases the number of items that each prisoner takes on
their canteen tray (Low = 1, Medium = 2 and High = 3) so it also requires more
ingredients, staffing and equipment. I assume quantity and variety both affect
inmate satisfaction and they certainly affect the catering costs.
With quantity set to Low each prisoner costs $1 per day with variety on None,
$2/day with Low, $6/day with Medium or $10/day with High. Setting quantity to
Medium doubles the base rates and High triples them so the maximum cost (with
High/High) is $30 per prisoner per day. (regardless of the number of meals?!)
Setting quantity/variety to High/Medium, Medium/High or High/High contributes
to the "Well Fed" status which helps to reduce unrest and contributes to each
prisoner's Health score in their grading (see Section 08b).
You can change the number of meals per day by adjusting the number of Eat phases
in the daily regime (see Section 07c).
Parole
¯¯¯¯¯¯
All inmates (except Death Row) are eligible for parole after 50% and 75% of
their sentence has been served. You can set a threshold re-offending rate for
parole hearings (see Section 07f) - inmates will be released early on parole if
their current chance of re-offending is below the threshold value set here.
The re-offending probability is calculated individually for each prisoner based
on the four categories of their grading (see Section 08b) - it decreases with
good Punishment and Reform and it increases with poor Health and Security. Other
factors are untreated addictions, age, gang membership and family size.
You receive a $3000 bonus for each paroled prisoner that doesn't re-offend, so
having Min-Sec prisoners (with shorter sentences) and high grading scores can
significantly boost your income. Conversely if you have too many re-offenders
that can potentially trigger a fail condition (game over).
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 07e | Grants s07e |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
Grants are optional assignments that pay you cash bonuses for completing their
specified objectives. A grant has to be activated before you can claim it but if
you have already completed every requirement then this will pay you the bonus
instantly. You can only have two active grants at the same time until you've
researched Finance \ Extra Grant which allows you to have three.
Some of the grants that require construction of specific facilities will pay a
proportion of the bonus in advance so they can be very helpful when you are
starting a new sandbox prison if you're playing with low starting funds.
They're also very useful for providing prompts to novice players, guiding them
through the general construction process starting with basic facilities and
gradually introducing optional rooms and advanced features.
o Basic Detention Centre [$30,000 total] ($20,000 in advance)
- build a holding cell, shower room, yard, kitchen and canteen
- hire two or more standard guards and two or more cooks
You can use Quick Rooms to build the rooms if you want but the yard must be
designated using the Rooms menu (see Section 06d).
o Administration Centre [$10,000 total] ($5,000 in advance)
- build two offices
- hire a warden
- unlock Finance via the Bureaucracy tree
- hire an accountant
The two administrators will automatically be assigned to the offices.
o Inmate Health & Well-Being [$20,000 total] ($10,000 in advance)
- build an infirmary
- hire two or more doctors and a psychologist (requires office)
You'll need to unlock Health and Psychology in the Bureaucracy tree.
To avoid unnecessary costs in a small prison you might choose to dismiss one
of the doctors after completing the grant.
o Staff Well-Being Initiative [$10,000 total]
- build a staff room
- have at least five guards without assigned duties
- ensure no staff are exhausted
I thought this might be tricky but I've had no trouble with it. You can buy
extra guards until the header bar shows at least five unassigned (e.g. 35/30)
and providing staff rooms allows them to recover much faster when tired.
If you really get stuck (and you have enough money to cover recruitment fees)
I guess you could try firing all your staff (so that none are tired!) and then
just hire replacements afterwards.
o Criminally Insane Wing [$25,000 total] ($10,000 in advance) (DLC only)
This grant is exclusively available in the 'Psych Ward' DLC.
- build ten padded cells
- accept ten insane inmates from intake
- hire two psychiatrists
You'll need to unlock Psychology in the Bureaucracy tree.
o Cell Block A [$40,000 total] ($20,000 in advance)
Requires: Basic Detention Centre complete (see above) and Finance unlocked
- increase your prisoner capacity to 15
This counts all beds in cells and holding cells.
(If you are using dormitories on PC I don't think those are included.)
o Cell Block B [$30,000 total] ($10,000 in advance)
Requires: Cell Block A complete (see above)
- increase your prisoner capacity to 50
o Cell Block C [$30,000 total] ($10,000 in advance)
Requires: Cell Block B complete (see above)
- increase your prisoner capacity to 100
o Cell Block D [$30,000 total] ($10,000 in advance)
Requires: Cell Block C complete (see above)
- increase your prisoner capacity to 200
o Cell Block E [$30,000 total] ($10,000 in advance)
Requires: Cell Block D complete (see above)
- increase your prisoner capacity to 500
The quickest way to pass this is to make a large holding cell and add as many
beds as you need to take your total to 500. (Remember the holding cell will
also need a bench and a toilet to be valid but it doesn't require plumbing.)
o Prison Maintenance [$15,000 total] ($10,000 in advance)
Requires: Basic Detention Centre complete (see above)
- unlock Maintenance, Cleaning and Groundskeeping via the Bureaucracy tree
- hire a foreman (needs office), at least two janitors and a gardener
o Visitation Rights [$10,000 total] ($5,000 in advance)
Requires: Basic Detention Centre complete (see above)
- build a visitation room and at least three visitor tables
- build a common room with a pool table and at least two TVs
- build at least five phone booths
Any visitation tables in parole rooms also count towards this total.
You'll probably want to put the phones in the yard, common room or canteen.
o Security Procedure Certification [$20,000 total] ($10,000 in advance)
Requires: Basic Detention Centre complete (see above)
- hire a security chief (requires office) and at least ten standard guards
- unlock Patrols via the Bureaucracy tree
You'll need to have Security unlocked in the Bureaucracy tree.
o Government Security Ratings [$30,000 total] ($15,000 in advance)
Requires: Security Procedure Certification complete (see above)
- assign two dog handlers to patrols
- assign two armed guards to patrols
You'll need to have Armoury and Dogs unlocked in the Bureaucracy tree.
Dogs can be used at deliveries, reception, kitchens and visitation to find
narcotics or between cell blocks and the outer perimeter to detect tunnels.
</pre><pre id="faqspan-6">
Armed guards in areas near prisoners will have a suppressive effect which will
discourage misconduct but also inhibit education.
o Max-Sec Infrastructure Implementation [$40,000 total] ($20,000 in advance)
Requires: Government Security Ratings complete (see above)
- have at least twenty standard guards
- unlock Body Armour and Tazers in the Bureaucracy tree
- build a CCTV Monitor
- build at least six CCTV cameras (wiring not required)
You'll need to have Surveillance unlocked in the Bureaucracy tree.
o Prisoner Acclimatization & Engagement [$20,000 total] ($10,000 in advance)
Requires: Prison Maintenance complete (see above)
- assign three inmates to work in a laundry
- assign three inmates to work in a kitchen
- assign three inmates to work in a cleaning room
You'll need to have Prison Labour unlocked in the Bureaucracy tree before you
can build the laundry and cleaning room or assign prisoners to work duties.
The laundry and cleaning cupboard will need to be at least 12 squares in area
(4 per person) and the kitchen must be at least 36 squares (12 per person).
The grant will complete as soon as three prisoners are assigned to each room -
you don't actually need to run the Kitchen Safety & Hygiene programme.
o Prison Manufacturing Facility [$30,000 total] ($20,000 in advance)
Requires: Prisoner Acclimatization & Engagement complete (see above)
- manufacture thirty licence plates
You'll need to build a workshop which includes a workshop saw and a workshop
press that are used to cut and stamp sheet metal into licence plates.
Additionally you'll need to have a prisoner complete the Workshop Safety
Induction programme (see Section 07f) before they can work in a workshop.
Also some Work time should be allocated in the daily regime (see Section 07c).
The grant will not be applied retrospectively if you have already made the
thirty plates - you need to make thirty after activating the grant.
o Carpentry Apprenticeship Programme [$20,000 total] ($10,000 in advance)
Requires: Prison Manufacturing Facility
- manufacture ten beds
You'll need to build a workshop which includes a workshop saw and a carpenter
table that are used to cut logs and make planks into beds.
Additionally you'll need to have a prisoner complete the Carpentry Apprentice
programme (see Section 07f) before they can use a carpenter table.
Also some Work time should be allocated in the daily regime.
o The Reform through Education Initiative [$55,000 total] ($15,000 in advance)
- unlock Education in the Bureaucracy tree
- build a classroom with 20 school desks
- have ten prisoners pass the Foundation Education programme
- have one prisoner pass the General Education programme
To improve registrations and completions on the classes you'll want to make
sure your inmates have satisfied needs (see Section 07a) and are not getting
excessively suppressed by lockdown/solitary punishments and armed guards.
o Inmate Nutrition Research [$15,000]
Requires: Health and Psychology unlocked and at least 20 prisoners
- serve one meal with low quantity and low variety for two days
- serve three meals with high quantity and high variety for two days
You can set the number of meals (Eat phases) in the regime (see Section 07c).
You can adjust the meal quantity/variety in the Policy menu (see Section 07d).
You'll need to have Prison Policy unlocked in the Bureaucracy tree and you
should consider adding extra kitchen equipment and staff to get everyone fed.
The single low/low meal will cause unrest due to unsatisfied Food needs so you
might want to work on it over two or more non-consecutive days and revert to
your normal regime (or the three high/high meals) in between.
Vending machines are purely decorative but a shop will actually sell snacks to
hungry prisoners (although the overall effect will probably be minor).
o Crackdown on Drugs [$15,000 total]
Requires: 30+ prisoners
- find ten illegal narcotics
Four types of contraband (see Section 08i) are classed as narcotics - these
can all be smuggled into the prison or obtained from specific rooms: medicine
and needle (infirmary), drugs (visitation) and poison (infirmary/cleaning).
The poison/drugs/medicine are all tagged as "smelly" so they can be detected
by canine units. All four types can also be found by searching cells/inmates
or by performing a Shakedown (Emergencies menu).
o Tool Cleanup [$20,000 total]
Requires: 40+ prisoners
- remove the supply of stolen tools and weapons
Stolen and smuggled tools, weapons and other contraband can be found by using
the Shakedown command (Emergencies menu) to search all cells and inmates.
If that doesn't work try again while your residents are sleeping - or use the
Bangup command (Emergencies menu) to confine them to their cells first.
o Short-Term Investment [$11,000 total] (-$5,000 in advance)
Requires: Finance unlocked
- wait three game days
You invest $5,000 then receive $16,000 back after three days. ($11k profit)
o Long-Term Investment [$11,000 total] (-$5,000 in advance)
Requires: Finance unlocked
- wait seven game days
You invest $5,000 then receive $16,000 back after seven days. ($11k profit)
o Government Bailout [$100,000 total] ($50,000 in advance) (PC only?)
Requires: less than $500 cash, negative cashflow, 30+ prisoners, $10,000+ debt
You can reduce your cash total simply by building. The quickest way would be
to buy a new plot of land and make a massive building but you might as well
construct something useful like a new cell block or something.
A breakdown of your cashflow is shown on the Finance menu. You can reduce it
by removing your workshop labourers and hiring lots of staff (temporarily).
You'll need to unlock Bank Loan in the Bureaucracy tree and take out a loan of
$10,000 via the Finance menu.
- achieve positive cashflow
- clear your debt
You can dismiss the extra staff and reinstate your workshop labourers to get
your cashflow back up. The analysis on the Finance page can give indications
of other changes you can make. The loan can also be repaid under Finance.
I'm not sure if this grant is available in the console versions of the game.
Certainly it's not required for "Prison Economics" (trophy #21) and when I
tried to push my cash total negative it got stuck just above zero.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 07f | Programmes s07f |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
The game features a wide range of education, training and reform programmes
which cover everything from workshop safety to drug rehab.
Research to unlock: (hire warden)
Once you've met the requirements for a programme (which might include a trainer,
a specific room and research) you can activate it via the Programmes sub-menu.
Most prisoner programmes will be automatically scheduled to fit into Work phases
in the daily regime (see Section 07c) so ensure you have a suitable timetable,
for example each Foundation Education class lasts three hours so you'd need to
have a block of three consecutive hours of Work in your regime.
While each type of programme session has a specified maximum capacity, it can
also be limited by the number of seats or the amount of equipment available in
the venue, e.g. you need one school desk per student in the classroom.
Several programmes are voluntary and inmates are more likely to sign up if their
needs are satisfied. This will also improve their concentration which increases
their chances of passing the programme. It can help to schedule some Free-Time
immediately before Work time so that inmates can tend to any serious needs.
Suppression also has a major effect on programmes - suppressed prisoners are
disinclined to register for courses and less likely to pass them. Try having
shorter punishments, using lockdown instead of solitary and limiting contact
between inmates and armed guards. If you still have problems then completely
remove the punishments for major offences and dismiss your armed guards.
Selecting an active programme lets you browse the current students (and view
their current locations so you can see why they're not attending!) and it shows
how many other people are interested in taking the same programme (either next
time or if you start an extra session).
Programmes can be quite expensive and they're charged per session (instead of
per person) so running courses with low attendance is inefficient but this
shouldn't be an issue once you're operating with a healthy daily profit.
o Kitchen Safety & Hygiene [$100 x 2] Maximum Capacity: 5
Inmates are required to pass this course before they can start working in a
kitchen. Registration is voluntary.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
Requires: cook and kitchen (with one cooker per person)
Duration: 2 daily sessions x 2 hours each
o Workshop Safety Induction [$100 x 2] Maximum Capacity: 10
Inmates are required to pass this induction before they can start working in a
workshop. Registration is voluntary.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
Requires: foreman and workshop (with one workshop saw bench per person)
Duration: 2 daily sessions x 2 hours each
o Carpentry Apprenticeship [$500 x 5] Maximum Capacity: 5
Inmates are required to pass this apprenticeship before they can operate a
carpenter table in a workshop. Registration is voluntary.
They must have already passed the Workshop Safety Induction (see above).
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Prison Labour
Requires: foreman and workshop (with one carpenter table per person)
Duration: 5 daily sessions x 2 hours each
o Foundation Education Programme [$300 x 10*] Maximum Capacity: 20
Prisoners are taught basic literacy and numeracy. Registration is voluntary.
Research to unlock: Education
Requires: classroom (with one school desk per person)
Classes are taught by a visiting teacher so no staff member is required.
Duration: 10 daily sessions* x 3 hours each
Using the warden Leanne Johnston (unlocked on consoles by registering for a
Double ID account) increases the pass rate for the education programmes.
*In the console editions of Prison Architect this programme lasts ten days but
since Update 13 it now runs for only five days in the PC game.
o General Education Qualification [$500 x 20*] Maximum Capacity: 10
Prisoners can progress onto this advanced class. Registration is voluntary.
They must have already passed the Foundation Education Programme (see above).
Research to unlock: Education
Requires: classroom (with one school desk per person)
Classes are taught by a visiting teacher so no staff member is required.
Duration: 20 daily sessions* x 3 hours each
*In the console editions of Prison Architect this programme lasts twenty days
but since Update 13 it now runs for only ten days in the PC game.
o Alcoholics Group Therapy [$200 x 10] Maximum Capacity: 20
Alcoholics are required to attend these sessions.
Research to unlock: Psychology
Requires: psychologist and common room (with one chair per person)
Duration: 10 daily sessions x 2 hours each
o Pharmacological Treatment of Drug Addiction [$200 x 3] Maximum Capacity: 10
Drug addicts are required to attend this programme. Each session addresses
their Drugs need and passing the course has a chance of curing an addiction.
Research to unlock: Health
Requires: doctor and infirmary (with one medical bed per person)
Duration: 3 daily sessions x 1 hour each
o Spiritual Guidance [$250 x 1] Maximum Capacity: 20
A service in the chapel helps to satisfy inmates' Spirituality needs. It also
gives prisoners the Calming status effect which can be passed onto others.
These sessions are short and easy to pass so they're good for improving each
prisoner's Reform score in their grading (see Section 08b).
Research to unlock: N/A
Requires: chapel (with enough pews and/or prayers mats for everyone)
Sessions are delivered by a visiting priest so no staff member is required.
Duration: 1 session x 2 hours
o Behavioural Therapy [$200 x 5] Maximum Capacity: 1
Violent inmates are required to attend individual sessions with the shrink.
Research to unlock: Psychology
Requires: psychologist and psychologist's office
You should also ensure that the office is not coded for Staff-only access.
If you built the office logically with one chair behind the desk you will find
that the prisoner sits in the psychologist's seat! You can avoid this cosmetic
issue by putting a 1x1 sofa behind the desk and a standard chair in front.
Duration: 5 daily sessions x 2 hours
o Guard Tazer Certification [$100 x 1] Maximum Capacity: 10
Prison guards must attend this class before they can be issued with a tazer.
The pass-rate is around 75% so some guards will need a retake!
Research to unlock: Education and Security \ Armoury \ Tazers \ Tazer Rollout
Requires: security chief and classroom (with one school desk per person)
Duration: 1 session x 1 hour
o Parole Hearing [free] Maximum Capacity: 1
Any inmate (apart from Death Row) is entitled to a parole hearing after they
have served 50% of the duration of their sentence and again after 75%.
If their percentage chance of re-offending is below the threshold value (which
can be adjusted on the Policy menu) they will be released early. If they don't
offend again you'll receive a $3000 cash bonus (in addition to the initial
bonus for accepting a new inmate to replace them!) but if they do re-offend
that can count towards one of the failure conditions (game over).
The re-offending chance is based on each prisoner's grading (see Section 08b).
Research to unlock: Prison Policy
Requires: parole room (with visitor table)
Hearings are conducted by temporary visitors so no staff member is required.
Duration: 1 session x 4 hours
In the console editions all parole hearings take place from 8am to noon.
o Death Row Appeal [free] Maximum Capacity: 1
A Death Row category prisoner can appeal against their death sentence. If the
appeal is successful their Conviction Level will be reduced but if they lose
then the value will be increased.
If clemency is granted then the inmate will either be transferred from Death
Row to Maximum Security (if still considered to be guilty) or released from
imprisonment (if they are found innocent).
If you execute a prisoner with a Conviction Level below 95% and they are later
found to be innocent (oops) you will incur a $50,000 fine. The threshold can
be decreased to 90% by researching Reduce Execution Liability.
(The PC version of the game has "Likelihood of Clemency" instead of Conviction
Level. This works in the opposite direction so the standard threshold is 5%
and the research raises it to 10%.)
Research to unlock: Legal \ Death Row
Requires: parole room (with visitor table), execution room, lawyer
Appeals are conducted by temporary visitors so no member of prison staff will
attend, however you do need to have a lawyer in your jail.
Duration: 1 session x 4 hours
A prisoner can have another Death Row appeal every four game days.
o Psychiatric Consultation [$150 x 1] ('Psych Ward' DLC) Maximum Capacity: 1
When playing with the Criminally Insane option in the 'Psych Ward' DLC many of
your insane inmates will have special reputations (see Section 08b) that cause
certain behaviours if they don't get regular treatment from a psychiatrist.
The Psychiatric Consultation programme will also satisfy their Privacy,
Safety, Comfort and Freedom needs for several days.
Research to unlock: N/A
Requires: psychiatrist and psychiatrist's office (with wide sofa)
(In the PC version of 'Psych Ward' the psychiatrist's office is a separate
type of room and a sofa is actually required for a room to be valid.)
You should also ensure that the office is not coded for Staff-only access.
Duration: 1 session x 1 hour
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 07g | Finance s07g |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
This page details your cashflow and also has the option of borrowing money.
Cashflow
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
The cashflow is the prison's daily profit (green) or loss (red) which is always
shown in the top-right corner of the screen.
Research to unlock: Finance (and hire accountant)
The financial summary shown here details your income, wages and expenses.
The income section always includes the federal grant (fixed $2000/day) and the
prisoner grant (the $150/day you get for each inmate) plus any money you've made
from selling workshop exports or shop goods.
("The Sneezer" update on PC increased the daily grants per prisoner in the
Max-Sec, Protective Custody, Death Row and Criminally Insane categories.)
You can also earn a daily bonus which grows with each consecutive day without
any "incidents". This is equal to $5 per person multiplied by the length of the
streak (e.g. $5 x 40 prisoners x 3 days = $600/day) but it caps at $1,000 per
day (i.e. for 200+ prisoners) with a maximum daily bonus of ten grand.
The wages column shows subtotals for your workmen, guards, administrators (the
special roles like the chief and lawyer) and other staff. It also includes the
small ($0.50/hr) salaries paid to prison labourers.
The expenses include food, running costs for programmes and taxes. You can cut
the cost of food by reducing the quantity and variety of prisoner meals but if
you take that too far it'll cause unrest. You can get much lower tax rates by
researching Tax Relief and Offshore Tax Haven (Bureaucracy menu).
(If you are playing on PC with the staff "needs" system enabled, prisoner food
and staff food will be itemised separately here.)
Since a prison uses its own electricity and water supplies there are no costs
for utilities regardless of the size of the jail.
Bank Loans
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Once you've researched it the option to take out a bank loan will be given on
the Finance page too. For the duration of the loan you will automatically make
regular interest payments (5% of the loan amount per day) but the loan can only
be paid off by making manual repayments on the Finance menu.
Research to unlock: Finance \ Bank Loan
By default you will have a credit rating of 1.0 but this will increase with
successful interest payments and thus increase the amount you can borrow (up to
the maximum of $250,000).
(In the PC version of the game the bank loan option is on the Grants menu.)
An alternative to taking out a loan is to sell shares in your jail (see below).
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 07h | Valuation s07h |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
This page gives a breakdown of the value of your prison and lets you sell it.
The valuation of your jail is calculated by adding the value of the structures,
fittings, materials, staff, cash and prisoner capacity ($500 for each bed inside
cells, dorms and holding cells) and subtracting any bank loans, your starting
funds and big penalties ($50k each) for any escapes/deaths in the past 24 hours.
If the prison is worth at least $50,000, you have an accountant, you haven't had
any escapes/deaths in the past day and you haven't sold it already then you will
also have the option to sell the prison (and you can then use those profits -
once only - when you start another game to build a whole new jail).
After selling your prison you can continue to operate and expand it but you
can't sell it again and you lose the option of selling shares.
Shares
¯¯¯¯¯¯
This page also allows you to sell shares in your prison to investors. You can
sell a percentage of the prison to receive that percentage of the valuation as
cash but if you then sell the prison (without first buying back the shares) you
will only receive the remaining percentage of the valuation from the sale.
For example if your prison is worth $500,000 you could sell 20% as shares to get
$100,000 but then when you sell the prison later you would only get 80% of the
jail's current valuation, so for example if you'd increased the valuation to
$600,000 you'd get $480,000 (or you could buy back your 20% for $120,000).
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 08 | PRISON RUNNING MENU s08 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
Press d-pad right to access the Prison Running menu with the following options:
o Bureaucracy (see Section 08a)
o Prisoners (see Section 08b)
o Staff (see Section 08c)
o Hire Staff (see Section 08d)
o Security Sectors (see Section 08e)
o Patrol Routes (see Section 08f)
o Guard Deployment (see Section 08g)
o Logistics (see Section 08h)
o Contraband (see Section 08i)
o Informants (see Section 08j)
o Prison Gangs* (see Section 08k)
(In the PC version of the game the Staff and Prisoners menus are under Reports,
the Gangs menu is under Intelligence and the Bureaucracy menu is accessed via
the warden icon in the top-left corner of the screen.)
*This option will only be available on the menu if you enable gangs when you
chose the preference settings for a new game (see Section 03).
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 08a | Bureaucracy s08a |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
Several rooms, objects, staff members and functions need to be unlocked through
the Bureaucracy research tree after hiring a warden and giving them an office.
Research to unlock: Warden
(If you lose access to the Bureaucracy menu your warden probably got killed in a
riot. :( Time to hire a replacement!)
You can choose which items to unlock but each one has a cost (see prices below)
and will take a certain amount of time to unlock.
Prison Policy, Psychology, Micromanagement, Health and Education are standalone
options which can be unlocked at any time (if you have a warden and money).
In the other four branches you need to hire the appropriate administrator (e.g.
lawyer for Legal, accountant for Finance, etc) *and* provide them with an office
to be able to research and use the other options in their branch. It's possible
to have several admins researching one topic each at the same time.
Pending research will show as "queued" if the admin is currently researching
another topic, if they don't have an office or if they're tired and taking a
break (they'll go to a staff room if you have one).
(In the PC version of the game you can access the Bureaucracy menu by clicking
on the warden icon in the top-left corner of the screen. You can also unlock an
item quickly in cheat mode by holding down right-click on the menu item. "The
Slammer" update on PC added the option to start a new game with everything in
Bureaucracy already researched/unlocked.)
----------.
| Security | [$500]
'-.--------'
|
| This lets you hire a security chief. You'll need to give him an office.
|
| This allows you to research the other options in the Security branch.
|
| Additionally it unlocks the Security Sectors menu (see Section 08e), the
| security room and the danger gauge.
|
| .------------.
|-| Deployment | [$1,000]
| '------------'
|
| This allows you to station guards in specific areas (see Section 08g).
|
| .--------------.
|-| Intelligence | [$1,000]
| '--------------'
|
| This unlocks the Contraband menu (see Section 08i). It also unlocks the
| Prison Gangs menu (see Section 08k) if you're playing with that option.
|
| .--------------.
|-| Surveillance | [$2,000]
| '--------------'
|
| This unlocks the CCTV camera, CCTV monitor and phone tap (see Section 06g).
|
| .---------------.
|-| Remote Access | [$2,000]
| '---------------'
|
| This option unlocks the door servo (which can open and close a locked door
| without a nearby guard) and the door control system, door timer and pressure
| pad that can all be used to trigger door servos (see Section 06h).
|
| It also unlocks the remote door which cannot be opened manually at all.
|
| .---------.
|-| Patrols | [$1,000]
| '-.-------'
| |
| | This allows you to define patrol routes for guards (see Section 08f).
| |
| | .------.
| '-| Dogs | [$1,000]
| '------'
|
| This unlocks the option to hire dog handlers whose dogs can detect any
| "smelly" contraband (e.g. drugs and cigarettes) and escape tunnels.
|
| .---------.
'-| Armoury | [$2,000]
'-.-------'
|
| This lets you build an armoury (see Section 06d) with a weapon rack and
| guard lockers that allow you to hire armed guards with shotguns.
|
| Once you've unlocked body armour and tazers (see below) guards will
| collect them from the armoury.
|
| .-------------.
|-| Body Armour | [$1,000]
| '-------------'
|
| After researching this option body armour will be provided for all
| guards including armed guards and dog handlers. This gives increased
| protection (with reduced movement speed) and costs $100 per person.
|
| .--------------.
|-| Guard Towers | [$5,000] (added in PC Update 3 and Community Update)
| '--------------'
|
| This unlocks guard towers (see Section 06e) and the snipers you require
| to man them (see Section 08c). You'll also need to have an armoury.
|
| .--------.
'-| Tazers | [$1,000]
'-.------'
|
| This unlocks the tazer weapon for armed guards.
|
| This provides a ranged non-lethal attack but costs $400 per person.
|
| An armed guard has a 70% chance to hit and the tazer takes around
| one hour (game time) to recharge after use.
|
| .---------------.
'-| Tazer Rollout | [$5,000]
'---------------'
This makes tazers available to standard guards and dog handlers too.
However each individual must pass the Guard Tazer Certification
programme (see Section 07f) before they're issued with one.
Tazers allow guards to incapacitate aggressive inmates quickly and
without the risk of injury from fighting but standard guards only
have a 60% chance to hit.
---------------.
| Prison Policy | [$1,000]
'---------------'
This unlocks the Policy menu (see Section 07d) were you can set the punishments
for various offences, change the standards of meals and set your parole target.
It's also required to be able to run parole hearings (see Section 07f).
------------.
| Psychology | [$500]
'------------'
This lets you hire a psychologist. You'll need to give him an office.
This unlocks the Needs menu (see Section 07a) which is crucial for ensuring that
your inmates' various needs are being satisfied.
The psychologist also delivers the Behavioural Therapy sessions and Alcoholics
Group Therapy rehab programme (see Section 07f).
If you're playing with the Criminally Insane option in the 'Psych Ward' DLC, the
Psychology research also unlocks the psychiatrist for Psychiatric Consultation.
-----------------.
| Micromanagement | [$1,000]
'-----------------'
This unlocks the Catering and Laundry Services options in the Logistics menu
(see Section 08h) which let you link laundries to other cell blocks and link
canteens to other kitchens and cell blocks.
In the PC version of the game it also allows you to manually reschedule your
reform programmes and to set different patrols at different times.
-------.
| Legal | [$5,000]
'-.-----'
|
| This lets you hire a lawyer. You'll need to give him an office.
|
| This allows you to research the other options in the Legal branch.
|
| .-------------.
|-| Small Cells | [$10,000]
| '-------------'
|
| Once this option has been researched the 2x3 minimum size requirement for a
| cell is removed, although each cell still requires a bed and a toilet so it
| must be large enough to accommodate those.
|
| (In the PC version of the game this does not affect the dorm requirements.)
|
| .-----------------------.
|-| Permanent Punishments | [$5,000]
| '-----------------------'
|
| This gives you the option of manually confining a selected prisoner to their
| cell (lockdown) or a solitary cell for an indefinite period.
|
| .------------.
|-| Legal Prep | [$50,000]
| '-.----------'
| |
| | This must be researched in advance before you can use the next option.
| |
| | .---------------.
| '-| Legal Defence | [$50,000]
| '---------------'
|
| This option allows you to reverse the effect of a warning that you are
| approaching one of the failure conditions (see Section 03).
|
| You can only use this function once per game and you need to wait until
| you actually get the warning before you buy it.
|
| .-----------.
'-| Death Row | [$10,000]
'-.---------'
|
| This option opens the Death Row category for prisoner intake.
|
| .----------------------------.
'-| Reduce Execution Liability | [$10,000]
'----------------------------'
Usually if you execute a Death Row prisoner you will be fined if the
inmate's "Conviction Level" was below 95% and they are later found to be
innocent. With this option the threshold is reduced to 90%.
This has the effect of reducing the number of appeals a Death Row inmate
has to fail before you can execute them without risk of penalty.
(The PC version of the game has "Likelihood of Clemency" instead of
Conviction Level. This works in the opposite direction so the standard
threshold is 5% and this legal research raises it to 10%.)
--------.
| Health | [$500]
'-.------'
|
| Researching this option unlocks the infirmary (see Section 06d), medical bed
| and doctor (see Section 08c) for healing injured prisoners/guards/staff and
| the morgue room and slab for those that weren't so lucky!
|
| It also unlocks the drug rehab programme (see Section 07f) which can be
| delivered by a doctor in an infirmary.
|
| .---------.
'-| Orderly | [$1,000] (PC 'Psych Ward' DLC required)
'---------'
Orderlies (see Section 08c) work with your insane inmates but you need to
unlock them here first before you can hire any.
---------.
| Finance | [$500]
'-.-------'
|
| This lets you hire an accountant. You'll need to give her an office.
|
| This allows you to research the other options in the Finance branch.
|
| It also unlocks the Finance menu (see Section 07g) and increases the limit
| for your daily expenditure.
|
| .----------------.
|-| Land Expansion | [$1,000]
| '----------------'
|
| This unlocks the option of buying adjacent plots of land in Prison Architect
| mode when you run out of room in your quest to build the ultimate mega-jail!
|
| In the console editions you can only buy two plots (one north/south and one
| (west/east). The biggest and most expensive expansions are available when
| you start with the "Large" prison size - the first one is 16,000m² (i.e.
16k
| squares) for $80,000 and the second one is 24,000m² for $120,000.
|
| Even if you don't currently want to expand your prison you could buy a new
| plot and make it into one big forestry zone. With sufficient gardeners and
| workmen to operate it this should provide a hefty supplement to your income.
|
| .-------------.
|-| Extra Grant | [$500]
| '-------------'
|
| This allows you to open and work towards three grants (see Section 07e) at
| the same time instead of the usual two.
|
| .-----------.
|-| Bank Loan | [$500]
| '-----------'
|
| This gives you the option of taking out a bank loan (see Section 07g).
|
| .------------.
|-| Tax Relief | [$10,000]
| '------------'
|
| This reduces the tax rate on your profits from 30% to 15%.
|
| Since this halves your daily tax payments it soon pays for itself.
|
| .--------------------.
'-| Offshore Tax Haven | [$50,000]
'--------------------'
This reduces the tax rate on your profits from 15% to only 1%!
This second tax upgrade costs five times more than the first but it provides
a massive reduction which will really boost your cashflow (daily profits).
-----------.
| Education | [$2,000]
'-----------'
Researching this options allows you to run the educational programmes for your
prisoners (see Section 07f). It also unlocks the classroom (see Section 06d).
-------------.
| Maintenance | [$500]
'-.-----------'
|
| This lets you hire a foreman. You'll need to give him an office.
|
| This allows you to research the other options in the Maintenance branch.
|
| He also runs the Workshop Safety Induction and Carpentry Apprenticeship
| programmes (see Section 07f) required for prison labour in the workshop.
|
| .-------.
|-| Clone | [$1,500]
| '-------'
|
| In the console editions the clone tool (see Section 06j) is unlocked here.
|
| .----------------.
|-| Groundskeeping | [$2,000]
| '----------------'
|
| This lets you hire gardeners who are effectively outdoor cleaners.
|
| A gardener is required to automatically replant trees in a forestry zone.
|
| .----------.
|-| Cleaning | [$2,000]
| '----------'
|
| This lets you hire janitors who are indoor cleaners. They can also assist
| with laundry duties if you have a laundry room.
|
| It also allows you to build cleaning rooms (see Section 06d) which can be
| used to allocate prison workers (if you've also researched Prison Labour).
|
| .---------------.
'-| Prison Labour | [$1,000]
'---------------'
This adds the option to allocate prisoners to work in kitchens, workshops,
laundries, cleaning rooms, libraries, shops and mail rooms (see Section 06d)
during any Work time in the daily regime.
Workers can be assigned via Prison Running \ Logistics \ Prison Labour.
It also unlocks the training programmes for workshop and kitchen labour.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 08b | Prisoners s08b |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
This section is all about your inmates who will be the source of most of your
income - and most of your problems!
Once you've built your initial prison with some basic facilities and a secure
perimeter you can request your first prisoners using the Intake function (see
Section 07b). They'll be delivered to the jail by bus and then get escorted by
available guards to their cells (after a search in reception if you have one).
The Prisoners menu shows all of your current inmates and you can browse or sort
the list. Face icons indicate whether each prisoner is satisfied or unhappy.
Files
¯¯¯¯¯
When you hover your cursor over a prisoner it will show their cash total (below
them) and any reputations and unsatisfied needs (pop-up at bottom-left). On PC
the pop-up also shows their age, cell quality and any current status effects.
If you select a prisoner and press Cross you'll be able to view their personal
file which will have some or all of the following sections.
o Biography
The first page shows the inmate's backstory, age, recent behaviour record and
family members plus details of their prison sentence. It also gives info about
their cell quality (see Section 08h).
o Schedule Execution
For any Death Row prisoner you will always have the option to schedule their
execution (see Section 11) but - if you want to avoid the risk of being fined
if they are later found to be innocent - you will usually want to wait until
after several unsuccessful Death Row appeals (see Section 07f) have pushed
their Conviction Level over the state-approved threshold value.
o Convictions
This shows their criminal record including their pleas and the sentences that
were imposed. The offences they've committed can give an indication of which
trait/s (see below) an inmate might have.
If a prisoner kills someone in the jail they'll receive an additional murder
charge (and an extra 25 years on their sentence!) which will be shown here.
o Experience
This page has three pie-charts which give breakdowns of how the prisoner has
been spending their time in jail - their activities (including programmes and
misconduct), their mood and their condition (including suppression).
o Programmes
This lists the inmate's programmes (see Section 07f) including parole hearings
and Death Row appeals. For current programmes it shows their probability of
passing and for previous programmes it shows whether they passed or failed.
o Grading
There are four scores here which together combine to give the percentage
chance that the prisoner will re-offend after release from jail.
On consoles all four gradings are scored from 0 to 10 but in the PC edition
Security and Health are ranked from -5 to +5.
Punishment - increases with number of years spent in prison
- increases with percentage of Lockup time
- increases with percentage of time with "Suppressed" status*
- decreases with percentage of Free-Time
- decreases with percentage of time spent on reform programmes
Health - increases with percentage of time with "Well Fed" status
- increases with percentage of time spent on exercise
- decreases with percentage of time with "Drunk" or "High" status
- decreases with percentage of time with untreated injuries
- decreases if inmate currently has an addiction
Security - increases with percentage of Lockup time
- increases with percentage of time with "Suppressed" status*
- decreases with percentage of time spent on misconduct
- decreases with number of fights, murders and escape attempts
- decreases with gang membership (if gangs enabled)
Reform - increases with percentage of time spent on programmes
- increases with percentage of time spent on prison labour
- increases with number/level of programmes passed
On the Policy menu (see Section 07d) you can set the target value for the
chance of re-offending which an inmate must achieve to be released on parole.
The overall gradings and stats for your prison are shown on the pause screen.
In the PC edition these can be accessed via the pie chart icon at the top-left
corner next to the Bureaucracy icon.
*The suppression effect is caused by lockdown/solitary punishments and by
having armed guards or snipers stationed near prisoners.
o Reputation
If the prisoner has one or more known reputations (see below) these will be
shown on this page. You can browse with d-pad to view the details of each.
If you select a prisoner and press Square (instead of Cross) you'll get an
extended menu with the same sections as above plus most of these extra options:
- Punish (with lockdown or solitary)
- Search Prisoner (for contraband items)
- Search Cell Block / Search Cell (use d-pad to toggle)
- Security (amend their risk category - see below)
- Recruit Informant (if a prisoner in solitary is willing to be an informant)
- Intelligence (if the inmate is already an informant)
Risk Categories
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
The basic risk categories (Minimum, Medium and Maximum Security) give a rough
indication of how violent and troublesome each prisoner is likely to be. If an
individual inmate is more aggressive than expected you can upgrade their risk
category using the Security function on their Options menu.
Optionally you can use the Security Sectors menu (see Section 08e) to restrict
access for specified areas to prisoners in one category. You can also set up
separate daily regimes for different categories (see Section 07c).
On the Intake menu you can choose what types of prisoners to accept. You'll get
bigger initial payments for taking inmates in higher risk categories (see below)
but once they've arrived you'll get the same daily payment ($150) for all types.
Inmates that arrive as Max-Sec usually have longer jail sentences so you'll get
early-release bonuses less frequently. However once you've recruited one as an
informant or trained them to build beds in the workshop you can take advantage
of these services for longer before they're released.
o Minimum Security (grey clothes) [$300]
Prisoners in this category have committed relatively minor offences - they're
the least likely to cause trouble and they have shorter prison sentences.
o Medium Security (orange clothes) [$500]
Inmates in this category are more likely to display negative behaviour like
violence, stealing contraband and trying to escape.
o Maximum Security (red clothes) [$1000]
These prisoners are the most likely to become aggressive if their needs (see
Section 07a) are not met and this category is most likely to cause trouble.
If you are playing with the gangs mechanic enabled (see Section 08k) new
inmates in the Max-Sec category are the most likely to be gang members too.
o SuperMax (dark red clothes) [N/A]
You have the option of transferring your most dangerous prisoners into the
SuperMax category. Such prisoners would usually be confined to a separate
prison wing with heavy security (armed guards) and/or large luxury cells.
You should use SuperMax for Legendary prisoners and others who have several
reputations (see below). It can also be used for gang leaders (to stop them
recruiting from the general population) or even all gang members.
o Protective Custody (yellow clothes) [N/A]
Inmates with some reputations (see below) such as Snitch and Ex-Prison Guard
are likely to be attacked and killed by other prisoners.
You can assign them to the Protective Custody category and then build a PC
wing or cell block for them. I'd recommend fitting one or more remote doors
at the entrance because rioters often make a bee-line for your snitches!
You may choose to keep them on permanent lockdown in their cells but you'll
need to give them larger cells with items to satisfy their needs, e.g. shower,
TV, phone, weights, etc.
The alternative is to keep them within the PC wing by building a staff-only
airlock inside the entrance - you might like to make this a security room and
keep guards stationed there. Without lockdown the cell block will need its own
canteen and you can also add an indoor/outdoor yard (if they have Yard time),
common room, parole room (if running parole hearings) and solitary cells (if
running solitary punishments).
(If you don't provide all the facilities they need, they'll use rooms outside
the PC wing and not come back until Sleep or Lockup which can give plenty of
time for Very Bad Things to happen to them!)
o Death Row (black clothes) [$2500]
Once you have cells assigned to Death Row (in the Security Sectors menu) you
can choose to accept prisoners with death sentences. These guys don't have a
daily regime and spend almost all of their time in their cells waiting for
their execution (see Section 11) so you should give them nice cells.
Research to unlock: Legal \ Death Row
o Insane Security (white clothes) [$2500] (DLC only)
You will only have this category if you're playing with the Criminally Insane
option applied in the 'Psych Ward' DLC (PS4 or Xbox One).
Insane prisoners always have one or more insane reputations (see below). They
are only available via intake - it's not possible to transfer a sane prisoner
into the insane category.
Each insane prisoner requires a padded cell; the Intake menu shows how many of
your padded cells are currently available.
Reputations
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Prisoners can have specific reps, all of which can cause trouble for you!
In the PC edition any reputations are shown in the pop-up when you mouseover an
inmate and if you open the Intelligence menu all known reps will be displayed
simultaneously as small text labels next to prisoners.
It's much less convenient on consoles. You can still hover over a prisoner but
now reps are indicated by complicated symbols instead of words. More crucially
there's no way to view reputations without selecting individual inmates - but
you can at least use the Informants view to have any prisoners with unknown reps
("?" symbol) highlighted with a red outline. It's simplest to do this while all
your residents are eating or sleeping.
Some inmates might have an upgraded version of a reputation, such as "Extremely
Deadly" or "Expert Fighter" which makes them especially dangerous and a good
candidate for SuperMax - on consoles this is indicated by a red rep icon. A few
prisoners have the "Legendary" rep which means that they'll have several other
reputations which together make them very formidable opponents. In the console
editions this is indicated by the knuckle-duster (brass knuckles) icon.
If you have random single deaths it's usually because the prisoner had the rep
Snitch, Ex-Law Enforcement or Ex-Prison Guard and they were assassinated by the
other prisoners! (You can check their reps as their bodies are loaded into the
hearse.) Even one death is bad because it kills your streak for the daily bonus
(see Section 07g) plus you can't sell your prison or shares for 24 hours.
It's a good idea to check each of your new arrivals individually so you can bump
dangerous inmates up to Max-Sec or SuperMax and put vulnerable prisoners (e.g.
snitches) into Protective Custody. You can build separate wings for these guys
or at least give them dedicated cell blocks and regimes so they use canteens,
showers and yards at different times to other prisoners.
Hidden reputations can be found by using informants (see Section 08j) or phone
taps (see Section 06g) to gather intel. Activating a confidential informant who
has 100% coverage will reveal all previously unknown reputations so you could
activate one just before a new intake arrives.
It's hard to keep track of your unknowns on consoles so I suggest transferring
all of them to Protective Custody (yellow uniforms) and temporarily putting them
on permanent lockdown in their cells. If you don't have any good informants then
assign some cells as PC (Security Sectors menu), put a phone booth in each cell
and fit them all with phone taps. After about a day any prisoners with family
will use the phone and give away their reputation/s. Those with dangerous reps
can then be transferred to other categories as appropriate.
Here are all the standard reputations (with console icons in brackets):
o Cop Killer (police badge with bullet holes)
Guards might attempt revenge when restraining him!
o Deadly (skull)
Sometimes gives one-hit kill in melee combat.
o Ex-Law Enforcement / Ex-Prison Guard (broken police badge)
At risk of assassination by inmates.
o Fearless (lion - grrrr!)
Not intimidated by armed guards and less likely to surrender.
o Gang Member* (crown)
Affiliated with one of the three prison gangs (see Section 08k).
o Instigator (lit match)
Encourages other inmates to join him in misconduct.
o Legendary* (brass knuckles)
Multiple reputations - exceptionally dangerous!
o Quick (running man)
Faster movement speed.
o Skilled Fighter (two fists)
Able to disarm an opponent in combat.
o Snitch (mouth and ear)
At risk of assassination by inmates.
o Stoical (sloping face)
Does not receive "Suppressed" status from solitary/lockdown punishments.
o Strong (bicep flex)
Heavier physical attacks.
o Tough (scarred face)
Increased resistance to damage and tazers.
o Volatile (radiation symbol)
More likely to cause trouble.
The PC edition of the game includes the reputation "Federal Witness" which may
be applied when playing with random events enabled.
In the PC version of Escape Mode you can earn rep points and use them to buy
reputations to upgrade your crew (see Section 14a).
*If you're playing with the optional gangs (see Section 08k) there's a chance
that each new prisoner will be a gang member (more likely with Max-Sec) and any
new "Legendary" inmate has a chance of being a gang leader (one per gang).
Insane Reputations (DLC only)
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
When playing with the Criminally Insane option in the 'Psych Ward' expansion
all insane inmates have the Criminally Insane reputation by default.
Many will also have one or more of the other special reps listed below. Most of
these cause a certain behaviour if the patient goes several days without any
treatment so you'll need to hire some psychiatrists and run the new Psychiatric
Consultation programme if you want to maintain control.
Insane inmates can have normal reputations like Strong and Stoical too.
If an insane prisoner has five or more reputations in total then he will be
labelled as "Psychopathic" (instead of "Criminally Insane") at the top of his
profile next to his name. If you use the DLC warden Dr Slugworth, a larger
proportion of your insane intake will be psychos.
</pre><pre id="faqspan-7">
Here are all the insane reputations (with console icons in brackets):
o Addiction (needle, spoon and capsules)
More likely to become a drug addict when suppressed or untreated.
o Claustrophobic (figure crouched in box)
Stronger desire to escape when suppressed or untreated.
o Criminally Insane (deranged face behind bars)
Inmates in the Insane category always have this reputation.
o Depressed (sad face)
Moves slowly when suppressed or untreated.
o Hyperactive (six blurred arms)
Moves quickly when suppressed or untreated.
o Insomniac (gaunt face and crescent moon)
Requires very little sleep.
o Outbreaks (hammer and shattered glass)
Prone to violent behaviour when suppressed or untreated.
o Sickness (face with thermometer and ice-pack)
Prone to sickness or incontinence when suppressed or untreated.
o Weak (skinny arm)
More likely to be injured in combat.
Traits
¯¯¯¯¯¯
Prisoners also have various traits which determine their behaviour in the jail
although these tags are not displayed to the player.
An inmate's criminal record may give hints of their traits, for example someone
jailed for assault could be Violent while an arsonist could be Destructive.
o Clever (more likely to dig escape tunnels)
o Controlling (?)
o Destructive (more likely to cause property damage)
o Fraud (?)
o Lethal (more likely to kill)
o Narcotics (more likely to have drug/alcohol addiction)
o Petty (?)
o RisksLife (?)
o Sexual (?!)
o Theft (more likely to steal contraband items)
o Vehicular (?)
o Violent (more likely to display aggression)
(One example of how traits are applied to behaviour is that a prisoner carrying
a cigarette lighter and attacking an object will only set fire to the object if
they have the RisksLife or Destructive trait.)
Status Effects
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
These are various temporary effects that prisoners can have.
o Angry (e.g. upset after parole denied, increases unrest)
o Calming (peaceful after Spiritual Guidance programme, reduces unrest)
o Drunk / High (intoxicated with alcohol/drugs)
o Overdosed (overdosed on drugs, requires urgent medical treatment)
o Suppressed (caused by solitary/lockdown or armed guards, reduces misconduct)
o Surrendered (caused by armed guards, ends misconduct)
o Tazed (immobilized by guard's tazer)
o Well Fed (Food need and other needs are very satisfied)
o Withdrawal (addict deprived of drugs)
On PC you also see the status effects Overheated (when using the temperature
system), Bleeding (during a workshop accident event), Exposure (when using the
Endless Winter mutator) and Sick (during a virus outbreak event).
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 08c | Staff s08c |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
The Staff page gives a summary of your prison's workforce.
Subtotals are shown for your workmen, guards, staff (e.g. cooks, janitors and
gardeners) and administrators (e.g. warden, security chief, foreman, etc).
Staff gradually become tired while working. When someone becomes exhausted they
will stop working until they recover. If a staff room is available they will go
there instead and recover much faster. Armed guards use the armoury instead of a
staff room and dog units use the dog crates in the kennel.
Staff names were added for PC in "The Slammer" update in September 2019.
Workers
o Workman [$100/day] ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Your workmen perform all construction duties in your prison.
They also perform custodial roles like moving deliveries/exports/garbage,
repairing damaged furniture/equipment and felling trees in forestry.
You might choose to temporarily recruit additional workmen while expanding
your prison and then dismiss some of them after you've finished building.
Guards
o Guard [$100/day] ¯¯¯¯¯¯
The guards perform a wide range of vital functions within your prison.
In addition to generally maintaining order they will also unlock jail doors
and road gates, perform searches/Shakedowns, seize contraband items, escort
inmates to cells/solitary and operate surveillance/door workstations. (Armed
guards and dog handlers (see below) will not perform these extra functions.)
Deployed guards can deter aggressive behaviour and theft of contraband.
o Armed Guard [$350/day]
Specifically they're armed with shotguns by default. They will only fire to
defend themselves or other staff members unless you've issued the "Freefire"
command (Emergencies menu).
Research to unlock: Security \ Armoury
Armed guards cause the "Suppressed" status in nearby prisoners which reduces
unrest - this is useful in controlling dangerous prisoners or preventing a
potential riot. A violent prisoner might surrender when confronted by an armed
guard (you'll see them put their hands up) and this also causes the inmate to
become instantly fully suppressed.
However the suppression effect makes inmates less likely to join or complete
education programmes and simply having armed guards on duty increases the
overall danger level of your jail. Additionally there is the obvious risk that
they might get killed and have their guns taken by prisoners!
Normal guards and dog handlers won't enter sectors controlled by rioters (red
areas) but armed guards are happy to get in there and kick some ass, although
there is that potential for them to get outnumbered and deliver shotguns into
the hands of the rioters. The riot guards (Emergencies menu) are specialists
for this kind of work and they don't carry guns.
Armed guards use an armoury to recover when tired instead of a staff room.
Requires: one guard locker in armoury per armed guard
Since Update 15 on PC, when playing with the Escape Plans option some inmates
can steal trucks for a quick getaway. These can only be stopped by armed
guards or a road barrier (see Section 06e).
o Sniper [$500/day] (added in PC Update 3 and PS4/Xbone Community Update)
A sniper will automatically deploy into any accessible guard tower.
Research to unlock: Security \ Armoury \ Guard Towers
Requires: guard tower
Just like armed guards the snipers provide a local suppression effect but they
also add to the overall danger level of the prison.
If an armoury is available, each sniper will report there to collect a sniper
rifle with a scope and laser sight. They will then fire warning shots at any
inmate causing trouble. They will only fire kill-shots if 1) an escaping
prisoner is outside the perimeter, 2) the "Freefire" command has been issued
or 3) they have already fired several warning shots.
o Dog Handler [$150/day]
Each canine unit consists of one handler and one dog.
Dogs can detect any contraband tagged as "smelly" so they can be deployed near
drug sources or in busy thoroughfares to find narcotics on inmates.
They can also detect potential escape tunnels which are indicated by a brown
circular trowel icon and a small yellow flag when you zoom in. This will often
be a false alarm however so you usually only need to worry when you get more
than one flag in the same place or when the flag is on a direct line between
cell toilets and the perimeter wall. Tunnels can then be exposed by performing
a cell block search or a full Shakedown.
If you select the warden J.W. Periwinkle there will be a 50% chance of a dog
revealing the entire route of a tunnel instead of just marking it with flags.
Research to unlock: Security / Patrols / Dogs
Dogs use a kennel (dog crates) to recover when tired instead of a staff room;
they can also heal there if injured.
Hovering the cursor over a dog shows its name - my favourite is Salsa. :) This
feature was added in the May 2016 pre-release update for the console game and
in September 2019 in "The Slammer" update for PC.
The November 2019 update on PC added several new cosmetic options for animal
patrols: huskies, companion dogs, dalmatians, "direwoofs" and cats (I think
those last three come with the 'Psych Ward' premium DLC). You can select your
animal preference when starting a new game or even during play from the Map
Settings menu. Selecting the invisible seventh option picks a random choice
each time you recruit a new dog (or cat!) handler.
Staff
o Doctor [$100/day] ¯¯¯¯¯
Your medics will be based in your infirmaries where they can heal injured
guards, staff and prisoners.
A doctor is also required to run the Pharmacological Therapy programme to
treat drug addictions (see Section 07f) and if summoned quickly enough they
can save an addict with a severe Drugs need who suffers an overdose event.
Research to unlock: Health
o Cook [$100/day]
Cooks work in kitchens to cook ingredients for meals.
They also collect and clean food trays after service and pick up food crates
from the deliveries area (so you may get a backlog of food deliveries while
your chefs are busy cooking prior to a meal).
You can supplement your kitchen workforce using prison labour.
One cook is also required to run the Kitchen Safety & Hygiene programme which
must be passed by prisoners before they work in a kitchen (see Section 07f).
Requires: kitchen
o Janitor [$50/day]
Janitors serve as cleaners for indoor areas (rooms and corridors) in your
prison. They do not require a cleaning cupboard for this role and they can
access Staff areas which prisoners on cleaning duty cannot enter.
They will also perform laundry duties if you have a laundry room.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Cleaning
If your janitors are spending too much time on laundry and not enough time on
cleaning then you should hire more janitors or assign more prisoners to work
in cleaning cupboards and laundries.
o Gardener [$50/day]
The gardeners maintain any outside areas of the jail that have "floorings"
such as grass and paving tiles. Over time these get overgrown with green
moss and white flowers in the same way that indoor spaces soon get covered in
grime that can be removed by janitors/prisoners cleaning.
A gardener is also required to plant any trees you buy and to automatically
plant new trees in forestry zones.
Research to unlock: Maintenance \ Groundskeeping
Administrators
o Warden [$200/day] ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
A warden is required to unlock any features in Bureaucracy (see Section 08a).
They're also needed to amend the daily regime (see Section 07c) and to run
reform and education programmes (see Section 07f).
You have a choice of six different warden characters with various gameplay
modifiers (see Section 03) and the console DLC expansions (see Section 04)
add further warden characters with unique effects.
When you hire a replacement after a warden is fired/killed it will always be
the same character you selected initially.
Requires: office
If you're playing with failure conditions enabled you might want to provide
additional security measures for your warden (heavy door and guard deployed)
because too many warden deaths can cause "game over".
o Chief [$200/day]
Having a security chief allows you to unlock and use features in the Security
branch of the Bureaucracy research tree (see Section 08a).
A chief is also required to run the Tazer Certification programme which is
required by guards and dog handlers before they get tazers (see Section 07f).
He also forms part of an execution detail along with the warden and a priest.
Research to unlock: Security
Requires: office
o Foreman [$200/day]
Having a foreman allows you to unlock and use features in the Maintenance
branch of the Bureaucracy research tree (see Section 08a).
The foreman is also required to run the Workshop Safety Induction programme
which must be passed by prisoners before they work in a workshop and the
Carpentry Apprenticeship programme which an inmate requires before they can
use a carpenter table to make beds (see Section 07f).
Research to unlock: Maintenance
Requires: office
On PC the maximum number of foremen was increased from one to five in "The
Clink" update in June 2019. Hiring two or more foremen (each with their own
office) allows you to run programmes across multiple workshops.
o Accountant [$200/day]
Having an accountant allows you to unlock and use features in the Finance
branch of the Bureaucracy research tree (see Section 08a).
She also gives access to the Finance and Valuation menus.
Research to unlock: Finance
Requires: office
o Psychiatrist [$200/day] (PC/consoles 'Psych Ward' DLC required)
If you're playing with the Criminally Insane option then you can hire some
psychiatrists to run the Psychiatric Consultation programme (see Section 07f).
Many of your insane inmates will have special reputations (see Section 08b)
that cause various behaviours if they don't receive regular treatment.
Research to unlock: Psychology
Requires: office (wide sofa needed for programme)
o Psychologist [$200/day]
Having a psychologist allows you to view individual prisoners' psychological
needs (see Section 07a) and to assess the overall needs of your population.
Psychologists are also required to run the Alcoholics Group Therapy programme
to treat alcohol addictions and the Behavioural Therapy programme to counsel
inmates that demonstrate violent tendencies (see Section 07f).
Research to unlock: Psychology
Requires: office
Hiring several psychologists allows you to run multiple sessions.
o Lawyer [$200/day]
Having a lawyer allows you to unlock and use features in the Legal branch of
the Bureaucracy research tree (see Section 08a).
You cannot run Death Row appeal hearings without a lawyer.
Research to unlock: Legal
Requires: office
o Orderly [$75/day] (PC 'Psych Ward' DLC required)
If you're playing with the Criminally Insane option then you can hire some
orderlies to fulfil a hybrid medical/security role with insane prisoners.
Their basic functions are to heal and escort inmates to psychiatrist offices
for the Psychiatric Consultation programme (see Section 07f) but they can also
use straitjackets or sedation to deal with unruly cases.
Orderlies only work with insane prisoners. They do not cause suppression.
They are not available in the console version of the 'Psych Ward' DLC.
Research to unlock: Health \ Orderly
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 08d | Hire Staff s08d |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
All new staff must be hired via this menu. In addition to their daily wages you
also need to pay an initial fee for each person (see below) which represents
the recruitment, training and equipment costs. While you're free to hire and
fire your workforce repeatedly, the game does apply this financial penalty.
Each time you hire a new employee they'll appear instantly at the position of
your cursor - this can be used to assign doctors to specific infirmaries. If
the hiring function fails (and you have sufficient funds) it'll usually be
because the location at your cursor is blocked by a wall or object.
After researching Body Armour this will be issued to all guards, armed guards
and dog handlers, effectively increasing their initial cost by $100.
After researching Tazers these will be issued to all armed guards, effectively
increasing their initial cost by $400. If you then research Tazer Rollout you
will also need to pay $400 for any guards and dog handlers that pass the Guard
Tazer Certification programme (see Section 07f).
o Accountant [$1000]
o Armed Guard [$1500]
o Chief [$1000]
o Cook [$500]
o Doctor [$1000]
o Dog Handler [$500]
o Foreman [$1000]
o Gardener [$500]
o Guard [$500]
o Janitor [$500]
o Lawyer [$5000]
o Orderly [$1000] (PC 'Psych Ward' DLC required)
o Psychiatrist [$1000] (PC/consoles 'Psych Ward' DLC required)
o Psychologist [$1000]
o Sniper [$2000] (added in PC Update 3 and Community Update)
o Warden [$1000]
o Workman [$500]
You can also purchase the temporary services of firemen, paramedics and riot
guards from the Emergencies menu (see Section 09).
The following roles also exist in the game but these folks will always appear
automatically when required so you can't hire 'em or fire 'em!
o Appeals Lawyer (represents prisoner at Death Row Appeal)
o Appeals Magistrate (conducts Death Row Appeal)
o National Guard (deployed to prison when riot escalates - game over)
o Parole Lawyer (represents prisoner at parole hearing)
o Parole Officer (conducts parole hearing)
o Spiritual Leader (leads Spiritual Guidance programme and attends executions)
o Teacher (delivers educational programmes)
o Truck Driver (drives/loads/unloads delivery trucks)
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 08e | Security Sectors s08e |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
By default all new rooms, zones and corridors are coded as Shared which means
that all prisoners are allowed there.
You can use the options on the Security Sectors menu to restrict any specified
indoors or outdoors area (enclosed by walls, fences or water) to prisoners of a
certain risk category (and staff) or to staff only.
(In the PC version of the game you can do all this via the Deployment menu.)
Research to unlock: Security (and hire chief)
The following sector restrictions are available (console colour-codes):
o Shared (white)
o Unlocked (pale green)
o Minimum Security (navy blue)
o Medium Security (orange)
o Maximum Security (turquoise)
o SuperMax (pale red)
o Death Row (green)
o Protective Custody (yellow)
o Insane Security (red) ('Psych Ward' DLC required)
o Staff (pale purple)
If you have a mixed population with prisoners of various risk categories (see
Section 08b) you can segregate them by allocating each category to their own
own cell block. You'll need to ensure that any resources you want them to use
are either set to Shared or duplicated for each group, for example if you have
separate cell blocks for Med-Sec and Max-Sec you'll need to have either one
Shared canteen or one canteen for Med-Sec and another for Max-Sec. Also you'll
want to check that their access routes aren't blocked by areas they can't enter,
for example if there's a Staff corridor between the cells and the canteen.
It's wise to use security sectors to create a small self-contained wing where
you can have cells and essential facilities for Protective Custody prisoners
who would be in danger if they were integrated with the general population (and
similar precautions should be taken for SuperMax prisoners). At the very least
they should have a dedicated cell block and a different regime so they use the
showers, canteen and yard when other categories are elsewhere.
The Staff coding should be used for secure areas like armouries and security
rooms and for contraband sources that don't require prisoner access such as
staff rooms, morgues, storage, forestry and offices (except the psychologist's
office which is required for the Behavioural Therapy programme). If you're not
using prison labour there then your kitchens can be set to Staff-only too.
You can also create a small Staff lobby before an entrance to restrict prisoner
movement. This is useful for example if you have your Protective Custody wing
adjacent to Shared rooms. New prisoners will be escorted in through the lobby by
guards and then won't wander off because the only exit is through a Staff area.
___________________________
________ _______ ______
|_| |_|
<-- Shared accommodation _ Staff _ Protective Custody wing -->
________| |_______| |______
___________________________
Lobbies can also be used if you want to restrict a room to two risk categories.
For example you could build a Shared canteen with two doors and build a small
Min-Sec room outside one door and a Med-Sec room outside the other.
___ ___ ___ ___
| _| |_ | | _| |_ |
Minimum Security room --> | | | | | | | | <-- Medium Security room
_____| |_ _| |___| |_ _| |_____
| _______| |___________| |_______ |
| | | |
| | C A N T E E N (Shared) | |
Remember to check your security coding after remodelling or merging areas (or
even just swapping doors) since it will sometimes default back to Shared.
PC Update 10 added the new option of "Access-Only" coding. Prisoners and staff
will always avoid areas zoned as access-only areas if possible when they plan
their routes around the prison.
PC Update 13 added "Prisoner Direction" and "Others Direction" options. These
allow you to specify the preferred direction of travel for doors and corridors
so large busy rooms like canteens can have separate entrances and exits. People
will obey these directions unless there is no alternative route available.
"The Sneezer" update on PC added a further option for "Visitors Direction".
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 08f | Patrol Routes s08f |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
This menu allows you to draw patrol routes in and around the prison and then
assign one or more guards to each one.
Research to unlock: Security \ Patrols
o Create Patrol
This lets you set up new patrol routes by marking adjacent squares.
There is no maximum or minimum length and patrol routes can be as simple or as
complicated as you wish.
On consoles your patrol routes are always added in white so you cannot overlap
two routes without them becoming merged. Since "The Slammer" update on PC you
can now add separate blue or magenta patrols and these can overlap; you can
also prioritise some patrols and deployments to be staffed before others.
o Guards
Use this to assign one or more guards to patrols.
o Armed Guards
Use this to assign one or more armed guards to patrols.
Research to unlock: Security \ Armoury
Remember that armed guards cause suppression locally and increase the overall
danger level of your prison.
o Dog Handlers
Use this to assign one or more dog handlers to patrols.
In the PC edition after unlocking Micromanagement you can run various patrols
at different times of day so you can keep dog units in areas with contraband
threats during the day and then get them to patrol between the cell blocks and
the perimeter fence to check for escape tunnels during the night.
Research to unlock: Security \ Patrols \ Dogs
(In the PC version of the game you do all this via the Deployment menu.)
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 08g | Guard Deployment s08g |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
This menu is used to simply assign guards to specific parts of the prison.
Deployed guards can discourage violence/theft and open locked jail doors - and
if trouble kicks off in their area they can respond more quickly.
Research to unlock: Security \ Deployment
You can assign one or more guards to each room or enclosed area in your jail. A
grey circle indicates a guard position allocated to a location but only a blue
circle shows that a guard is available and manning that station. If a circle
doesn't turn blue then you need to hire more guards.
Often an outdoors area will be quite large so if you want to place a guard at a
specific location just use a very short patrol route instead of deployment.
Remember to leave some guards floating (unassigned) to respond to emergencies
or to deal with random duties like escorting prisoners. Idle guards will tend
to congregate in security rooms so you can build these in central areas or near
places where you might need a rapid response (yards, showers, main entrance).
o Guards
Use this to assign one or more guards to an area.
o Armed Guards
Use this to assign one or more armed guards to an area.
Research to unlock: Security \ Armoury
Remember that armed guards cause suppression locally and increase the overall
danger level of your prison.
o Dog Handlers
Use this to assign one or more dog handlers to an area.
Research to unlock: Security \ Patrols \ Dogs
(I think on PC you can currently only assign standard guards to an area, but
if you have patrols unlocked you can simply allocate an armed guard or a dog
handler to a short patrol route there instead.)
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 08h | Logistics s08h |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
Logistics covers prisoner workers, catering, laundry and cell quality.
(If you're playing with the temperature mechanics enabled in the PC version of
the game then you can use the additional Temperature option in the Logistics
menu to show a colour representation of the temperature in every room.)
The Logistics menu has the following four options (on consoles):
o Prison Labour
You can have prisoners doing the laundry, making licence plates and working in
the woodworking workshop and library - just like 'The Shawshank Redemption'!
This option lets you assign inmates to work in your workshops, laundries and
libraries in addition to your kitchens, cleaning rooms, mail rooms and shops
(see Section 06d) during Work time in their daily regimes (see Section 07c).
Research to unlock: Maintenance / Prison Labour
Workers are automatically paid $0.50 per hour (from your budget) and they can
use money to buy goods from a shop - or contraband from other inmates! They
can earn a maximum total of $9,999 cash (over a long sentence).
If you have kitchen workers they should be scheduled with Work on the regime
in the hours immediately before Eat times so they can help prepare meals.
Any prisoners not assigned to work duties will use Work phases as Free-Time*
so they can use shops while other inmates are working there. You can increase
the number of potential customers by scheduling the Work time for one category
of prisoners to coincide with Free-Time for another.
Some workplaces require all prisoner workers to have passed a programme (see
Section 07f) before they can work there. Kitchen Safety & Hygiene is needed
for the kitchen, Workshop Safety Induction for the workshop and (now only in
the console versions) Foundation Education programme for the library.
*The PC version of the game now lets you choose whether prisoners without work
or programme commitments get Free-Time or Lockup instead.
o Catering ("Food Distribution" in the PC version)
This shows which kitchens supply each canteen and which cell blocks, detached
cells, holding cells and solitary cells are serviced by each canteen.
These are allocated automatically but can be adjusted manually.
Research to unlock: Micromanagement
(When playing with a women's prison in the PC version of the game you can also
assign family cells to the nurseries since mothers don't use canteens.)
o Laundry Services ("Laundry Distribution" in the PC version)
This shows which cell blocks and receptions are assigned to each laundry.
These are allocated automatically but can be adjusted manually. When you have
multiple laundries you can use this option to help balance their workloads.
Research to unlock: Micromanagement
o Cell Quality
Each cell has a quality rating and every inmate is entitled to a certain cell
quality based on their recent good/bad behaviour.
(A holding cell always has a negative cell quality rating.)
Research to unlock: Micromanagement or Maintenance \ Prison Labour
You can improve a cell's quality by making it larger and adding objects - each
of the following features gives 1 point for a possible maximum of 10 points:
o 6+ squares floorspace (e.g. 2x3) o 1 chair
o 9+ squares floorspace (e.g. 3x3) o 1 bookshelf
o 16+ squares floorspace (e.g. 4x4) o 1 TV
o 1 shower head o 1 radio*
o 1 office desk o 1 outside window (exterior view)
Only floor tiles are counted towards the floorspace. An interior/dividing wall
within a cell will not contribute to the total.
The Community Update on PS4 and Xbox One added the Comfy Bed object which can
also give +1 to cell quality although the maximum rating is capped at 10.
*Update 10 in the PC edition of the game replaced the radio requirement for
dorm quality with the phone booth.
A prisoner who has gone several consecutive days without misconduct will be
entitled to a higher quality cell than an inmate who has offended recently.
This gives your population an incentive to not misbehave - and additionally
having TV's and radios in cells provides Recreation and showers allow inmates
to wash during Lockup time (and stops the chaos that can ensue during morning
showers in communal facilities).
The Cell Quality view shows the prisoner entitlement and cell quality for
every cell in the prison, for example "5/3" means the occupant is entitled to
level 5 but the cell only currently provides level 3.
Each cell is also colour-coded - green means the cell matches or exceeds the
prisoner's entitlement, red means the cell quality is too low and orange just
indicates empty cells (with the quality rating shown).
Clicking on a cell shows what changes you can make to improve its quality -
obviously with an existing cell it's easier to add objects than to increase
the floorspace! When using the Objects menu (under Construction menu) you can
also filter the list to show only objects that improve cell quality.
Prisoners will be transferred between cells as necessary to achieve the best
matches between entitlement and quality but they can only ever get moved into
cells that are coded (Security Sectors) as their category or as "Shared".
You can use cell quality to sort your prisoners. If you have a cell block with
high-quality cells and a cell block with low-quality cells then the inmates
more prone to disorder will be assigned to the wing with lower quality and you
can assign more guards there as necessary to suppress them.
(If you're building large luxury cells for prisoners on permanent lockdown -
such as Death Row, SuperMax or Protective Custody - it's more important to
focus on addressing needs rather than increasing cell quality. The radio and
TV both provide Recreation (so you only need one or the other), the chair can
provide Comfort (but a bed does that already), the bookshelf gives Literacy
(not on consoles) and the desk does nothing. You should also add a phone booth
(Family need) and a weights bench (Exercise need) plus a prayer mat if the
occupant has a Spirituality need.)
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 08i | Contraband s08i |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
Contraband is a general term which covers any disallowed items which might be
smuggled into the prison (in deliveries or by new prisoners/visitors), stolen
from various prison rooms (see list below), made in the workshop (e.g. shanks),
bought from other prisoners using money earned by prison labour or taken from
unconscious/dead guards (keys and weapons).
Research to unlock: Security \ Intelligence
Contraband items include different types of weapons (used in fights/murders),
tools (used to dig escape tunnels), narcotics (drugs for addicts) and luxuries
(including booze for alcoholics and cigarette lighters for starting fires).
Holding the Triangle button will show the supply/demand for each category.
o Dangers
This view shows the types of contraband that can be obtained from each room
(see below) with details of their attributes (e.g. weapon, metal, smelly).
o 24 Hours
This displays icons indicating the type and location of all contraband items
seized in the prison over the past twenty-four hours.
If you click on an item the text label will show the name of the owner and how
the item entered the prison. The game will also illustrate the path that the
item has followed around the jail!
o 7 Days
This does exactly the same thing but for the past week.
Pressing Square while viewing the Contraband menu opens a screen which shows the
supply and demand for the four contraband categories. It also shows how items
are entering the prison and the demand for specific types of items.
(In the PC edition the contraband options are listed in the Intelligence menu.
Update 8 added the "Stolen From" option which displays the sources of each item
of contraband found instead of the locations where they were discovered. This
highlights the rooms that need more security checks and reveals any locations
where contraband is being thrown into the prison over the exterior wall.)
Countermeasures
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Here are various strategies you can use in the war against contraband. (INPO)
1. Metal Detectors
These will detect metal! That means most weapons and tools. You should put
metal detectors on the entrances to rooms used by prisoners that contain any
metallic contraband items (i.e. workshop, kitchen and library). Additionally
you can put them on major routes into cell blocks, canteens and yards.
You'll need a guard deployed nearby to confiscate any contraband discovered.
2. Dog Handlers
Canine units can detect any "smelly" contraband - that means narcotics.
You should deploy dogs at your deliveries zone and main entrance in addition
to routes and areas used by all prisoners.
3. Searches and Shakedown
Inmates will stash their contraband items. When you select a prisoner you
have the option to search them or their cell (or the entire cell block).
When you use the Shakedown command (Emergencies menu) the guards will search
every inmate and every object in every cell plus deliveries and supplies.
Metal detectors and dog patrols won't find any non-metallic non-smelly items
(e.g. wooden clubs, needles, wooden pickaxes, phones, booze and lighters) so
it's important to use frequent searches too.
4. Guards
Inmates are less likely to steal items if a guard is nearby.
You should deploy guards inside rooms used by prisoners that are potential
sources for contraband (e.g. workshop, kitchen, library, infirmary, etc).
5. Reception
A reception room is used to process all new inmates arriving at your jail.
The reception procedure includes a search which will find any contraband the
new guys were trying to smuggle in through the front door.
6. Zoning
Any rooms that don't need prisoner access (i.e. armoury, security, morgue,
offices, deliveries, staff room and forestry) should be zoned as Staff-only
via the Security Sectors menu but remember that some inmates would need to
visit the psychologist's office for the Behavioural Therapy programme.
7. Punishments
After unlocking Prison Policy (Bureaucracy menu) you can set the punishment
for each time of misconduct. Heavier punishments (solitary confinement and
longer durations) will discourage inmates from handling contraband.
8. Perimeter
Inmates will use phones to arrange for people to throw contraband into the
prison over the perimeter wall into outdoors areas.
The maximum range for this is 10 squares so one counter is to create a wide
"no man's land" between inner and outer fences. This area can be patrolled
by dog handlers to detect escape tunnels and utilised for forestry.
Alternatively you can design your prison so the outdoors areas near the
perimeter are not accessible to inmates or you can make buildings without
gaps immediately inside the perimeter so there are no outside areas there.
However you should avoid having cells (and specifically toilets) near the
perimeter as this allows prisoners to escape quicker via tunnels.
9. Phone Taps and Informants
Informants (see Section 08j) and bugs on phones (see Section 06g) can both
provide intel about the location of contraband inside the jail.
10. Visitor Booths
You can use visitor booths as an alternative to the visitor tables in your
visitation room. If you build a continuous wall of booths to separate the
prisoner and visitor sides of the room then no contraband can be delivered
into the prison there.
(Also on PC the intercom phones in the visitor booths can be tapped.)
Sources
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
The following types of room serve as sources of contraband in the base game and
in the PC version of Escape Mode. (for consoles see extra list below too)
Armoury - shotgun, handgun, tazer, baton, rifle
Canteen - poison
Cleaning - poison, club
Forestry - saw, axe, spade
Infirmary - needle, poison, medicine, scissors
Kitchen - knife, fork, spoon
Laundry - prisoner uniforms: used to make escape ropes* (PC only)
Library - scissors
Morgue** - scissors, knife
Office - phone, booze, cigarettes, lighter
Security - jail keys, baton, cigarettes, lighter
Staff Room - cigarettes, lighter, phone
Storage - screwdriver, saw, drill, hammer
Visitation - cigarettes, lighter, drugs, booze, phone
Workshop - saw, screwdriver, hammer, drill, shank, wooden pickaxe, spade
I noticed that the new items for Escape Mode on consoles (see Section 14b) were
also added as contraband in the base game. I've seen Picante Beef Ramen, bacon,
energy drink, "exercise tablets" and soap (why is soap banned?!) but they're not
available from the usual sources so I think they only arrive as throw-ins (and
possibly smuggled in deliveries).
*The escape rope is part of the Escape Plans option from PC Update 14.
Since it's made from stolen prisoner uniforms, the knotted escape rope item is
orange so at least it's easy to see when an inmate has deployed it on a fence.
If you spot one you should order your staff to dump it immediately, otherwise
other prisoners will continue to use it to scale the fence.
PC Update 15 added barbed wire as a counter to escape ropes (see Section 06b).
**Inmates can also take jail keys and batons from dead guards in the morgue!
__
The console version of Escape Mode (see Section 14b) has most of the usual items
listed above and adds the following extra sources and items.
Armoury - submachinegun (looks like a MAC-10)
Canteen - fork, spoon
Chapel - club, shank
Classroom - scissors
Common Room - club, shank
Forestry - shears
Infirmary - medkit
Kitchen - bacon*
Mail Room - scissors
Morgue - medicine, medkit
Reception - phone, booze, cigarettes, lighter
*Bacon can be used to satisfy your Food need or to "bribe" a guard dog!
__
The PC version of the 'Psych Ward' DLC (see Section 04b) adds new contraband
items including adrenaline shots, fountain pens (shanks) and gold pocket watches
which are available in Escape Mode as well as the standard architect mode.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 08j | Informants s08j |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
You can recruit certain prisoners to work for you as confidential informants
(CI's). They can provide you with information about contraband, assassinations
and hidden prisoner reputations.
Research to unlock: Security \ Intelligence
Requires: security room
When you open the Informants menu some prisoners who are currently suppressed
(most likely in solitary) will be highlighted with a yellow outline (on PS4 or
Xbox) - this indicates potential informants who can be recruited by clicking on
them. A green outline denotes an informant you've recruited already, red is a
prisoner with one or more unknown reputations (see Section 08b) and blue is the
inmate you currently have selected.
(In the PC version of the game informants are controlled under the Intelligence
menu and recruitable inmates are labelled "Potential CI".)
A good way to get more candidates is to ensure all the contraband offences have
a solitary punishment (Policy menu) and then run a Shakedown (Emergencies menu)
- or you could even manually send prisoners to solitary!
Once you have one or more informants they'll be listed in the Informants menu
and as you scroll through them the game will display their locations. (This can
make it harder to browse prisoners in solitary cells but you can use the right
stick to pull away and override the camera view.)
If you select a CI and press Square they can be "summoned" (or "activated" on
PC) which causes a guard to escort them to one of the security rooms. Informants
will only provide intelligence while they are activated and in security. Hidden
reps will be revealed and contraband stashes will be highlighted on the map and
can be searched by clicking on them. Any current assassination targets (i.e.
some of the inmates with vulnerable reputations like Snitch) will be marked with
a skull and crossbones icon.
Each informant has two special stats - coverage and suspicion.
Coverage is the percentage of the prison the informant has infiltrated. As long
as his suspicion is low his coverage will increase while he's not activated -
even if he's on permanent lockdown in his cell! An informant with 100% coverage
is a valuable asset since they can reveal all hidden reputations when activated
which is very handy when vetting your new arrivals (so you can summon them just
before the 8am buses arrive).
Suspicion is a measure of how close the other inmates are to discovering that
your prisoner is an informant. Suspicion increases every time you activate the
informant and if you perform contraband searches while he's active. Suspicion
level is indicated by the prisoner icon filling red (on consoles) or by a bar
graph (on PC). When an informant reaches a high level of suspicion they will
temporarily be treated like a snitch - that makes them a potential target for
assassination so you might want to put them into protective custody.
You should take care not to activate an informant several times quickly because
each activation gives a large increase to their suspicion. Of course this could
also be used to dispose of a troublesome prisoner with dangerous reps...
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 08k | Prison Gangs s08k |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
When you start a new game you can choose whether or not to include prisoner
gangs. The gang mechanics were first introduced in Alpha 34 and add an extra
optional level of complexity and challenge in running your prison.
(On consoles the Prison Gangs menu will be added under the Prison Running menu
as soon as the first gang member arrives via intake.)
Intake & Leaders
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
When gangs are enabled some of each intake of new inmates could be gang members.
This is much more likely with high-risk prisoners so request Maximum Security if
you want more (and vice versa) - with a Max-Sec intake you could expect to get
one gang member per full bus of eight. Gang members are more inclined to hoard
weapons and will provide support for other members of their gang in fights.
There are three different gangs - in the console versions of the game they are
the Psychos (purple), the Reapers (turquoise) and the Diablos (yellow) while on
PC they are just red, green and blue. Members of each gang can be recognized by
their facial tattoo designs (unique to each gang) and also by their body tattoos
when they're in the shower or when they whip off their shirts before a rumble.
When a new prisoner arrives with the "Legendary" reputation tag they might be a
gang leader for one of the three factions (one gang leader per gang). In the
console editions once a gang has at least ten members there's a 60% chance that
each new prisoner intake will contain a gang leader for that gang but if one
doesn't arrive after ten days then a leader will be elected instead.
Gang leaders will promote the toughest members of their gang to lieutenants (one
per ten members) and try to recruit new members from the prison population. Gang
leaders rule from behind the scenes - they tend to avoid direct involvement with
gang actions but if they get punished (lockdown/solitary) this will cause all
the members of their gang to become aggressive. The best way to limit the reach
of gang leaders (and gang members in general) is to move them promptly into the
SuperMax category (and have an isolated and secure SuperMax wing).
The Prison Gangs menu shows the number of members in each gang, how many people
they've killed and how much money they have. It also individually lists all gang
members - on consoles they're indicated by coloured brackets with spikes to show
their rank: five spikes for a gang leader, three for a lieutenant and one for a
basic soldier. On PC gang members are highlighted by coloured rings with three
concentric circles for a leader and two for a lieutenant.
While the gangs menu is open all gang members' cells and any yards and common
rooms held by gangs will be highlighted in their respective gang colours.
Gang Turf
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Any yards and common rooms in the prison can be claimed as gang territory. Each
one will be marked with a white circular icon and when you click this it shows
two numbers for each gang (e.g. 3/8) - the first is the number of gang members
currently in that area and the second is the number of members available as
reinforcements. As you select each gang the text below states whether or not
each gang has sufficient numbers to capture the area.
A gang leader will tell his lieutenant/s to order their soldiers to claim a yard
or common room as turf for their gang. They will choose the best areas first -
the ones with the most facilities (like weights benches and TVs). The soldiers
will then make a "play" on the territory - they'll strip off their shirts to
proudly display their gang affiliation and move in to occupy the area. They need
to maintain their presence there until the area is claimed for the gang and of
course they may face opposition from the other two gangs or from your guards.
Once a gang has successfully captured a territory their gang colour and logo
will be shown on the circular icon. If a member of another gang trespasses on
the turf they will be attacked. Non-gangsters are free to enter the area but as
soon as they start using any object there for an activity (e.g. "weightlifting",
"listening to the radio" or even just "sitting"!) their money total will start
ticking down as the occupying gang extorts money from them (a gang can then use
its collective funds to buy contraband items). Additionally while an area is
held by a gang you are unable to build structures or add objects there.
Now when you hover your cursor over the circular icon you'll have a prompt to
start an eviction (press Square on PS4). Some of your guards will be deployed
there automatically and attempt to retake the area (you can summon/hire more if
necessary). If the gang is successfully evicted then all prisoners can use the
area again and you are free to build there too.
An adjacent security room with a door that opens directly onto a common room or
yard will "project" the influence of any guards there onto the turf which will
make it harder for a gang to capture it.
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 09 | EMERGENCIES MENU s09 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
Press d-pad down to access the Emergencies menu with the following options:
o Firemen [$100 per unit]
Firefighters can be deployed to contain and extinguish prison fires which can
occur when flooding water reaches a power station or a prisoner with a lighter
(contraband) starts a fire during a riot.
Each unit provides one fire engine with four firemen.
Firemen, riot guards and paramedics must be manually selected and told where
to go. You can select an individual by clicking on them, select a squad via
the menu or select a group by clicking and dragging. While they are selected
you can continue to order them to a series of new locations.
After a fire has been extinguished your workmen will automatically repair any
objects that were damaged in the blaze but you'll need to manually restore
any walls, floorings, utilities and room designations that were lost. The
fireman squad/s can be dismissed via the Emergencies menu.
o Riot Guards [$100 per unit]
These guys are considerably tougher than standard guards so you can send them
in to recapture buildings during a prison riot. They also lack the shotguns of</pre><pre id="faqspan-8">
armed guards so there's no risk of prisoners getting firearms from them.
Each unit provides one riot van with six riot control officers.
o Paramedics [$100 per unit]
These are basically a braver version of doctors - you can order them into hot
areas to provide medical care for guards and inmates during a riot.
Each unit provides one ambulance with four paramedics.
o Guard Response
You can use this function to call a guard to a specified location and every
consecutive button press will summon one additional guard.
This draws on your current workforce (it does not hire new guards) and it does
not permanently assign them to the location - they'll hang around briefly but
if there's no trouble they'll go back to what they were doing before.
This command will summon basic guards plus dog handlers and armed guards (if
you have some) but it does not affect emergency teams (such as riot guards).
(This console feature was added to PC in the June 2019 "The Clink" update.)
Since "The Sneezer" PC update this function is mapped to the "G" key.
o Freefire
Activating Freefire orders your armed guards to use lethal force (shotgun) in
all incidents instead of only when protecting themselves or other staff.
(If you have snipers it also authorises them to shoot to kill.)
This is the most efficient (and bloody) way to end a riot.
o Shakedown
During a Shakedown guards will search every prisoner and every location that
might contain hidden contraband (see Section 08i). This can include furniture
and other objects in cells, items in storage, materials in workshops, clothes
in laundries, stacked trays in canteens and deliveries in kitchens, shops and
mail rooms. It's not unusual for there to be thousands of locations to search!
It will also sometimes find escape tunnels which always start at cell toilets.
Regular Shakedowns are very handy for finding tunnels and tools/weapons/drugs
(especially the items that can't be detected by dogs or metal detectors) but
they do increase unrest among the inmates.
If a Shakedown stalls with just a few locations left unsearched you can cancel
the order by selecting it again on the Emergencies menu.
If you click on any object inside a cell you'll be given the options of
searching the object, everything in the cell or the entire cell block. This
can be used to check for nearby tunnels without requiring a full Shakedown.
o Tunnel Search
This feature (patched into both consoles and PC) is like a reduced Shakedown
where only cell toilets are searched. It's much quicker than a full Shakedown
but it only finds tunnels and stashed contraband in toilets so any items
hidden elsewhere will not be discovered.
It's not possible to run a Shakedown and a Tunnel Search at the same time.
o Lockdown*
This can be used in an emergency to lock every door in the prison (apart from
the orange "standard" doors which are unaffected). The Lockdown command will
take priority over any doors that you've manually locked open.
You might want to use Bangup (see below) before Lockdown so that the majority
of inmates will be out of harm's way before all the doors are locked.
On PC the Lockdown command also deploys the road barriers (Section 06e) which
were added in Update 15 as a sturdier alternative to road gates.
*The game uses the same term for two different things. The Lockdown command
(Emergencies menu) locks all the doors and the lockdown punishment (Policy
menu) is where a prisoner is locked in their cell after misconduct. It's also
similar to lockup which is regime time when inmates stay in their cells.
o Bangup
All prisoners are ordered to return to their cells immediately.
Only compliant inmates will comply with this request. Rioters gotta riot!
Update 14 on PC in June 2018 added a new option called Roll Call. When you call
roll each inmate is required to stand in the doorway of their cell. If someone
is slow to arrive it's because they were in an escape tunnel so you would want
to investigate by searching their cell. If a guard is nearby and notices some
late arrivals he will automatically request searches of the prisoners' cells.
This is a useful tool in checking for tunnels but it requires a high level of
staffing to be truly effective and each roll call will add to the danger level
of your prison and may contribute to a riot. Speaking of which...
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 10 | RIOTS s10 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
A riot may occur if several volatile prisoners have severely neglected needs
(see Section 08a) especially the more fundamental needs like Food, Sleep and
Hygiene. It seems that having a Death Row execution can be a good trigger too!
Rioting prisoners will attack other inmates, guards and other staff using any
contraband weapons available. They'll also destroy furniture, use lighters to
start fires, take weapons and keys from incapacitated guards and try to capture
the armoury and security rooms. As the danger level increases more prisoners
will start rioting.
There are several options on the Emergencies menu that are useful here. Early
use of the Bangup command will get most prisoners back into their cells before
they get caught up in the riot and then Lockdown will keep them secure although
this might leave staff locked inside buildings with rioters. The Guard Response
order can be used to summon guards so a specified area - you could assemble a
large group close to the trouble before sending them all in together.
Rioters will take control of prison buildings which will then be indicated with
red shading. Normal guards and dog units will not enter red regions but if you
have any armed guards they will enter areas controlled by rioters. They have a
suppressive effect but if they get overwhelmed then rioting prisoners will be
able to take their shotguns so you might want to issue the Freefire order to
authorise lethal force. Your armed guards can be supplemented by units of riot
guards who are tougher and armed only with batons. They can be supported by
paramedics (to heal wounded guards/inmates) and by firefighters (if needed).
Once all the rioters in a captured area have been pacified you can deploy some
normal guards there to maintain control and move your emergency teams onto the
next trouble spot. (This process is taught in chapter 3 of the campaign.)
After successfully retaking control of the whole prison you should dismiss any
surviving riot guards (because their presence increases the danger level). Any
dead bodies will be removed (via the morgue if you have one) and the janitorial
staff will mop up the lakes of blood. Any furniture or doors that were damaged
will be repaired by the workmen. You will also usually have a backlog of inmates
awaiting solitary as punishment for their involvement in the riot.
If any guards were killed in the riot you should run a Shakedown to find any
contraband items taken off dead guards. Prisoners will take batons and jail keys
plus tazers (if issued) and shotguns (if you have - or had - armed guards).
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 11 | EXECUTIONS s11 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
Once you've researched Death Row (Bureaucracy menu) and allocated some cells to
the Death Row category (Security Sectors menu) you can start accepting prisoners
with death sentences using the Intake menu. If you want to fry 'em you'll also
need to build an execution room (see Section 06d).
In the console version of the game the Schedule Execution tab of any Death Row
prisoner's file shows their Conviction Level* compared to the state-approved
execution threshold of 95% (or 90% if you research Reduce Execution Liability).
You can also conveniently keep track of your high scores on the To-Do List!
It is possible to execute a prisoner who is currently below the threshold but if
they are subsequently found to be innocent your prison will be subject to a fine
of $50,000 and if you have any other Death Row inmates they will be transferred
to other jails. Also if you're playing with the failure conditions enabled you
risk getting a "game over" for having too many wrongful executions.
Instead you can schedule a Death Row appeal (Programmes menu) which will take
place in a parole room. The inmate will have a percentage chance of passing just
like any other programme. If the appeal is successful the prisoner's Conviction
Level will be reduced and they might even be moved from Death Row to Max-Sec or
released.** However if an appeal is unsuccessful their Conviction Level will be
increased. A prisoner can have consecutive appeals every four game days.
(Death Row inmates above the threshold are shown green on the To-Do List.)
Once you decide to proceed with an execution the game will initiate a formal
process which consists of the following five steps (or nine steps on PC). Make
sure your game speed isn't paused or nothing will happen!
1. Bangup & Test
The other inmates will be locked in their cells. If you conduct the execution
at night when the prisoners are already in their cells this will reduce the
disruption caused by the process - but it might add to the morning grumps
when they're already desperate for showers, toilet and food.
Also the electricity supply for the electric chair will be tested to ensure
you have enough power. If the test fails then you should add more capacitors
to the power station or build a new one specifically for the execution room.
2. Assembly of Witnesses
The prisoner's family (if any) and the victim's family arrive at the prison
and proceed across the site to the execution room.
3. Escort Prisoner
A visiting priest joins your warden and security chief in the inmate's cell
and they then escort the prisoner to the execution chamber.
4. The Execution
The inmate's death sentence is carried out.
5. Dismissal & Final Report
The witnesses are dismissed and the dead body is removed as usual.
The report confirms the time of death and the method of execution. If the
prisoner's Conviction Level was either above the state-approved threshold or
below the threshold with no evidence of innocence then the prison is paid
$10,000 as compensation (electricity bill?). However if the Conviction Level
was below the threshold and the inmate is found to be innocent then you are
fined $50,000 and any other Death Row inmates are transferred elsewhere.
*The PC version of the game has "Likelihood of Clemency" instead of Conviction
Level and the scale runs in the opposite direction! The value is increased by a
successful appeal (and vice versa) and the state-approved threshold is 5% but
can be raised to 10% by researching Reduce Execution Liability. The $50k fine is
applied if a Death Row prisoner is executed when their clemency value exceeds
the threshold and they are subsequently discovered to be innocent.
**If you receive a Legendary prisoner (with multiple dangerous reputations) in
your Death Row intake, you should consider sending him to the chair as soon as
possible despite the potential penalties. If he goes through Death Row appeals
there's a very real chance that he'll get released into the general population.
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 12 | ESCAPE TUNNELS s12 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
Despite your generous hospitality, prisoners will sometimes attempt to escape
your prison by digging a tunnel. An inmate is more likely to do this if they
have the Clever trait (see Section 08b), if their Freedom, Family or Security
needs (see Section 07a) are not satisfied and if they have a longer sentence
(e.g. Max-Sec inmates who are imprisoned for more severe offences).
Tunnels always originate from the prisoner's cell toilet and will usually head
straight for the shortest route off the site although they will try to avoid any
walls (especially perimeter walls), buildings and water. If there's a large
water pipe near their cell they will use that as a shortcut to the perimeter.
Sometimes two or more prisoners will collaborate, linking their tunnels and
working together so they can dig at a slightly faster rate.
Inmates dig tunnels at night during the Sleep phase of the daily regime. If you
have sufficient Sleep time (and enough cells for everyone) then an unsatisfied
Sleep need can often be an indication of nocturnal excavation!
There are various contraband items that can be used as tools for digging, for
example spoons from kitchens, axes and spades from forestry and drills, hammers,
saws and screwdrivers from workshops.
If you have the 'Psych Ward' DLC (on consoles) you can greatly increase the
potential for escape attempts by starting a game with the "Breakouts!" option.
There are several strategies you can employ to reduce the threat of tunnels:
1. Contraband
Most of the usual tactics for controlling contraband (see Section 08i) apply
here. Rooms that are contraband sources should either be zoned as Staff-only
or have guards stationed there.
You can also install metal detectors which will find most tools but keep in
mind that inmates can also make improvised wooden pickaxes in workshops!
2. Searches
Cell searches, cell block searches and Shakedowns can be used to find tunnels
and they can also find tools that have been hidden in cells.
Searching cell toilets is the most reliable way to discover escape tunnels;
the new Tunnel Search option can be used to search cell toilets only.
3. Dogs
Canine units can detect tunnels underground so you should set up dog patrol
routes between cell blocks and the perimeter. They do give a lot of false
alerts but if you see several warnings in a small area on an obvious route
from cells to perimeter it's worth searching the nearby cell blocks to try to
uncover the tunnel's route.
4. Needs
Prisoners with satisfied Freedom, Family and Safety needs are less likely to
try to escape. You can help this by providing visitation, phone booths and
post (mail room), including more Free-Time on the regime and keeping the
danger level low by generally keeping inmates satisfied and "Well Fed".
5. Construction
If you've saved up a decent amount of money (or you're playing with unlimited
funds) you can build a full perimeter wall around your jail.
You should also avoid placing large water pipes between cell blocks and the
prison's perimeter. The narrower type of water pipe can be used to connect
toilets and showers within cell blocks.
The console versions of the game include the option to build water terrain
which can be used to make a moat that forces tunnellers to take a much longer
route giving you more time to detect tunnels via Shakedown or dog patrol.
6. Punishment
Setting a harsher punishment for escape attempts (Policy menu) should help to
deter prisoners from trying to break out.
7. Roll Call (PC only)
Update 14 on PC added the Roll Call function. During a roll call the inmates
are required to stand in their cell doorways for inspection. (If you have
dorms then the prisoners will stand by their beds there instead.)
If someone takes longer to arrive it should be an indication that they were
digging an escape tunnel. A nearby guard can also notice late arrivals and
automatically request cell searches.
Once a tunnel's route has been exposed it will invalidate the "enclosed" room
requirement on any cells it passes through. You might notice the red warning
triangles on the cells or a drop in your total bed count.
Whenever you discover an escape tunnel you should use the Remove Tunnels option
on the Demolition menu to fill it. The first time you do this (in the console
versions of the game) you'll earn a trophy/achievement too.
Remember that inmates can also escape by more direct means if there's a breach
in your perimeter or an unsecure door (or if they have stolen jail keys).
Escape Plans
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Update 14 on PC (entitled "Climbing the Walls") added the Escape Plans gameplay
option which gives extra ways to escape.
If an inmate is very strong they can climb over a fence; meanwhile other inmates
can steal prisoner uniforms from a laundry and tie them together into an escape
rope (contraband item). Once this is deployed on a wall/fence it can be used by
multiple inmates to climb over the barrier towards freedom so when you see one
you should remove it promptly.
Guards and dog patrols have a suppressive effect on prisoners and will make them
much less likely to scale a wall/fence. Also if they see a prisoner climbing
nearby they can try to knock them down.
Update 15 provided the option of adding barbed wire on walls and fences to
discourage the use of climbing ropes. Prisoners will try to avoid barbed wire
but if there's no alternative they will climb over the barbed section and take
damage. The update also made it possible for prisoners to climb a nearby tree
(fully-grown trees only) in order to get over barbed wire.
Since Update 15 the Escape Plans setting also allows some prisoners to hijack a
stationary delivery truck on the access road. They will attack the driver inside
and drive away down the road, crashing through any standard road gates. Trucks
can only be stopped by armed guards or the new road barrier (see Section 06e)
which is deployed during a Lockdown order.
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 13 | PRISON STORIES s13 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
The stories form the game's campaign/tutorial consisting of five chapters.
You progress through each chapter by completing a series of mandatory tasks
which are shown on your To-Do List which can be viewed by pressing L1 (or LB).
Each chapter also has optional objectives (marked "[optional]" below) which will
be explained by the prison's CEO and can also be reviewed on the To-Do List.
Sometimes you need to advance the story by clicking on a large "snapshot" photo
within the prison* - if you want to complete the optional objectives make sure
you do them first before clicking on the photo.
You can hold Triangle and use d-pad left/right to adjust the game speed and
press Cross to skip text boxes but the story cutscenes are unskippable.
There's one trophy/achievement for completing all story chapters and another
five for completing all optional objectives in each of the chapters.
*Completing all five chapters unlocks 143 of the 155 snapshot collectibles in
the base game (on consoles). You might be able to find some of the remaining
dozen while playing through the campaign too so remember to look out for the
smaller snapshots marked "?".
1. Death Row
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
In this first chapter you build an execution block.
This teaches the basics of constructing buildings, defining rooms, adding
objects and connecting utilities.
- construct brick building where indicated
- add large jail door where indicated
- add interior brick walls where indicated
- add two interior doors where indicated
- designate cell and execution rooms where indicated (click and drag)
- add bed, toilet and electric chair where indicated
- add window in exterior cell wall [optional]
- add bookshelf in cell [optional]
- add new flooring [optional]
- add path to execution block [optional]
- add outdoor lights near execution block [optional]
- click large snapshot in Edward's cell to continue
- extend electrical cables where indicated (cell block)
- extend electrical cables where indicated (electric chair)
- add three capacitors to power station where indicated
- click power station to turn on
- click electric chair to test
2. Palermo*
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
After a major fire you need to restore the catering services.
This teaches you how to use emergency services, demolition, time controls,
guard deployment, prisoner needs and programmes.
*Palermo is an Italian city and a major centre for Mafia activity.
- call fire engine
- select firefighter squad and direct to fire in canteen and kitchen
- hire two doctors
- dismiss firefighters
- hire ten extra workmen [optional]
- bulldoze kitchen and canteen (entire buildings and contents)
- designate garbage zone where indicated
- increase game speed
- deploy ten guards around prison site
- create patrol route where indicated (hold to drag lines)
- assign at least two guards to patrol route
- build new kitchen and canteen
You'll need to construct two new buildings to replace the previous ones and
then designate them as kitchen and canteen using the Rooms menu.
- add four cookers and four fridges in kitchen
You'll need to use the Power Supply menu to reconnect the electric supply.
- add one sink and one bin in kitchen
- reconnect water pipes to sink
- hire at least eight cooks
- add two serving tables, six tables, twelve benches and one bin in canteen
Despite the instructions you can position the benches in any arrangement.
- handle 35 prisoners' Food needs [optional]
Your new catering facilities should be sufficient for this although if you
have avoided deaths from starvation a couple more benches wouldn't hurt.
(The three objectives here show progress out of 35 but if you happen to
lose so many prisoners through starvation that you have fewer than 35 left
at this stage it doesn't matter - you can still complete these objectives!)
- handle 35 prisoners' Environment needs [optional]
If necessary you can hire a load of janitors to clean the prison.
- handle 35 prisoners' Recreation needs [optional]
I just added televisions and radios everywhere. The inmates will use TV's
in their cells during Lockup time, in yards during Yard time (electricity
supply required) and in the canteen during Eat and Work time.
- add two sprinklers in kitchen and two sprinklers in canteen
- connect sprinklers to water supply
- click large snapshot in shower room (top-left corner) to continue
- run a Shakedown to find hidden drugs (and lots of other contraband)
- build common room and add at least eight chairs
You'll need to make a new building and designate it as a common room.
- activate Alcoholics Group Therapy programme
- activate Pharmacological Treatment of Drug Addiction programme
- have at least three prisoners pass Alcoholics programme [optional]
- have at least three prisoners pass Drug Addiction programme [optional]
I had a total of 77 prisoners and four joined the drug rehab programme. The
alcoholics programme had two people sign up and a third interested in doing
it next time but when I checked again all three were attending. (phew)
The drug programme consists of only three daily sessions but the alcohol
one lasts for ten days so you'll definitely want to bump the game speed up
to maximum. It should take about half an hour of real time to finish.
(If you open a programme via the Programmes menu it will show how many days
have been completed so far.)
- build/designate a laundry room [optional]
You'll need to add laundry machines, ironing boards and laundry baskets.
- have at least 10 janitors [optional]
Hire more janitors if necessary to take your total up to ten.
- handle 35 prisoners' Clothing needs [optional]
With the laundry and all those janitors this should complete very quickly.
- click large snapshot in infirmary to continue (end chapter)
3. G.A.B.O.S.*
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
There's a major riot and the prison's CEO has been taken hostage.
This teaches you how to direct emergency units, control riots, use logistics
and adjust prisoner intake.
*In 2011 Louis Theroux made a TV documentary about Miami's "mega-jails" which
exposed a violent prisoner code called GABOS (Game Ain't Based On Sympathy).
- direct riot guards to pacify central cell block (red areas)
You can select individual guards or click and drag to select a group and
then click to designate waypoints for them as you work through the block.
If an entire squad gets wiped out (or if you dismiss a depleted squad) you
can call for another one from the Emergencies menu.
- have at least thirty guards
- deploy eight standard guards in central cell block (to maintain order)
- build infirmary (with medical beds) and morgue (with morgue slabs)
- hire five doctors
(Try not to worry yet about the massive blazing inferno in the west wing!)
- direct riot guards where indicated (security room near canteen)
- direct riot guards to pacify south cell block
- deploy standard guards in south cell block
- direct the riot guards to pacify west cell block (still ignoring fire)
- deploy standard guards in west cell block
You might find that you need to retake the north canteen too (unprompted).
(Now it's finally time to do something about that blaze...)
- select firefighter squads and direct to fire in west cell block
- build/designate staff room (with wide sofa and drink machine) [optional]
- build/designate ten unfurnished solitary cells (no min size)
Take care not to select the doorways when zoning the cells otherwise they
will be flagged as invalid for not being "enclosed", i.e. if you make cells
with 1x1 interiors you should only select the single square of floor.
- build/designate armoury (with weapon rack, table and five lockers)
- have at least 5 armed guards
- define at least one patrol route and assign 5 armed guards to patrols
- research Body Armour and Tazers (in Bureaucracy menu)
- research Dogs (in Bureaucracy menu) [optional]
- build/designate kennel (with dog crates) [optional]
- hire at least 5 dog handlers [optional]
- assign 3 dog handlers to patrols [optional]
- research Tazer Rollout (in Bureaucracy menu) [optional]
- build/designate classroom (with office desk and school desks) [optional]
(The minimum size for a classroom is 5x5 floorspace (i.e. 7x7 building) but
if you make it slightly larger you'll be able to comfortably fit ten school
desks inside so you can get ten guards qualified in a single class.)
- activate Guard Tazer Certification programme [optional]
- have at least 10 guards pass tazer programme [optional]
The course only lasts one day and you can have two programmes running.
- click large snapshot at entrance to continue (end chapter)
4. Conviction
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
A jail with poor conditions needs your help to improve.
This teaches you planning, reform programmes, prison labour and exports.
- construct large building on east site (it's easiest to follow the plans)
(Remember to add doors if you want your workmen to build cells inside it!)
- build/designate cells to bring total to 40 (use Quick Rooms)
I had trouble with lights causing sections of cell walls to not be built
(which made some cells invalid) but I just added those walls manually.
- build/designate shower room with shower heads (ditto)
- designate a yard (no fence required)
- unlock Prison Labour in Bureaucracy tree
- designate Exports zone near the main road (use Rooms menu)
- build/designate workshop (with saw benches, press benches and tables)
You'll need to construct your workshop somewhere on the east plot of land
and connect to the existing electrical cables near the cell block.
If you make the workshop at least 240 squares (e.g. 15x16 interior) and
add ten of each bench that will save a little time later.
- activate Kitchen Safety & Hygiene programme (Programmes menu)
- activate Workshop Safety Induction programme
- assign three prisoners to work in kitchen (Logistics menu)
- assign three prisoners to work in workshop
You can assign the workers before the courses finish.
- have 5 prisoners pass Kitchen Safety & Hygiene programme [optional]
- have 10 prisoners pass Workshop Safety Induction programme [optional]
- make 100 licence plates in workshop [optional]
Both courses run for two days.
- build/designate visitation room with visitor tables
- have ten families visit prisoners
- add at least five phone booths in yard (your new one)
- build/designate mail room (with sorting desk and table)
- assign three prisoners to work in mail room
The inmates suddenly all have critical Family needs so I'd suggest doing a
couple of these objectives quickly to prevent a riot and then waiting for
those optional objectives to complete first before you finish this list.
The mail room will need to be at least 36 squares (e.g. 6x6 interior) to be
big enough for three workers.
- build/designate a chapel (with altar, pews and prayer mats)
- activate Spiritual Guidance programme
The minimum interior size for the chapel is 6x6.
- unlock Education (in Bureaucracy menu)
- build/designate a classroom (with office desk and school desks)
- activate Foundation Education programme
The minimum interior size for the classroom is 5x5 but I'd suggest making
it large enough to hold the maximum twenty school desks. You could also
have two education programmes running to increase capacity.
- build/designate cells to bring total to 80 (use Quick Rooms)
- have 5 prisoners pass Foundation Education programme [optional]
The education course lasts ten game days so you'll want to run at maximum
speed - it should take about half an hour of real time. Keep checking the
To-Do List so you know when you've completed this requirement.
- build/designate cells to bring total to 120 (use Quick Rooms) [optional]
- click large snapshot in Morgan's cell to continue (end chapter)
5. Bootstraps
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
The prison from chapter 1 has been demolished so a new one can be built.
The optional objectives require you to complete five of the basic grants
which is a good idea because you begin with only $28,520 starting funds.
The Grants menu (see Section 07e) can be accessed under the Reports menu and
all objectives for open grants will be shown on your To-Do List.
- activate and complete Basic Detention Centre grant [optional]
The required holding cell, shower, kitchen and canteen can all be built
very quickly using the Quick Rooms menu. The yard needs to be "secure" so
you should throw up a cheap fence perimeter (with gate!) around the jail.
Once you have secure basic facilities in place, you can accept a prisoner
intake which will start earning you $150 per person per day. Ker-ching!
- activate and complete Administration Centre grant [optional]
The offices can also be constructed via Quick Rooms. The accountant can be
hired after unlocking Finance in the Bureaucracy tree.
- activate and complete Security Procedure Certification grant [optional]
The chief can be hired after unlocking Security in the Bureaucracy tree.
He'll require an office before you can unlock Patrols.
- activate and complete Inmate Health & Well-Being grant [optional]
The doctors and psychologist can be hired after unlocking Health and
Psychology (respectively) in the Bureaucracy tree. (If you have the 'Psych
Ward' DLC, make sure you get a psychologist instead of a psychiatrist!)
For the infirmary you can build a "medical room" via Quick Rooms.
- activate and complete Prison Maintenance grant [optional]
Your foreman will require an office before you can unlock Cleaning and
Groundskeeping.
- accept intake to have a population of at least 40 prisoners
- achieve a bank balance of a least $60,000
- have a positive cashflow (cashflow in top-right is green when profitable)
These are your mandatory objectives for the first phase of the level.
You can build basic cells easily from the Quick Rooms menu. If you make
them in rows of five, it's easy to clone them and keep count.
Although it's not even an optional objective, you can complete the Cell
Block A grant for $40,000 once you have a prisoner capacity of 15.
If you accept fifty inmates (after building cells for them) that will allow
for loses due to releases/escapes/deaths! Min-Sec prisoners (grey uniforms)
tend to have shorter sentences (faster turnover) so you'll get more intake
bonuses and quicker releases (for the second phase).
As long as your cashflow is positive, you'll continue to make money as you
keep playing the game. Once you've completed all the optional grants, the
easiest way to make some fast money is to start a few more grants - some
pay $10k-15k in advance and after researching Extra Grants you can have up
to three open at the same time.
Adding a workshop and/or forestry zone can help you improve your profits
but prisoners need to pass the training programme before they can use a
workshop and don't forget that you need an Exports zone to make sales.
- have re-offending rate of 45% or less
- release at least ten prisoners
- accept intake to have a population of at least 80 inmates
These are your mandatory objectives for the second phase of the level.
The re-offending rate of prisoners that have been released is based on the
Punishment, Reform, Security and Health gradings for your prison which are
shown on the pause screen (see Section 08b). It's probably easiest here to
focus on the Punishment and Security scores.
You can release prisoners earlier by building a parole room, researching
Prison Policy and running the parole programme (see Section 07f). The set
threshold rate for paroles (Policy menu) will prevent inmates with a high
chance of re-offending from being released on parole.
Although it's not even an optional objective, you can complete the Cell
Block B grant for $30k once you have a prisoner capacity of 50.
As you expand your prison remember to increase your facilities and staffing
to support the larger population - keep checking the Needs menu to see if
any issues need to be addressed, e.g. visitation for Family need. You can
also change the regime schedule if necessary.
In my first playthrough I passed this at Day 15 (on my tenth release).
- click large snapshot on road to continue (end chapter)
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 14 | ESCAPE MODE s14 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
In Escape Mode you play as an inmate in any one of your own prisons or any jail
that you've downloaded and your goal - as you might've guessed - is to escape.
Since there are significant differences between them, I've covered the computer
and console versions of Escape Mode separately.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 14a | Computer Version s14a |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
The original Escape Mode for PC was revealed in the update video for Version 1.0
which was recorded live at the EGX video-games show in September 2015. Escape
Mode was added as a free update to the game.
You arrive at the prison deliveries zone by bus as usual and are then processed
in the reception (if the prison has one) and escorted to your cell which will be
chosen at random. You are then free to roam the prison but you must try to not
get caught outside your cell during Sleep and Lockup time (the cell door icon
with a green arrow will direct you towards your cell) or in any room not zoned
for your security category (areas indicated by red stripes).
If you stand next to any door that you're authorised to enter it will be opened
for you by a guard. You have no needs so you don't eat, shower, exercise, etc,
and you're not required to attend work or education programmes either.
You start with zero "Rep Points" but you can start earning these by damaging any
objects in the prison and by attacking inmates and staff. (Damaged objects will
get repaired by workmen and staff will be healed/replaced as necessary.)
There are three ways to spend your Rep Points:
o You can recruit prisoners to your crew by standing next to them and holding
right-click. Each recruitment costs a certain number of Rep Points (shown on
the right) according to how many people are in your crew already and your new
recruit's initial reputations (if any).
Once you have a crew you can choose whether to switch between playing each
person or have them follow you around. Your crew will copy your actions so
they'll support you in a fight, help you earn Rep Points and assist with
digging tunnels. They also serve effectively as extra lives so you can keep
playing if your first character gets killed.
o If you damage property or attack people then the prison's punishments (i.e.
solitary or cell lockdown) will be applied when you get caught. You can spend
one Rep Point to skip all punishments (for you and your crew).
Alternatively if only some of your crew are stuck with punishments you can
save your Rep Point by switching to another character.
o Your character and anyone else in your crew can have up to six reputations
(see Section 08b). You can buy one reputation for one person for one Rep Point
and then upgrade it to the "extreme" version for a further five Rep Points.
The following reputations are available in Escape Mode:
Strong - the prisoner can do more damage with melee attacks
Tough - the prisoner can take more damage before becoming unconscious
Deadly - the prisoner has a chance of giving a one-hit kill in combat
Quick - the prisoner can run faster (hold Shift)
Instigator - the prisoner incites other inmates to fight with them
Skilled Fighter - the prisoner can disarm opponents during combat
Upgraded reputations make your crew much more capable so you can go on longer
rampages to earn more Rep Points before getting KO'ed and apprehended.
An upgraded character is a valuable resource so you should surrender (press
Space) when confronted by an armed guard who has the potential to kill you.
Each prisoner in your crew has inventory slots for two contraband items which
can be obtained from the usual rooms (see Section 08i) - you need to walk around
a room until a contraband icon appears and then hold right-click when prompted
to take the item. Metallic items can trigger metal detectors and will then be
confiscated during a search unless you can stash the item first.
Weapons can be used to attack prisoners or guards and poison can be used on
objects (these both earn Rep Points). Lighters can be used to set objects on
fire and keys (taken from incapacitated guards) will open locked doors.
Tools can be used to dig a tunnel from your cell toilet to escape or simply to
access other parts of the prison. Tools only have limited durability so you'll
need to find several - the main sources are workshops and kitchens.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 14b | Console Version s14b |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
Initially absent from the console editions of Prison Architect, Escape Mode was
added as a premium expansion for PS4 and Xbox One in August 2018 and then for
the Nintendo Switch in September 2018. It is not available on Xbox 360.
Double Eleven's version of Escape Mode adds a range of new gameplay features
including 25 unlockable skills, five prisoner "needs", a black-market dealer, an
online leaderboard, thirteen new trophies/achievements (see Section 17b) and 27
new snapshot collectibles (see Section 16).
Prison Selection [Escape Mode]
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
You can choose to play in one of your own prisons, a pre-made design from Prison
Warden mode (including DLC maps) or a downloaded map from World of Wardens.
If you use one of your own jail designs it must have a warden, a holding cell, a
kitchen and a canteen plus water/electricity supplies; also it should be fully
secure, have no invalid cells and have been running for at least ten game days.
If it fails to meet any of these criteria you'll receive a warning message but
you can continue if the only issues are security gaps or invalid cells.
(see 'Prison Design' below for a long list of further considerations)
Game Preferences [Escape Mode]
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Escape Mode has its own options settings which are separate from the main game.
1. Difficulty
There are three difficulty levels which represent specific combinations of
the preference settings listed below. Choosing any other settings gives a
"Custom" difficulty instead.
- Gentle (easy) gives you infinite health, $500 starting funds, twelve skill
points, maximum tool durability and low needs.
- Casual (medium) gives you average health, $250, six skill points, average
tool durability and average needs.
- Standard (hard) gives you low health, no cash, three skill points, heavy
tool degradation and high needs.
You must play on the Standard difficulty if you want to earn the Escape Mode
trophies/achievements (see Section 17b) or post a score on the leaderboard.
2. Health
This determines how much damage your prisoner character can take - you can
choose Low, Medium, High or Immortal.
3. Starting Funds
You can start with $0, $100, $250 or $500.
Cash is used to buy black-market goods, bribe guards and recruit crew.
4. Starting Skill Points
25 unique skills are available in the console version of Escape Mode. These
are unlocked and upgraded with skill points.
You can start with three, six or twelve skill points. You're forced to assign
all of these when you begin a new game but you can only put these initial
points into the first six skills.
5. Tool Decay
Some contraband items such as pickaxes and spades can be used to dig escape
tunnels. These tools have limited durability and this option determines the
rate at which they deteriorate during use (how quickly they break).
6. Needs Decay
Your character has several needs which can be satisfied by various methods,
for example you can satisfy your Food need by eating. This option controls
how soon a satisfied need becomes unsatisfied again.
7. Movement Speed
This is the speed at which your character can traverse the prison. The
default setting is Low on all three difficulties but it's possible to have
Medium or High speed on a Custom diff.
After choosing your difficulty/settings you get the Inmate Creator screen which
allows you to customise and select one of five player characters. You can adjust
the name, face, body, size, skin tone and uniform colour. You are also forced to
assign all of your initial skill points across the Fighter, Merchant, Athlete,
Chronos Traveller, Pack Mule and Avid Learner skills.
Basic Gameplay [Escape Mode]
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
You arrive at the prison by bus and get escorted to your cell by a guard.
(If you arrive during Sleep time and there's nothing else to do in your cell you
might as well just go to bed.)
You can move with the left stick and change your facing with the right stick.
Button prompts will be shown on the screen for most available actions.
Use L2/LT to zoom out and R2/RT to zoom in. Your character stays centred on the
screen so you can't move your view around the prison unless you walk there.
When you leave your cell it will be indicated by a bright green outline. You
can also hold L1 or Triangle (LB or Y on Xbox) to show useful markers including
some which show where to satisfy your needs.
green marker with jail door = your cell (for Sleep need)
yellow marker with plate = canteen (for Food need)
blue marker with shower = shower (for Hygiene need)
brown marker with barbell = weights bench (for Exercise need)
pale green marker with medkit = infirmary (for low health)
green marker with payphone = phone (to start phone mission)
green marker with moneybag = dealer (to collect mission reward)
green marker with dollar sign = shop (to buy items)
This will also display guard patrol routes after unlocking the Observant skill.
The header bar at the top of the screen shows the danger level, how many jail
keys you have, how many skill points you have (and a bar with your XP progress
to the next one), the day counter (includes days during construction), clock,
game speed and your cash.
Your item inventory is shown at the bottom of the screen. You can switch between
objects with d-pad left/right. Press R1/RB to attack with the selected item or
press Circle/B to drop the item (a guard or inmate will soon find it).
Select the fists icon to unequip items. You can attack with your fists too.
By default your inventory only has two slots but it can be expanded by unlocking
and upgrading the Pack Mule skill.
Hold L1/LB and use the d-pad to access your needs, crew, skills and inventory.
Guards [Escape Mode]
¯¯¯¯¯¯
The prison guards obviously play an important role in Escape Mode.
If a guard can see your character they will have an eye icon over their head and
the eye icon at the top-left of the screen will be open. The guard will accost
you if you break any rules - this can include attacking inmates/guards/doors,
stealing contraband, digging tunnels, wearing disguises, sabotaging equipment,
picking locks, setting fires or swimming.
However it's safe to buy contraband from the dealer or to walk around with a
contraband item equipped. Also the other staff like cooks and admin ignore your
actions, even if you steal the booze and fags from their office!
You can bribe guards with money - this can be expensive but you can reduce the
cost with the Back Scratcher skill. A bribed guard is indicated with a green
dollar sign on their eye icon. This fades over time but for as long as the bribe
is in effect the guard will ignore your misconduct.
If you stand by a locked door, a guard will come to let you through as long as
you're not trying to access a room with Staff-only zoning. You can also get past
locked doors by picking the lock (Locksmith skill required), damaging the door
until it breaks, using a jail key or tunnelling into the room.
Needs [Escape Mode]
¯¯¯¯¯
Your character has five needs which must be fulfilled to avoid penalties.
o Sleep
You can satisfy your Sleep need by sleeping in a bed. You can sleep in your
cell or anywhere else you find a bed!
You usually sleep until the end of the Sleep phase on the regime or for eight
hours if you go to bed during the day. The game fast-forwards during sleep.
You can also satisfy Sleep with an energy drink from the dealer/shop.
Lack of sleep will make your character slower.
o Food
You can satisfy Food by eating a meal at a canteen. When you interact with the
serving counter your character will take a tray and find a seat. You can do
this at any time of day, although there will usually be several guards in a
canteen who will catch you if you're out after curfew (Sleep time).
You can also satisfy Food with beef ramen from the dealer/shop.
It's also possible to take bacon as contraband from a kitchen. This inventory
item can be eaten to satisfy Food or used to bribe a guard dog!
Lack of food will eventually result in unconsciousness.
o Hygiene
You can satisfy Hygiene by taking a shower. You can do this in a shower room
or anywhere else you find a shower, although the classic combo of a shower and
a toilet on the same square doesn't work.
You can also satisfy Hygiene with soap from the dealer/shop.
Lack of hygiene will make your character earn less XP.
o Exercise
You can satisfy Exercise by using a weights bench.
You can also satisfy Exercise with tablets from the dealer/shop.
Lack of exercise will make your character weaker.
o Clothing
You can satisfy Clothing (if the prison has a laundry service) by taking a
clean uniform off a bed in any cell. You can utilise a washing machine in a
laundry to instantly wash your clothes too.
You can also satisfy Clothing with a fresh uniform from the dealer/shop.
You cannot pick up uniforms from reception or laundry rooms.
Lack of clean clothing will make your character more conspicuous to guards so
you are much more likely to get stopped and searched.
Regime [Escape Mode]
¯¯¯¯¯¯
Every prison always follows the same fixed regime as follows:
21:00 Sleep 03:00 Sleep 09:00 Work 15:00 Free Time
22:00 Sleep 04:00 Sleep 10:00 Work 16:00 Yard
23:00 Sleep 05:00 Sleep 11:00 Work 17:00 Yard
00:00 Sleep 06:00 Shower 12:00 Eat 18:00 Free Time
01:00 Sleep 07:00 Free Time 13:00 Eat 19:00 Free Time
02:00 Sleep 08:00 Work 14:00 Free Time 20:00 Free Time
You can't view this schedule within the game but the current activity is shown
at the top of the screen below the day counter and clock.
</pre><pre id="faqspan-9">
A curfew is enforced during Sleep time - if a guard catches you outside your
cell during Sleep you will be returned to your room. Otherwise you are free to
eat, shower, exercise, work, etc, at any time of day as long as you have access
to the necessary facilities. Other prisoners will follow the schedule though.
Contraband [Escape Mode]
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
You can obtain and use tools, weapons, luxuries, jail keys and bacon.
Just like in the base game, specific contraband items can be obtained from
certain types of rooms (see both lists in Section 08i). Each room spawns one of
each type of item but you can only see them when standing nearby so you need to
"sweep" the room by moving around it.
Hold Cross/A to pick up an item or hold Square/X to swap the item for the one
you currently have selected. Items respawn fairly quickly after taking them.
You can also buy jail keys and shanks from the dealer (see below).
Additionally you can order your crew to collect contraband items and bring them
to your cell.
Icons on the main inventory screen indicate the potential uses of different
items. There is also a metal detector icon which shows which items can be found
by a metal detector.
o Tools such as pickaxes and spades can be used to dig tunnels (see below).
These have a spade icon in the main inventory.
o Screwdrivers, hammers, drills or scissors can be used to pick locks (with the
Locksmith skill) or to sabotage equipment (with the Saboteur skill).
These have a tool icon in the main inventory.
o Weapons such as shanks and knives can be used to attack guards or inmates.
o Tools, weapons and luxuries (cigarettes, booze and medicine) can also be sold
to the dealer as a way of making money.
o Lighters can be used to start fires. Aside from being quite fun, this will
also destroy wall sections which can be useful in escape attempts.
These have a fire icon in the main inventory.
o Cellphones can be used to phone "The Boss" for missions (see below).
o Bacon can be used as food or to bribe guard dogs.
You can stash contraband items in some furniture, such as beds, desks, filing
cabinets, pews and fridges. You can then retrieve the items later.
Skills [Escape Mode]
¯¯¯¯¯¯
There are 25 skills which can be bought and upgraded using skill points.
You start the game with three, six or twelve skill points but after that you get
them as you earn XP to level your character. Your XP is shown at the top-left of
the screen - each time that bar is filled you earn another skill point. (It's
important to remember that the bar empties whenever you skip a punishment, but
you don't lose any unused skill points.)
Most actions in the prison will give you XP, for example eating, showering,
exercising, killing prisoners and guards, digging, reading/studying, completing
missions and working - you even get a small amount just for sleeping.
The Avid Learner skill increases the amount of XP you earn from each action but
an unsatisfied Hygiene need can reduce your XP gains by 20%.
You can also buy one skill point per day from the dealer (see below).
Reading (at a bookshelf or in a library) and studying (at a school desk) are
both excellent ways to earn XP. With the max level of Avid Learning and Chronos
Traveller (to speed up game time) you can earn 15-16 XP every couple of seconds.
Completing phone missions and sabotaging lots of equipment also give good XP or
you can get 500 XP if you kill the prison warden!
(The dead warden will be replaced but there's a limit on how many times you can
do this. tfiggs on Reddit discovered that if you kill too many wardens they'll
be replaced by a "satanic priest" figure - he can't be killed and any melee
damage on him gets reflected back onto you!)
Hold L1/LB and press d-pad right to view the skills menu which shows all skills
available and your current level in each. Some of the later skills require one
or two earlier skills to unlock them.
o Fighter (8 levels)
This skill increases the power of your melee attacks.
Each level also increases the chances of getting a critical hit which gives a
one-hit kill.
o Merchant (5 levels)
Each level of this skill reduces the prices of the items sold by the dealer.
It also increases the prices he pays when you sell contraband to him.
At level 5 he charges half and pays double his normal amounts. For example he
usually sells a shank for $20 and buys an unused spade for $100. At Merchant
level 5 he sells shanks at only $10 each and pays $200 for a pristine spade.
This is a very useful skill, especially if you want to make money by farming
and selling contraband items to the dealer.
o Athlete (5 levels)
You can perform a brief sprint by pressing L3.
Each level of this skill increases your sprint stamina.
o Chronos Traveller (2 levels)
This skill allows you to increase the game speed.
The controls are the same as the main game - hold Triangle/Y and press d-pad
left or right to go slower or faster.
Level 2 is pretty much essential - the game is very slow without it.
Level 3 is handy when you want to "fast forward" time while waiting or when
you're farming XP off an activity like reading/studying.
o Pack Mule (4 levels)
By default your inventory has two slots for carrying items.
Each level of this skill increases that by two, for a maximum of ten slots.
o Avid Learner (4 levels)
This increases the amount of XP you receive from all activities.
This is very useful if you want to learn and upgrade new skills or unlock
extra slots for crew members.
o Respect (3 levels)
This skill simply makes other prisoners less likely to attack you.
("You know why? It was outta respect.")
o Engineer (5 levels)
This skill makes equipment items last longer.
This is especially useful when using tools to dig an tunnel.
o Tough Guy (8 levels)
Each level of this skill increases your character's health (hit points).
It also increases your resistance to tazers.
o Moleman (5 levels)
This skill makes it less likely that your escape tunnels will be discovered.
At level 5 you gain the ability to peek out of a tunnel exit.
o Back Scratcher (5 levels)
This skill reduces the amounts of money required to bribe guards.
At level 5 the amounts are approximately halved.
o Natural Leader (10 levels)
This skill reduces the amount of money required to recruit crew members.
From level 5 onwards the skill also improves your ability to encourage other
prisoners to start fighting.
o Mob Connections (3 levels)
Each level of this skill adds one extra package to the phone missions where
you collect contraband from around the prison.
The maximum number is four and you earn $50 per package.
o Marksman (3 levels)
This skill improves your accuracy with firearms.
o Sweet Talker (10 levels)
This reduces the duration of the punishments you receive from the guards.
o Thief (5 levels)
Level 1 gives you a chance of stealing jail keys from guards.
It also gives a chance of taking an opponent's weapon during combat.
Later levels improve your chances of both abilities.
Jail keys are a single-use consumable item which can be used to open a locked
door. The number of keys you hold is shown at the top-left of the screen.
You can also buy keys from the dealer - or you can learn to pick locks...
o Locksmith (3 levels)
Level 1 allows you to pick a lock on any door without a servo.
Later levels reduce the time required to pick a lock. At level 1 (with normal
game speed) it takes about six seconds to complete. After upgrading to level 3
it only takes a couple of seconds.
Lockpicking requires a screwdriver, hammer, drill or scissors. (Of these four
the scissors are the least likely to be found by guards during a search.)
You can get a screwdriver, a hammer and a drill from a workshop or storage
area and you can get a pair of scissors from a library, classroom, infirmary,
morgue or mail room.
To pick a lock you need to stand next to it with one of these tools selected
in your inventory. Press and hold Square (X on Xbox) when prompted.
Lock-picking counts as suspicious behaviour.
o Observant (1 level)
[requires Back Scratcher level 1 to unlock]
This skill allows you to see guard patrol routes when you hold L1 or Triangle
(LB or Y on Xbox).
There is only one level available and it costs two skill points.
o Saboteur (3 levels)
[requires Avid Learner level 1 to unlock]
Level 1 allows you to sabotage certain pieces of prison equipment.
Later levels cause your handiwork to remain undetected for longer.
Sabotage requires a screwdriver, hammer, drill or scissors.
You can get a screwdriver, a hammer and a drill from a workshop or storage
area and you can get a pair of scissors from a library, classroom, infirmary,
morgue or mail room.
To sabotage a device you need to stand next to it with one of these tools
selected in your inventory. Press and hold Cross (or A on Xbox) when prompted.
You can sabotage CCTV cameras, metal detectors, door servos, door control
systems, laundry machines, water pump stations, power stations and capacitors.
The effects will last for 24 hours (game time) and then the damage will be
identified and repaired by a workman. Each additional level of the skill adds
an extra 24 hours to this duration.
Sabotaging a door servo causes the door to lock in the open position. This can
obviously be very useful in an escape attempt.
Sabotaging a door control system causes all attached door servos to lock in
the closed position. (If you sabotage a door controller in a room with a door
linked to the same controller then you will become permanently trapped inside
the room! Workmen will be unable to enter the room to repair the controller.)
Sabotaging a power station also causes all servo doors that are powered by
that station to lock closed for the duration of the effect.
Sabotaging washing machines in a laundry gives you XP but keep in mind that
you can use them to wash your own clothes and satisfy your Clothing need.
Sabotage counts as suspicious behaviour.
o Secret Pocket (5 levels)
[requires Pack Mule level 1 to unlock]
This skill makes it less likely for guards to find your gear in searches.
o Ninja (3 levels)
[requires Athlete level 1 to unlock]
This skill makes it harder for guards (and CCTV cameras) to see you.
o Escape Expert (5 levels)
[requires Moleman level 1 to unlock]
This skill allows you to dig tunnels at a faster rate.
o Swimmer (10 levels)
[requires Fighter level 1 and Athlete level 1 to unlock]
Level 1 allows you to swim in water. (you can't enter water without it)
Later levels increase how long you can swim.
Your range is indicated by a purple gauge which depletes while swimming. If
the gauge empties while you're still in the water you'll become unconscious.
Swimming counts as suspicious behaviour.
o Rage (5 levels)
[requires Fighter level 1 and Athlete level 1 to unlock]
Level 1 allows you to enter a temporary "Incredible Hulk" state.
Later levels extend the active duration.
You can enter Rage when the R3 prompt is shown at the top-right of the screen.
Pressing R3 makes you temporarily invincible and increases your attack power.
By default the effect lasts 12 minutes (game time) but that can be increased
to 20 minutes by upgrading the skill.
The ability can be used once every 12 hours (game time) but it's unavailable
when you're handcuffed, injured or unconscious.
o Inconspicuous (5 levels)
[requires Ninja level 1 to unlock]
Level 1 allows you to evade guards by hiding in crowds of prisoners.
Press Square (or X on Xbox) when prompted to blend into a group of inmates;
this should be most effective during Shower or Eat time.
Later levels improve your chances of evasion.
Missions [Escape Mode]
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
You can contact "The Boss" by telephone so the prison layout will need to have
accessible payphones and/or rooms from which you can pick up a cellphone as a
contraband item (i.e. office, staff room or visitation). A cellphone needs to be
equipped from your personal inventory but if you want you can keep it stashed in
your cell or another location when you're not using it.
The Boss will always give you one of three types of mission:
o Distraction
This requires you to provoke the guards so that they chase you - punching one
of them works well! You then need to keep them chasing you for the amount of
game time shown on the red "Distraction" timer at the top of the screen.
Use the sprint function (L3) for bursts of speed. Unlocking and levelling the
Athlete skill increases the duration of your sprint.
You can hold d-pad down to surrender during pursuit.
The reward for completing a mission is $200.
o Assassination
You'll be instructed to "take care of" another prisoner who will be indicated
with a red marker (fists icon or skull icon).
(I think the idea is that there are assault and murder jobs but in practice I
seem to always have to kill them to get the reward.)
Levelling the Fighter and Tough Guy skills and buying/stealing a weapon will
make it easier to complete your goal.
The reward for completing a mission varies from $50 to $500.
o Collection
For this mission type you need to collect a contraband package from within the
prison and deliver it to the dealer (see below).
By default there is one item per mission but unlocking the Mob Connections
skill adds one package per skill level for a maximum of four per mission.
The reward for completing a mission is $50 per package.
Your cash reward from a mission can be collected from the dealer (see below).
You always need to collect the reward before taking another mission.
Tunnelling [Escape Mode]
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
You can dig tunnels to escape beyond the prison perimeter but you can also use
them to access other areas of the prison.
You can only start a tunnel under certain objects, for example toilets, trees,
office desks, sofas, pool tables and electric chairs. These will be highlighted
with a digging icon when you tap L1 or Triangle (LB or Y on Xbox) if you have a
suitable digging tool equipped.
Several types of contraband items can be used as digging tools - you find them
in various rooms (see both lists in Section 08i) but the best tools for digging
come from workshops, storage and forestry.
The various types of tool perform differently in the three types of terrain as
shown on the inventory screen and in the table below. The wooden pickaxe is very
good in all types of terrain and it has the added advantage that it doesn't
trigger metal detectors. However, if you're desperate, you can even use your
bare hands to dig through dirt.
Tool | Soft Soil | Hard Soil | Rock
================================+=============+=============+=============
Axe | 2 | 6 | 9
--------------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------
Drill | 3 | 3 | 8
--------------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------
Fork | 4 | 3 | 1
--------------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------
Hammer | 0 | 5 | 10
--------------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------
Knife / Shank | 6 | 3 | 1
--------------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------
Saw | 5 | 5 | 8
--------------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------
Scissors / Screwdriver / Shears | 1 | 2 | 4
--------------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------
Spade | 10 | 10 | 7
--------------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------
Spoon | 8 | 3 | 1
--------------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------
Wooden Pickaxe | 7 | 10 | 10
After starting a tunnel you can enter it and then start digging by looking in a
certain direction with a tool equipped and holding R1 (RB on Xbox). Tools have
limited durability so they wear out and eventually break.
Digging is hard work so it greatly increases your Sleep and Food needs. It's
very dirty work too so it also increases your Clothing and Hygiene needs. You
can take breaks to satisfy your needs but the more convenient option is to buy
items from the dealer to take care of your needs without leaving the tunnel.
If you dig into a water tile in Escape Mode it will flood the tunnel and the
area around the entrance! It also causes your tunnel to be detected instantly.
There are several skills that can help with tunnelling:
o Engineer improves the durability of your tools.
o Escape Expert allows you to dig faster.
o Moleman reduces the chances of your tunnels being discovered.
o Chronos Traveller lets you speed up time.
o Pack Mule expands your inventory.
o Secret Pocket makes it less likely for guards to find your gear.
o Saboteur allows you to disable metal detectors.
o Merchant reduces the price of items from the dealer.
You can leave a tunnel via the original entrance or you can dig up to create a
new exit. While you are underground you cannot see the walls or rooms at ground
level so you may need to count squares to determine your position. Once you get
the Moleman skill to max level you can peek out of a tunnel exit.
Dealer [Escape Mode]
¯¯¯¯¯¯
The black-market dealer will appear if you enter a canteen, common room or yard
and remain stationary for a couple of seconds. He has black hair and sunglasses.
He will buy or sell contraband items for cash and you also need to go to him to
"hand in" a completed phone mission to get your monetary reward.
Press R1/L1 (or RB/LB on Xbox) to toggle between buying and selling. He will buy
weapons, tools and luxury items (cigarettes, booze and meds).
The dealer sells the following nine items. I've given the standard prices here
but you can reduce these (and increase sale prices) with the Merchant skill.
The first five items provide a quick, convenient and fairly cheap way for you to
satisfy all of your needs. For the ramen, drink, tablets and soap you have two
options - press Square (X on Xbox) to use the item immediately or Cross (A on
Xbox) to put the item in your inventory. You can use an item in your inventory
by holding R1 (RB) - you can use just enough to top-up your need and save the
rest for later if you want.
o Picante Beef Ramen [$5]
Satisfies your Food need.
o Energy Drink [$5]
Satisfies your Sleep need.
o Exercise Tablets [$5]
Satisfies your Exercise need.
This is essential to provide exercise if the prison has no weights benches.
o Soap [$5]
Satisfies your Hygiene need.
o Uniform [$5]
Satisfies your Clothing need.
This is essential to provide clothing if the prison has no laundry service.
o Jail Key [$100]
Can be used to open one locked door.
Keys don't require inventory slots and are shown at the top of the screen.
They are single-use items - each key can only be used to open one door.
The Thief skill allows you to pickpocket keys from guards but you can also get
them from dead guards. The alternative is to learn the Locksmith skill which
allows you to pick locks but you need a tool and it's slower.
o Skill Point [$50]
Gives one skill point to assign to any skill.
The dealer will only sell you one skill point per day and the price increases
by $50 each time, although this can be reduced with Merchant as usual.
o Shank [$20]
Gives one basic weapon item.
You can also use a shank for digging but it's only good in soft soil.
o Medkit [$20]
Can be used to heal yourself.
You can also obtain these contraband items from infirmaries or morgues and you
can get them off dead doctors too.
If the prison has a shop then the counter/s will be staffed by the dealer's
identical twin/s. Their inventory is identical too except that they don't sell
the jail keys, skill points or shanks and they don't buy contraband.
Work [Escape Mode]
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You can work in all the usual "prison labour" locations except for the shop.
If you interact with one of the following objects or rooms you will start doing
work and regularly earn small amounts of XP and cash until you stop. At standard
speed you earn $3 every 20 seconds.
- Sink or cooker in kitchen
- Ironing board in laundry*
- Cleaning cupboard
- Workbench in workshop
- Sorting desk in library or mail room
*You can also sometimes interact with a washing machine in a laundry but this is
to clean your own clothes to satisfy your Clothing need.
Crew [Escape Mode]
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You can recruit up to six inmates to form a crew and then give them orders.
Hold L1 (LB on Xbox) and press d-pad left to view the Crew menu which shows your
available crew slots. A new slot unlocks every five skill points so if you play
on Standard difficulty (where you start with three points) you would need to
earn/buy two more skill points to unlock your first slot.
If you have at least one free slot you can recruit a prisoner by standing next
to them and paying the amount of money shown on the screen. For your first one
this will usually be $10 but you have to pay more if they have reputations (see
Section 08b) - I saw one Legendary who wanted $210! (The cost of recruitments
can be reduced with the Natural Leader skill.)
The other way to recruit inmates is to set the game speed to zero and move the
cursor onto them. This allows you to check the cost and reputations of several
prisoners more quickly.
The crew menu shows what items your recruits are carrying (everyone has two
inventory slots) and can be used to issue commands to your team. Select one of
your crew and press Cross (or A on Xbox) to open the orders list. You can pick
one and either press Cross to issue the chosen command to that recruit or press
Triangle (Y on Xbox) to give the same order to all of your crew.
The following orders are available:
o Act Natural
Crew will remain inconspicuous by performing their normal daily activities.
o Bodyguard
Crew will follow you and attack anyone who attacks you.
o Acquire Contraband
Crew will obtain two items each from contraband sources within the prison and
deliver them to your cell. If there is space available they will stash these
in furniture, otherwise they will drop them on the floor. (and they will be
taken by a guard or another inmate in a matter of seconds!)
After the items are delivered the order reverts to the default Bodyguard.
o Extort Inmates
Crew will bully other prisoners into giving you money.
This will only work if the prison has work places or visitation, otherwise the
prison population won't have any cash in circulation.
o Attempt Escape
Crew will try to escape the prison, either by extending an existing tunnel or
by starting a new one.
If a member of your crew successfully escapes from the prison, you can get a
new recruit to take their place.
o Incite Riot (requires four available recruits)
Crew will spread out across the prison and try to start a riot.
This will probably work better in a bigger prison with a larger population
and unsatisfied needs.
Disguises [Escape Mode]
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You can interact with a guard locker (usually found inside an armoury) to change
your character's appearance.
You can dress as a janitor, gardener, workman, guard, doctor or cook. Outfits
are picked at random but you can keep doing it until you get the one you want.
This is a fun addition but it doesn't seem to be much use since you tend to get
busted by a guard pretty quickly.
Prison Design [Escape Mode]
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There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing - or designing - an Escape
Mode prison for yourself or for others.
These will affect generally how hard it is to escape (by various methods) and
how easy it is to get the Escape Mode trophies/achievements (see Section 17b).
o Minimum Requirements
To use your own prison design in Escape Mode it must have a warden, holding
cell, kitchen, canteen, water supply and electricity supply.
Additionally it must have been running for at least ten full game days - the
day counter must be up to Day 11 or higher. (You'll get a prompt informing you
that you now have the option to upload the design to World of Wardens, but
you only need to do that if you want to share it with other people.)
o Size
A smaller prison with a simpler design will be much easier and quicker to
navigate around than one with a larger and more complicated layout.
If a relatively small prison is built on a large plot of land then an escaping
prisoner will have farther to run after breaching the perimeter.
A larger prison has more prisoners. That means there's more people to recruit
as crew and there's a better chance of finding some with more reputations. It
also makes it easier to start a riot.
Workshops and forestry zones are both sources of useful and valuable tools but
it's much easier to find those items when the areas are relatively small.
o Basic Needs
Having more canteens makes it easier to satisfy the Food need.
Having more showers makes it easier to satisfy the Hygiene need.
Having more weights benches makes it easier to satisfy the Exercise need.
Having a laundry makes it easier to satisfy the Clothing need.
If every cell in the prison has a shower and a weights bench then the player
will always have a cell with convenient ways to satisfy Hygiene and Exercise.
Satisfying needs is also one way of earning XP.
o Other Needs
I would assume that the prison still needs to satisfy the wider needs of the
other prisoners to decrease the danger level and reduce the likelihood that
the player character gets shanked in the showers.
On that basis the prison would benefit from more toilets (for the Bladder and
Bowels needs); more guards (for Safety); visitation, phone booths or a mail
room (for Family); TVs, radios and pool tables (for Recreation); chairs or
benches (for Comfort); individual cells (for Privacy); prayer mats or pews
(for Spirituality) and a library or bookshelves (for Literacy).
o Work Areas
The player can earn money and XP by working in a kitchen, laundry, cleaning
cupboard, workshop, library or mail room, although it's not the best way to
earn either cash or experience.
o Knowledge
Reading and studying offer handy ways to earn XP quickly and with low effort.
The most convenient option is to build bookshelves into each cell but you can
also add a library room or a classroom with school desks.
o Communal Areas
Adding more canteens, common rooms or yards makes it easier to contact the
dealer to buy/sell items and collect the cash rewards from phone missions.
If the prison has a shop then the dealer's twin will be available there too
but his inventory in the shop lacks the special items (jail keys, skill points
and shanks) and you can't claim mission rewards there either.
o Contraband
The contraband items from the base game and several extra ones are available
from various types of room in Escape Mode (see both lists in Section 08i).
- Tools can be used to dig tunnels
- Screwdrivers, scissors, hammers and drills can be used to pick locks
- Weapons can be used to attack or kill guards and other prisoners
- Cellphones can be used to call The Boss for missions with good cash rewards
- Cigarette lighters can be used to set fires to destroy walls
- Screwdrivers, scissors, hammers and drills can be used to sabotage equipment
Tools, weapons and luxuries can also be sold to the dealer for cash.
Forestry, workshops and armouries provide the most valuable and useful items.
Contraband only spawns on empty floor tiles so if a room doesn't have enough
free tiles it won't provide all its items. If a storage area is completely
filled with crates or if a workshop gets filled with logs (from forestry) then
no tools will spawn there.
(If there are no sprinklers there you can fix the storage issue with arson!)
Building cells with more furniture provides more places to stash contraband;
this is especially important when crew members are gathering items.
(There are trophies/achievements for completing phone missions, picking locks,
digging tunnels, sabotaging equipment, causing fire damage and making money.)
o Phone Booths
Adding payphones in each cell or in public areas around the prison makes it
easier for the player to get missions without having to steal a cellphone.
o Vulnerable Equipment
There's a trophy/achievement for sabotaging fifty pieces of equipment so this
is easier if there are many objects that can be sabotaged in unsecure and
accessible locations.
CCTV cameras, metal detectors, door servos, door control systems, laundry
machines, water pumps, power stations and capacitors can all be sabotaged.
Multiple objects for sabotage provide a good source of XP too.
o Security
The overall security of a prison affects how easy it is for prisoners to
perform illegal activities or to sneak out after bedtime.
The following factors will all increase the security of a jail. If you want to
make a prison less secure, just use the opposites. :)
o More guards and CCTV cameras
o Body armour and tazers
o Guard patrols and deployment - to cover specific areas
o Security sectors - secure areas should be zoned as Staff-only
o Doors - more/stronger doors and fewer standard (orange) doors
o Metal detectors - can detect metal contraband (most tools/weapons)
o Dog patrols* - can detect smelly contraband (cigarettes/medicine)
o Sniper towers - snipers will shoot escaping prisoners
o Cells not too close to perimeter - makes tunnelling harder
o No large water pipes near cells - same reason
There are Escape Mode trophies/achievements for picking locks, sabotaging
equipment, swimming, digging tunnels and burning things (see Section 17b).
Blindspots without patrols or CCTV coverage will make these much easier.
There is also a trophy/achievement for bribing guards. This one will actually
be easier if there are more guards in the prison.
*Guard dogs will also mark tunnels with flags as usual, although the guards
don't seem to take any notice of this.
o Healthcare
Even if a prison doesn't have an infirmary, the game will always make a doctor
available. However building an infirmary makes it easier for the player to get
their character healed quickly and without having to buy or steal a medkit.
o Flooring
Some types of flooring increase prisoner movement speed (see Section 06c).
There's a trophy/achievement for swimming 200 metres in total and this will
obviously require some water. You can build water tiles from the Flooring menu
or add a river or shoreline from the Quick Rooms menu.
Water tiles (e.g. a moat) will also act as a barrier to escape tunnels.
Results [Escape Mode]
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After completing an escape you're given a breakdown of your performance.
I've noted below as much as I've been able to work out about scoring.
o Time
This is how long it took you to escape, counted in whole game days.
You score 10,000 points if you escaped during your first day but then for a
longer escape it seems to deduct 100 points per day so for example you would
get 9,900 pts after one whole day or 8,000 pts after twenty days.
o Escape Type
A bonus is awarded for the type of escape:
- Solo (1,000 pts)
This is when you escape alone or maybe with only a few crew members.
- Crew (5,000 pts)
This is awarded for escaping with several crew members.
- Take Over (15,000 pts)
This is awarded for bribing the warden.
A "Take Over" ending is required for "I Am The Ill Intent" (trophy #32).
- Riot (8,000 pts)
This is awarded for escaping during a riot.
If you have at least four crew free you can order them to instigate a riot.
- Death (0 pts)
If you are killed (for example by fire) you get no bonus and no final score.
These are the only five types I've seen during play.
o Skill points
You score 100 points for every skill point you earned (or started with).
For example if you began with three skill points (Standard diff) and earned
another seventeen before you escaped, you would get 2,000 pts.
o Cash
You score one point per dollar.
o Victims
This is based on the total number of people you killed.
o Crew Members
This is based on the total number of inmates you recruited.
o Inmates Freed
You earn 100 points for each of the other prisoners that escaped.
o Escape Title
You're given a named title based on specific aspects of your escape.
Some of these are pretty rare but you'll see them on the online leaderboard if
you keep scrolling down far enough.
Flight Risk - generic/quick escape (?)
Commander - recruited a lot of crew members
Skill Master - earned a lot of skill points
Pocket Liner - made a lot of money
Saboteur - sabotaged a lot of equipment
Cold Blood - killed a lot of people (?)
Tunnel Rat - dug a lot of tunnels (?)
Arms Dealer - sold a lot of weapons (?)
Indomitable - ???
The Professional - ???
Ghost - ???
Veteran - ???
Savage - ???
Butcher - ???
(There are no bonus points for your title.)
o Score
Your points are summed to give your total score.
If your Double Eleven ID is linked and you were playing on the "Standard" diff
your highest score will be posted on the online global leaderboard.
Simply running out of the front gate on Day 1 will get you 11,300 points -
10,000 for escaping on the first day, 1,000 for a Solo escape and 300 for the
three skill points you start with on Standard difficulty. Higher scores give
some recognition to players who make more of an effort.
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 15 | CO-OP MULTIPLAYER s15 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
PC Update 16 in September 2018 added cooperative peer-to-peer multiplayer which
allows players to play together simultaneously in the original sandbox mode.
(Co-op functionality is not currently available on consoles.)
One player acts as the host and the others are clients. The host can start a
game using the "Go Online" option off the main menu and the clients can join
with the "Join Online Game" option. Games can be public or password-protected.
Every player can see the other players' cursors - each is uniquely coloured,
marked with their username and shows what object or material they're building.
Multiplayer does not support Escape Mode, Warden Mode or mods. Also there is no
chat functionality but players can communicate via any convenient service such
as Skype, Discord, Slack, Mumble, etc.
The October 2018 update made the Deployment, Prison Grading, Logistics and
Intelligence menus and emergency services available to client players. It also
added region selection and co-op support for Linux. Cross-platform co-op play is
possible between PC, Mac and Linux.
The update in November 2018 further improved functionality for clients, allowing
them to use the screens for Intake, Needs, etc.
In December 2018 the multiplayer mode came out of alpha and was officially
released as Update 17, the final update from the Introversion studio. Co-op play
now includes all standard features from the sandbox mode on PC including random
events, weather/temperature and executions, but the maximum player count was
reduced from eight to four.
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 16 | SNAPSHOTS s16 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
The snapshots (photos) are Prison Architect's collectibles.
In the console editions of the game your photo collection can be viewed under
"Options & Extras" off the main menu. There are 155 snapshots available in total
in the base game but 143 of those will all be unlocked automatically by playing
through the Prison Stories tutorial (see Section 13).
(There are also 27 snapshots available in Escape Mode on PS4 and Xbox One - you
can find details of those later in this section.)
On PC the snapshots are called Polaroids and there are 177 to collect including
several that are specific to certain named inmates; there's also a total of 78
collectible notebook pages from the developers' "game bible". The following page
is a guide to the Polaroids on PC:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=822888680
Prison Life Snapshots
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The twelve "Prison Life" snapshots to find in the base game during play are
Polaroid photos which will appear within your jails. Each is about the same size
as a prisoner and has an orange question mark with a white border.
They may seem somewhat unpredictable but in fact they just spawn when you fulfil
a very specific set of criteria for each one. I've given as much info as I can
below based on extensive testing plus info shared by Double Eleven - but some
remain mysterious...! It can take you a lot of time and effort to get the full
dozen (you need to collect all 155 snapshots for a trophy/achievement).
Snapshots don't hang around forever either - after about six hours (game time)
workmen will bag them as garbage and then take them out for disposal! For that
reason it's best to play at standard speed when chasing them and keep scanning
around the prison periodically. If you miss a snapshot then it won't appear
again within the same play session but it can respawn after you quit and restart
the game (even if you then reload the same prison).
These twelve "Prison Life" pics can be found in Prison Architect, Prison Warden
and Prison Stories modes - and probably in World Of Wardens mode too.
1. The Warden
You can get this one quite reliably when your warden is in his/her office,
either immediately after loading a prison which already has a warden office
or after the warden enters their completed office when building a new jail.
However in either case the snapshot won't spawn if you've already played in
another prison with a warden office (and failed to spot the snapshot there)
since you launched the game.
Although the photo shows the default warden ("The Warden") you can still get
this snapshot if you're using one of the other characters.
2. Yard Fight
You can get this when two prisoners fight in a yard with five or more other
inmates there watching.
This should be fairly easy if you have a rowdy group of unsatisfied inmates
and lock them in a small overcrowded yard without guard supervision.
3. Prison Life
You can get this sometimes when a (white?) prisoner is in their cell.
The photo depicts a Med-Sec inmate in a cell with a window and a bookshelf
but you can get it with other security categories and in a standard 2x3 cell
with only a bed and a toilet and no other furnishings.
4. Solitary Confinements
You can get this sometimes when a prisoner is in a solitary cell.
This is one of the trickier ones. I normally use the minimum 1x1 solitary
cells but I got it once I built some larger 2x2 solitary cells with beds.
I've found this snapshot in both indoor and outdoor cells.
After researching Policy you can set all punishments to "solitary" and then
run a Shakedown (Emergencies menu) to get a few offenders punished. Leaving
prisoners' needs unsatisfied will cause more misconduct and punishments too.
5. Bangup
You can get this sometimes when a (black?) prisoner is in a solitary cell.
This is another tricky one. I got it with 2x2 solitary cells again but this
time without furnishings. I've seen it with both indoor and outdoor cells
and - despite the name - the "Bangup" emergency command was not required.
6. Phone Home
You can get this when a prisoner uses a phone booth in a yard.
I got it from the telephones next to the execution block in chapter 1.
7. Kitchen
You can get this when three or more cooks are cooking in a kitchen and your
meal variety (Policy menu) is set to "High".
8. Canteen
You can get this sometimes when inmates are eating in a canteen.
9. Hygiene Matters
You can get this when a janitor is cleaning, although he might have moved on
to another room by the time you find the snapshot.
I think it could appear in any room where a janitor has been working - I've
seen it in an office, in a canteen and next to an outdoor solitary cell.
If you have just one janitor - and a dirty prison - then you can follow him
around until the snapshot spawns. (If you're playing an established prison
with more than one janitor you could temporarily fire the others.)
10. Medical Attention Required
You can get this sometimes when a doctor treats an injured person.
11. Recreation Incarceration
You can get this when inmates use a common room with a pool table and a TV.
I got it a couple of days after building a common room in chapter 2.
Prisoners will use resources in a common room during Free-Time (or during
Work time if they haven't got a work assignment).
12. The Gun Show
Don't bother checking the armoury - it's not that type of "gun show"! You
can get this final snapshot when an inmate uses a weights bench.
If your prison includes a yard you may find that your inmates prefer to jog
there during Yard time and Free-Time instead of using weights. However they
will still use weights benches in the canteen during Eat time or in their
cells. Alternatively if you remove the "yard" designation they should start
using weights in common rooms and canteens during Free-Time too.
Escape Mode Snapshots
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Escape Mode for the PS4 and Xbox One (see Section 14b) adds another 27 snapshots
to the game - 25 representing each of the unlockable skills and a further two
for the dealer character and the Firestarter trophy/achievement respectively.
Their in-game appearance is the same as the Prison Life snapshots in the base
game but it seems that Double Eleven have learnt their lesson - this time the
requirements for triggering them aren't so tricky and the snapshots don't get
removed by overzealous workmen after six hours.
Each snapshot always spawns in one specific type of room (see list below). The
location often matches the theme of the picture, for example the Merchant photo
spawns in a shop and Avid Learner appears in a classroom.
A new snapshot spawns every time you start a new game - as long as the prison
includes at least one of the locations required for one of the snapshots that
you haven't yet found.
You would probably get most of these naturally if you do lots of playthroughs
(starting a new game each time) on large prisons with lots of different rooms.
If you want to get them faster then you could either add the rooms you need to
an old prison or build a new one especially.
It might be easier to use an existing prison since it will probably have several
types of room already and you need to operate a new prison for ten game days
before you can use it in Escape Mode. However if you build a prison especially
you can use a compact and simple layout to make it much easier to navigate.
In either case you would want all the rooms/areas to be accessible - use orange
doors (or no doors!) and avoid using security sectors. Ensure that all the rooms
- including deliveries, garbage and exports - are inside the perimeter.
You'll need an armoury, chapel, classroom, cleaning cupboard, common room,
deliveries, execution, exports, forestry, garbage, holding cell, kennel,
library, morgue, office, parole, reception, security, shop, shower, solitary,
staff room, storage, visitation, workshop and yard.
However the normal room requirements do not apply - you don't need to add the
usual objects or observe the minimum size to make the room valid. You just need
to allocate the room type and the snapshot will be able to spawn there.
Some "rooms" don't even need rooms. Not only can deliveries, exports, forestry,
garbage and yards be built outdoors, but kennels, security, showers, solitary,
storage and even workshops can too.
Here's a quick outline process for making a new prison to farm the snapshots:
o Build a new prison in Prison Architect mode with the Unlimited Funds option.
o Run the game at max speed. (you need to run the prison for ten game days)
o Hire lots of workmen.
o Build three valid offices. (you can use Quick Rooms)
o Hire a warden and research Security, Health, Education and Maintenance.
o Hire a chief and research Armoury and Patrols, then Dogs.
o Hire a foreman and research Groundskeeping, Cleaning and Prison Labour.
o Build a valid canteen, kitchen and holding cell. (you can use Quick Rooms)
o Build a power station and water pump station.
o Allocate one each of the following on the ground:
- deliveries - shower
- exports - solitary
- forestry - storage
- garbage - workshop
- kennel - yard
- security
(these can be quite small, but the storage should be bigger - 20 squares say)
o Build small empty rooms and allocate one each of the following:
- armoury - morgue
- chapel - office
- classroom - parole
- cleaning - reception
- common room - shop
- execution - staff room
- holding cell - visitation
- library
o Construct a secure perimeter with everything inside it.
o Run the prison until Day 11, then save and exit.
(save the prison during daytime so your escape won't start during Sleep time)
o Start a new game in Escape Mode using your new prison.
o Buy level 1 in the Chronos Traveller skill and level 2 in Athlete.
o Skip the intake sequence and intro message.
o Squeeze or double-tap L2/LT to zoom out.
(this lets you see slightly more of the jail when hunting)
o Increase the game speed and run around all the areas until you find a pic.
o Exit, save and start a new game. (you can overwrite the same save file)
o Repeat until you have all the snapshots.
Here's a full list of the Escape Mode snapshots and where to find them:
1. Fighter [holding cell]
This shows Ryu from Street Fighter II wearing a headband, sleeveless karate
gi jacket, black belt and fingerless red gloves, performing a Hadouken.
2. Merchant [shop]
This shows Walter "Heisenberg" White (Bryan Cranston) from the TV series
'Breaking Bad' with his bald head, spectacles and goatee beard, standing
protectively beside a wall of bundled banknotes.
3. Athlete [yard]
This shows a black athlete with a goatee beard and singlet vest.
If he's a famous track & field star it's likely meant to be Usain Bolt.
(thanks to GHouseSwag on Reddit for the suggestion!)
4. Chronos Traveller [chapel]
This shows time-traveller Crono from the 1995 video-game Chrono Trigger with
his wild red anime hair, white headband, yellow scarf and buckled belt.
(thanks to swatlord on Reddit for the ID!)
In the background are melted pocket-watches like the ones in Dali's famous
painting 'The Persistence of Memory'.
5. Pack Mule [storage]
This seems to show a Nord warrior from the game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
with a horned masked helm and wielding a modern spade with both hands.
(Double 11 obviously know my playing style because he seems to have stolen
or looted everything in sight and is massively over-encumbered.)
6. Avid Learner [classroom]
This shows scientist Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) from the hit TV show 'Big
Bang Theory' wearing his robot tee-shirt and rubbing his temples.
7. Respect [office]
This shows Mafia boss Vito Corleone (Marlon Brandon) from 'The Godfather'
movie with receding grey hair, narrow moustache, bowtie and buttonhole.
8. Thief [deliveries]
This shows a burglar or car thief with a crowbar and beanie hat.
(If you recognise this figure as a famous character from pop culture (movies
or games) please let me know - contributions are always credited if used.)
9. Locksmith [security]
This shows Sora from the Kingdom Hearts games with his wild anime hair and
thick neck-chain, carrying his giant Keyblade across his shoulders.
10. Observant [kennel]
This shows Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) from the movie 'The Silence of
the Lambs' bound to a trolley and wearing a facemask to prevent gnawing.
11. Saboteur [workshop]
This shows the anarchist from 'V for Vendetta' wearing an iconic Guy Fawkes
mask and matching hat, brandishing a pair of kitchen knives.
12. Secret Pocket [visitation]
This shows the merchant from Resident Evil 4 with a dark hood, purple scarf,</pre><pre id="faqspan-10">
bandoliers and illicit wares inside his coat (knife and jail keys).
(thanks to swatlord on Reddit for another ID!)
13. Engineer [workshop again]
This shows the Engineer from Team Fortress 2 with a hard-hat, dark circular
goggles, braces and a toolbelt, holding a drill and a hammer.
14. Ninja [library]
This seems to show Ryu Hayabusa from the Ninja Gaiden games with a headband,
facemask, long trailing scarf, katana and black vest holding shuriken.
15. Escape Expert [cleaning cupboard]
This shows an escapologist bound in chains and suspended upside-down.
With the wavy centre-parting this seems to be the great Houdini himself.
16. Tough Guy [morgue]
This shows Brad Pitt from the movie 'Fight Club' with a black eye, goatee
beard, lit cigarette and ripped torso, holding up a pink bar of soap.
17. Moleman [garbage]
This shows a Minecraft miner with a pickaxe and pixelated texture.
(I like to think it's also a reference to Hans Moleman from The Simpsons.)
18. Swimmer [shower]
This seems to show the superhero Aquaman, underwater with his trident.
19. Inconspicuous [solitary cell]
This shows Ezio Auditore from the Assassin's Creed games with a peaked hood,
splayed red collar and a dagger hidden behind his back.
20. Back Scratcher [staffroom]
This seems to show Hillary Clinton holding two bags of loot. (?)
21. Natural Leader [common room]
This shows Napoleon Bonaparte wearing a bicorne hat and braided epaulettes.
22. Mob Connections [reception]
This shows notorious gangster Al Capone wearing a white fedora and carrying
a Thompson submachinegun - a.k.a. the Tommy Gun or Chicago Typewriter.
23. Marksman [armoury]
This shows Agent 47 from the Hitman games with his trademark bald head,
barcode tattoo and red necktie, although the tattoo is on his forehead now
and he's wielding a revolver instead of his usual Silverballer.
24. Sweet Talker [parole]
This shows Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish (Aidan Gillen) from Game of Thrones
with greying temples, goatee beard and fine robes.
(thanks to swatlord on Reddit for yet another ID!)
25. Dealer [exports]
This shows druglord Tony Montana (Al Pacino) from the 1984 movie 'Scarface'
with an open-neck shirt collar, necklace and fat cigar.
26. Firestarter [forestry]
This shows Keith Flint from the band The Prodigy who released the single
'Firestarter' in 1996. He has fierce eyes, a pair of coloured mohawks, one
pierced nipple and a lit Zippo lighter held aloft.
I dedicate this game guide to Keith who died in March 2019. PLUR.
27. Rage [execution]
This shows superhero The Incredible Hulk, typically angry - or enraged.
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| Section 17 | TROPHIES / ACHIEVEMENTS s17 |
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This section covers Prison Architect's PSN trophies and Xbox achievements.
Previously version 1.0 of the PC game added several similar Steam achievements
but there are only eighteen in total. The PC achievements are listed here:
http://steamcommunity.com/stats/233450/achievements
(achievements cannot be earned on PC if playing with the cheat mode enabled)
The two subsections below cover the trophies/achievements on consoles in the
base game and in the Escape Mode DLC respectively.
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| Section 17a | Base Game s17a |
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The base game without DLC has a list of 31 PSN trophies or Xbox achievements.
Only one playthrough of the Prison Stories campaign/tutorial is required but
you do need to complete every optional objective in all five chapters. However
if you missed some it's easy enough to replay individual chapters.
Some trophies on consoles require you to be playing in Prison Architect mode on
one of the standard named difficulties - the easiest choice is "County" which
gives you a large map, $200k starting funds and doubled intake bonus payments.
Several trophies have long-term objectives which you'll probably want to do in
the same prison. You need to have 500 prisoners, research all Bureaucracy items,
achieve a daily profit of $50k+, complete all grants, have ten inmates pass the
General Education course and have a prison worth $1 million (and sell it). This
is another good reason to use County difficulty - failure conditions are off so
the game won't end suddenly if you slip up after playing for several hours!
For trophies that don't specify a difficulty requirement you can use Custom
settings with $500,000 or even unlimited starting funds if you wish.
One trophy requires an internet connection and registration for a Double ID.
01 The Chief [Platinum / 100G]
"You've served your time and unlocked every trophy in Prison Architect..."
As usual the prestigious platinum trophy on PS4 is awarded automatically
after achieving all the other trophies. You can get this on Xbox too.
This is a fairly rare achievement, mainly due to the snapshot collectibles
(see trophy #08). It took over a month after release for its PSN completion
rate to increase from 0.1% to 0.2%.
Checking again at September 2018 it's still only 0.3%.
02 2,000 volts* [Silver / 20G]
"Complete all optional objectives on Death Row" [Prison Stories mode]
All of the mandatory and optional objectives are shown on the To-Do List (L1
on PS4 or LB on Xbox) so keep checking the list and make sure that everything
marked "[OPTIONAL]" has a green tick.
See Section 13 for a complete list of objectives for each story chapter.
*This is typical of the voltages used by electric chairs for executions.
03 Cosa Nostra* [Silver / 20G]
"Complete all optional objectives on Palermo" [Prison Stories mode]
All of the mandatory and optional objectives are shown on the To-Do List (L1
on PS4 or LB on Xbox) so keep checking the list and make sure that everything
marked "[OPTIONAL]" has a green tick.
See Section 13 for a complete list of objectives for each story chapter.
*Cosa Nostra (Italian for "our thing") is the proper name of the Mafia.
04 Crowd Control [Silver / 20G]
"Complete all optional objectives on G.A.B.O.S." [Prison Stories mode]
All of the mandatory and optional objectives are shown on the To-Do List (L1
on PS4 or LB on Xbox) so keep checking the list and make sure that everything
marked "[OPTIONAL]" has a green tick.
See Section 13 for a complete list of objectives for each story chapter.
05 Reformation [Silver / 20G]
"Complete all optional objectives on Conviction" [Prison Stories mode]
All of the mandatory and optional objectives are shown on the To-Do List (L1
on PS4 or LB on Xbox) so keep checking the list and make sure that everything
marked "[OPTIONAL]" has a green tick.
See Section 13 for a complete list of objectives for each story chapter.
06 Freedom [Silver / 20G]
"Complete all optional objectives on Bootstraps" [Prison Stories mode]
All of the mandatory and optional objectives are shown on the To-Do List (L1
on PS4 or LB on Xbox) so keep checking the list and make sure that everything
marked "[OPTIONAL]" has a green tick.
See Section 13 for a complete list of objectives for each story chapter.
07 Throw The Book At Them [Gold / 100G]
"Complete all of the Prison Stories"
You need to complete all five chapters in the campaign to get this trophy.
See Section 13 for a complete list of objectives for each story chapter.
08 It's Not What You Know...* [Gold / 100G]
"Unlock all Snapshots"
There are a total of 155 snapshots in the base game on consoles.
The good news is that most of those unlock automatically by completing the
campaign (see Section 13) and you only need to find the remaining twelve in
the Prison Life category, but the bad news is that some of them can be a bit
tricky as they occur randomly in specific contexts.
See Section 16 for details of the twelve collectible Prison Life snapshots.
I would suggest playing Prison Architect, Prison Warden and Prison Stories
modes first to work on the other trophies. Zoom in and scan around the jails
and hopefully you'll find a few snapshots without making a special effort.
After that try constructing small prisons so you can watch out for snapshots
appearing - focus on building and observing the rooms required for the pics
you need, e.g. warden's office, canteen, kitchen, etc.
(The 'Escape Mode' expansion for PS4/Xbone added a further 27 snapshots but
there's a separate trophy for those.)
*The PC version of the game also has a paired achievement for collecting all
the developer notebook pages which is named "...It's What You Can Prove".
Together the two titles form a quote from the 2001 movie 'Training Day'.
09 Visitation [Bronze / 10G]
"Run a prison in Prison Warden mode for 10 in-game days"
Prison Warden mode lets you load large elaborate prison designs and then run
them as if they were your own. You're free to make any changes you want - you
can expand or demolish structures, adjust the regime, rebalance the staffing,
etc - or you can just leave everything unchanged.
For this trophy you simply need to leave one prison in Prison Warden mode
running for at least ten days. Naturally you can save a huge amount of time
by running the game at max speed. The fastest map is probably "Paradise City"
but you need to do all ten prisons for the next trophy anyway!
Pro Tip: Just keep playing the same jail until the trophy pops.
If you use Custom settings with unlimited funds and failure conditions off
you can safely leave the prison running unattended while you check your
emails, watch some videos, read a book to your cat, etc.
10 Inspectorate Of Prisons* [Silver / 30G]
"Run every Prison Warden prison for at least 10 in-game days"
The base game features the following ten maps and you need to play all of
them. Either do them in order or make a note of which ones you've done.
1. Green Beach Prison 6. The Penaldome
2. Piano Island Prison 7. The Castle
3. Paradise City 8. Cove Park Prison
4. Eye of the Storm 9. Ironfort
5. Center Luxus 10. Forever Inn
(The DLC expansions (see Section 04) include additional prison designs and
other maps but these are not required for this trophy.)
Pro Tip: Just keep playing each jail until the day counter says "Day 11". :)
This will take some time, even at max speed. Most of the prisons will take
around an hour and a couple of the big ones might take just over an hour.
With infinite money and no failure conditions you're free to leave a prison
running attended although you might return to a charred shell and/or a heap
of dead bodies! Alternatively you could spend some time trying to engineer a
large-scale riot for "Spare the Rod" (trophy #12).
If you play with gangs enabled and request the maximum intake of Maximum
Security prisoners every day that will give you a good head-start towards
having enough gang members to attempt "Failure to Communicate" (trophy #24).
*In England and Wales an independent body called HM Inspectorate of Prisons
is responsible for monitoring conditions in prisons (and police cells).
11 HM Prison Services* [Bronze / 10G]
"Download a prison from the World of Wardens"
WoW mode takes the place of the Steam Workshop in the PC version of the game
- you can upload your prison designs for other players to download.
You'll need to sign-up for a "Double ID" in order to be able to use World of
Wardens mode. The option to register will be offered when you first launch
the game but if you skip it then it'll be shown on the main menu.
Once you've set up your Double ID you simply need to pick World of Wardens
from the main menu and download any jail.
*In England and Wales prisons are operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.
Every prison's name starts with "HM Prison" (HMP) - for example some famous
prisons in London are HMP Pentonville, HMP Wormwood Scrubs and HMP Brixton -
and consequently a prison inmate is sometimes informally said to be staying
"at Her Majesty's Pleasure"! (HMP)
12 Spare The Rod* [Bronze / 10G]
"Stopped a riot of 50 or more prisoners" [PA mode or PW mode]
Obviously you will need a jail with at least fifty inmates and if you have
prisoners in the Max-Sec category they'll be more volatile. Riots tend to be
confined to individual cell blocks initially so it would probably help to
build a big block with 50+ cells sharing a single main entrance - or maybe
just have one large holding cell! (poor Privacy would help cause unrest too)
If your prison is running smoothly it might require a little encouragement
before you'll get a riot. You could accept a massive intake of new prisoners
without the necessary facilities or you could be more creative... Remove the
Eat times from your regime or fit a valve on the water pump and turn it off
so the toilets and showers stop working! Generally you want your prisoners'
needs to go unsatisfied.
Having armed guards (and snipers) in your prison will increase the danger
level but you should deploy them away from the inmates otherwise they'll have
a suppressive effect which discourages misconduct. If you've got Death Row
prisoners then having an execution can sometimes trigger a riot too.
(With the addition of two cheats in the console editions it's now very easy
to get the party started! To trigger an instant riot on PS4 enter the cheat
code - hold Triangle while you tap up, down, up, down, L1, R1, L1, R1. On
Xbox hold the Y button instead and finish with LB, RB, LB, RB.)
When a riot starts you'll get the "Riot Underway" pop-up which shows how many
prisoners are currently involved. You'll need to leave the riot to grow until
there are fifty people rioting so keep your security staff out of the way
until then (you can spam the Guard Response command in a remote corner).
Once you've got fifty rioters you'll want to take action to stop the riot
from getting any bigger! Use the Bangup command and all compliant prisoners
will return to their cells. Riots can usually be stopped by hiring the riot
guards (Emergencies menu) and then ordering them to each affected area in
turn until they've all been neutralized.
For a faster but bloodier resolution just build an armoury with guard lockers
beforehand, hire a load of armed guards and issue the Freefire command!
You can practise your riot control strats in chapter 3 of the campaign.
*"Spare the rod and spoil the child" is a proverb of Biblical origin which
means your child should be punished for the sake of their own development!
13 Don't Put Me In The Dark* [Silver / 20G]
"Execute a prisoner on Death Row in Prison Architect mode"
For this one you'll need to hire a lawyer and research Death Row (Bureaucracy
menu), hire a chief, allocate some cells to Death Row (Security Sectors menu)
and build an execution chamber with an electric chair.
You lack the authority to impose a death sentence and you cannot transfer a
prisoner to the Death Row category so instead you'll need to wait until one
is shown as being available on the Intake menu and then request them.
You're supposed to run Death Row appeals (via the Programmes menu) so that
the inmate's Conviction Level is at or above the state-approved threshold
before you execute them. If you conduct the death sentence when the value is
below 95% (or 90% with Reduce Execution Liability researched) and they are
later found to be innocent you will incur a $50,000 fine and your other Death
Row prisoners will be transferred to other institutions.
However if you just want to get the trophy quickly (and are prepared for a
possible $50k fine) then you can just schedule the execution immediately! You
can do this from the Schedule Execution tab in a prisoner's file. Not only
does this save you time but it also avoids the risk of the prisoner winning
an appeal and getting bumped down to Max-Sec or even released!
*The title is a line from the 1999 movie 'The Green Mile' which - like 'The
Shawshank Redemption' - was a film directed by Frank Darabont and adapted
from a Stephen King prison story.
14 Stone Walls [Bronze / 20G]
"Build a prison with 100 prisoners in Prison Architect mode"
15 Iron Bars [Silver / 40G]
"Build a prison with 250 prisoners in Prison Architect mode" (500 on PC)
16 Confined [Gold / 100G]
"Build a prison with 500 prisoners in Prison Architect mode" (1000 on PC)
(While a standard difficulty is not required for these trophies, it is needed
for "Prison Economics" (trophy #21) which requires you to complete all the
grants including the one for having a capacity of 500 prisoners so it makes
sense to get this at the same time while playing on a standard diff.)
Even without these trophies, an obvious goal in this game is to gradually
expand the size of your prison and its population. It's very rewarding to
maintain order and efficiency in your prison as you increase the capacity to
several hundred inmates. As your population grows you'll need to increase the
size or number of your essential facilities like canteens and kitchens along
with all the resources for satisfying prisoner needs.
If necessary you can buy the neighbouring plots of land to make space for
expansion or you could research Small Cells and make them all 2x2 or 1x3!
If you limit your intakes to Minimum Security inmates they'll be a lot easier
to manage than the higher risk categories. (Also they have shorter sentences
so you can potentially make a lot more money off early-release bonuses.)
These trophies would be trivial if the prisoner intakes weren't limited. Each
of the three main categories (Min-Sec, Med-Sec and Max-Sec) grows by about a
dozen each day and then caps out at 100. However this does mean that it is
possible to build a stable prison of just over 200 inmates while letting the
intakes grow to their caps and then build a holding cell with three hundred
beds (to complete the Cell Block E grant) and open the floodgates - accept
all 300 new prisoners at once just to get the trophy!
(Remember that Max-Sec prisoners are more troublesome and have longer jail
sentences so you could be stuck with them for a long time. I just left them
all trapped in a massive arena which I dubbed The Thunderdome!)
17 D.B. Cooper* [Gold / 30G]
"Sell a prison and make over $1,000,000 profit" [PA mode and standard diffs]
The Reports menu's Valuation option (see Section 07h) gives you a breakdown
of your prison's current value.
You can increase the valuation by constructing more buildings, adding more
objects, hiring more staff, increasing the number of cells, building up your
cash total and repaying the bank loan (see Section 07g) if you have one.
You cannot sell your prison if you have had any escapes or deaths in the past
24 hours so search for tunnels/tools, maintain a secure perimeter, control
prisoner aggression and don't use the Freefire command with armed guards!
If you've sold shares in your prison (see Section 07h) this will reduce the
money you receive from selling the jail by the corresponding percentage.
(You do not lose your prison by selling it. You can continue to operate and
build it but you can't sell it again and you can't sell shares in it.)
*In 1971 a man known as "D.B. Cooper" hijacked a US passenger jet, took $200k
as a ransom and then parachuted to safety. He was never identified or caught.
He inspired the name of the lead character Agent Dale Cooper in 'Twin Peaks'.
18 Samuel Norton* [Silver / 30G]
"Have a cashflow of $50,000 or more" [PA mode and standard difficulties]
A full breakdown of your cashflow (daily profit/loss) is available on the
Finance menu - this gives indications of how you can improve it.
Three big factors are the prisoner grant, exports and taxes.
1) You're given $150 per inmate per day (regardless of category) so the more
prisoners you have the more cash you'll be receiving. When you achieve
"Confined" (trophy #16) your 500 inmates will be earning you $75,000 per
day from prisoner grants alone.
2) You can make a lot of money off exports so make several workshops (maximum
size 240 squares) with forestry for supplies and increase the number of
Work hours in the regime. If you have the DLC then using the warden Hunter
McGreevy will increase the value of your workshop exports.
3) Once you have sufficient money you can research Tax Relief and Offshore
Tax Haven to reduce your tax rate from 30% to just 1%.
Additionally you get a handy bonus when you have a streak of consecutive days
without a major incident. This caps at $1000 (for each day) when you have
200+ inmates, e.g. you'd receive $7000 on the seventh day of a streak.
You can also make some savings by using prison labour to staff your kitchens,
cleaning cupboards and laundries, firing any surplus employees, cutting the
quantity/variety of meals (Policy menu) and suspending programmes.
If you want to take a more drastic step temporarily to boost your cashflow
for this achievement you could even fire all of your staff (apart from your
accountant who's required for the tax breaks). You'll need to have enough
cash to hire them back afterwards but that shouldn't be an issue if you're
already running at close to $50k cashflow.
(I got this trophy with around 110 prisoners, on a large map with a massive
forestry zone supplying two workshops, with just four hours of Work on the
regime and several expensive programmes running. I was averaging around $45k
each day but I had to manually sell loads of logs from one of the workshops
to force the workers to make licence plates for a grant and the additional
short-term revenue was enough to temporarily tip me over $50k!)
__
Here's my method for building a "prison" (without a prison!) specifically to
achieve $50k+ cashflow in around five or six game days for the trophy.
- play Prison Architect mode in County difficulty (for $200k starting funds)
- set game speed to max
- construct three offices (Quick Build) in south-east quarter
- hire warden
- research Maintenance and Finance
- hire foreman and accountant
- research Groundskeeping
- hire 20 gardeners
- build forestry zone that fills north-east quarter of map (next to road)
- extend deliveries zone south along road (overwrite garbage zone)
- fire foreman and warden
- wait until all trees are planted (green outlines) then fire all gardeners
- hire 17 workmen (25 total)
- research Tax Relief and Offshore Tax Haven
- wait until all trees have been chopped down then at midnight (game time!)
build 32x5 exports zone along east side of road adjacent to forestry
- before 8am on same day accept maximum prisoner intake
- trophy should pop when clock hits midnight again
Using this method I got a cashflow of $78,400 at the end of Day 5. If you
happen to have problems with it just make the forestry even bigger and/or
wait until there are more prisoners available via intake.
*Samuel Norton is the name of the warden in the 1994 prison movie 'The
Shawshank Redemption' (and in the original story written by Stephen King).
19 Wait and Hope* [Silver / 20G]
"Unlock all Bureaucracy items" [PA mode and standard difficulties]
Hiring a warden unlocks the Bureaucracy tree (see Section 08a) in the Prison
Running menu. This is where you can pay to research new administrators, new
staff, new rooms, new equipment and new functions.
In total there are thirty-five options to unlock and some of them are pretty
expensive ($50,000!) so you'll need to have a profitable prison running for a
while before you can unlock all of them.
*"All human wisdom is contained in these two words - Wait and Hope" is a line
from the 19th-century novel 'The Count of Monte Cristo' by Alexandre Dumas.
It's the story of a man falsely imprisoned in a French island fortress.
20 Get Busy Living* [Silver / 30G]
"Achieve a re-offending rate of 25% or lower" [PA mode and standard diffs]
Each prisoner's chance of re-offending is based on their individual grading
which is shown on their file (see Section 08b).
There's a wide range of various factors that contribute to grading. You can
improve gradings by scheduling more Lockup time, maintaining suppression with
punishments and armed guards, preventing misconduct including assaults and
escape attempts, increasing meal quantity/variety, controlling access to
drugs and alcohol, providing good healthcare and rehab treatments and making
more use of prisoner labour in kitchens, workshops, laundries, etc.
Some factors can have both positive and negative effects. Scheduling more
Free-Time reduces the Punishment score but gives more time for exercise which
increases the Health score. More time spent in reform programmes obviously
gives a better Reform score but decreases the Punishment score.
After researching Prison Policy you can use the Policy menu (see Section 07d)
to set the threshold value for the re-offending chance that a prisoner needs
to achieve in order to be released early.
*"Get busy living... or get busy dying." is a line spoken by Andy Dufresne
(Tim Robbins) in the classic 1994 prison movie 'The Shawshank Redemption'.
21 Prison Economics [Silver / 30G]
"Complete every Grant available to one prison" [PA mode and standard diffs]
Undertaking the grants is a great idea if you're playing with limited funds
or you're a new player because they provide cash bonuses and guidance on what
features to add to your prison.
See Section 07e for details of the grants and some tips. You need to complete
all twenty-three original grants for the trophy. (If "Government Bailout" is
available in the console editions it's not needed for this trophy.)
Researching Finance \ Extra Grant will speed things up as it allows you to
have three grants open at the same time instead of the usual two.
22 The Justice System [Silver / 30G]
"No deaths, escapes or riots for 10 game days" [PA mode and standard diffs]
Deaths can occur from random violence so try to keep inmate needs satisfied,
ensure showers, canteens and yards aren't too cramped and deploy plenty of
guards to help maintain order. Check your new intakes for potential victims
(snitches, ex-guards and ex-cops), transfer them to Protective Custody and
make a separate wing of the prison for them. Similarly prisoners with any
other reputations can be transferred to a Max-Sec wing with more security.
To prevent escapes maintain a secure perimeter. Use the big perimeter wall
and avoid laying the larger water pipes near cell blocks to make it harder to
tunnel out. Rooms that can provide contraband tools (see Section 08i) should
be zoned for Staff or have guards stationed (to discourage theft) and metal
detectors on the doors. Shakedowns and other searches will help to find tools
in cells and dog patrols can find tunnels which should then be filled. You
can also discourage escapes by increasing the punishment for them.
Riots can occur when prisoner needs are not being satisfied, especially Food,
Clothing and Hygiene, so make sure that your catering and laundry services
are adequate and inmates have plenty of time and resources for showering. You
can also hire a psychologist in order to review prisoner needs. If you have a
Death Row (see Section 11) you should avoid having any executions too.
Some of the warden characters would be helpful here - The Lobbyist halves the
number of dangerous prisoners, The Pacifier reduces the danger level of your
jail and Periwinkle allows dogs to expose escape tunnel routes.
If necessary you can run a small prison with only minimum security inmates
and plenty of resources/guards and you shouldn't have too much trouble.
(I tried running a prison without inmates while I was attempting to cheese
the cashflow trophy using forestry and I didn't get this trophy so I assume
you do need to have a certain number of prisoners for it to count. While I
was testing something else I was able to get it with only eight inmates.)
23 Rehabilitation and Reformation [Silver / 30G]
"Get 100+ prisoners' Drug & Alcohol needs below 25%" [PA mode and std diffs]
After hiring a psychologist you can view the Needs menu which shows how many
inmates have Drugs and Alcohol needs (and how severe those needs are). Both
needs can be reduced on a daily basis by running the appropriate programmes.
For the Alcoholics Group Therapy you'll need a psychologist and a common room
with some basic chairs (maximum capacity for the programme is twenty).
For the Pharmacological Treatment of Drug Addiction you'll need a doctor and
an infirmary with spare medical beds (maximum capacity is ten).
Programmes can be started under the Programmes menu and you'll need to have
at least two consecutive Work hours in the daily regime.
If the rehab programmes are affected by prisoner satisfaction and suppression
in the same way as educational programmes then it would help to take steps to
satisfy all prisoner needs and to reduce suppression by reducing punishments
and limiting contact between inmates and armed guards.
I think this popped for me without making any special effort but if you don't
get it naturally from playing just get lots of rehab programmes running.
24 Failure To Communicate [Silver / 10G]
"Remove a gang from a held territory" [PA mode or PW mode]
The option of including gangs (see Section 08k) needs to be selected when
starting a new game. (It's probably a good idea to also disable the failure
conditions too since dealing with gangs can be a bloody business and might
cause enough deaths for "game over"!)
Obviously you'll need some gang members so you should keep requesting the
maximum available amount of Max-Sec intake every day. You might like to do
this while playing through the Prison Warden maps (for trophies) and I would
suggest not taking Min/Med-Sec with your Max-Sec to reduce overcrowding. You
can see your current gang memberships on the Prison Gangs menu.
You'll also need at least one gang leader and they don't start appearing
until a gang has ten members so it will usually take at least four or five
weeks before you get a leader. Ideally you want one gang to dominate so once
you get one gang leader stop using the Max-Sec intake and let him recruit
internally to expand his gang while it whittles down the other two.
(If you have the DLC you can use the warden Nero who guarantees that you get
three gang leaders in your first intake. This would be a big time-saver.)
You'll need at least one piece of turf for the gang to conquer - this must be
either a yard or a common room. I think smaller areas are easier to capture
and you can make them more desirable by adding weights benches, TVs, etc. You
should avoid having an adjacent security room with a door into the territory
since this makes it harder for the gang to take it.
Each yard or common room will be marked with a circular icon - clicking this
will show how many gang members from each gang are currently in the area and
how many more are available as reinforcements. Once a gang has sufficient
numbers to make a "play" for an area they will - eventually - whip off their
shirts and starting capturing it. Keep your guards away from the area until
the turf icon shows the gang's colour and tattoo logo. If necessary you can
give them more time by adding a long block of Free-Time on the regime.
Once a territory has been captured you can oust the gang by hovering over the
icon and pressing Square to begin the eviction. With a large gang this could
get messy and you might want to hire extra guards or armed guards and unlock
body armour and tazers first. However when I got the trophy the gang members
actually didn't make any effort to hold their turf.
Alternatively I guess you could use the Bangup and Lockdown commands - or
assign individual lockdown punishments to the gang members.
25 Prison Hotel [Silver / 30G]
"Exceed 50 prisoner's cell entitlement at once" [PA mode and standard diffs]
Each cell has a quality rating (see Section 08h) based on the room's size and
features. You can increase the rating by making the cell bigger and by adding
a shower, desk, chair, bookshelf, TV, radio and exterior window.
Every prisoner has a cell entitlement based on their recent behaviour - if
they've gone several days without misconduct then they'll be entitled to a
cell with a higher quality rating (and vice versa).
The Cell Quality view (Logistics menu) is unlocked by researching either
Prison Labour or Micromanagement. Any cells shaded green match or exceed the
occupant's entitlement while red cells fail to meet their entitlement.
I tried a couple of pretty solid methods for getting this on an established
prison (with lots of money available) but I didn't get the trophy so I think
it's partially glitched - however you can get it easily on a new prison.
Start a new game on County difficulty, play at maximum speed and build fifty
"improved" cells from the Quick Rooms list (water and electricity are not
required). Now just leave the game running and keep checking the Intake menu
until you have a total of 50+ prisoners available (across all categories) -
this will probably be on Day 3 or 4. Request fifty prisoners and they will
start arriving at 8am the next day. The trophy should pop once you have fifty
and you hire some guards to start moving your new guests to their suites.
26 Minimum Security Prison [Silver / 30G]
"100+ prisoners have less than 10% 'Critical' needs" [PA mode and std diffs]
Obviously you will need to have a least a hundred prisoners for this and you
should also hire a psychologist since that will allow you to view the Needs
menu (see Section 07a) which indicates the percentages of prisoners with
various levels of satisfaction for each of the needs (red for critical).
You should take action to improve the situation on needs that are not being
satisfied. For example with the Food need you could add or extend mealtimes,
improve meal quantity/variety and check that the canteens/kitchens are large
enough and have sufficient staffing and equipment to feed everyone.
I got this trophy very quickly (testing on a spare account) when I accepted
just over a hundred prisoners in my very first intake. New arrivals have no
needs so if you have a hundred enter at once you should get the trophy.
27 Working Prison [Silver / 30G]
"Export 100 licence plates from a single prison" [PA mode and standard diffs]
For this trophy you'll need to build a workshop so you'll want to research
Maintenance \ Prison Labour in the Bureaucracy tree (see Section 08a); both
saws and presses are required to make licence plates so make the workshop big
enough to have several of both. You will also need to designate an exports
zone (Rooms menu) - I like to put this near the road.
Prisoners need to pass the Workshop Safety Induction programme before they
can commence workshop duties so you'll also need to activate that programme
and then add a Work phase of at least two consecutive hours to the daily
regime. Programmes and regimes are both available under the Reports menu.
Once prisoners have been trained they can be assigned to work in the workshop
via the Prison Labour option on the Logistics menu under Prison Running.
Sheet metal will be bought automatically, cut, stamped, exported and sold.
You want your workshop team to focus on licence plates so if you happen to
have a forestry zone supplying them with timber you should temporarily stop
that by removing the forestry designation (room label).
Once you have a workshop functioning it'll only be a matter of time before
the trophy pops. Having more workers and equipment (and workshops!) will get
it sooner - and provide a decent source of income for your facility.
28 Oh My God, They Found Tom* [Silver / 10G]
"Discover and repair an escape tunnel"
Prisoners with the Clever trait (see Section 08b) and unsatisfied Freedom
needs (see Section 07a) or longer jail sentences will sometimes dig tunnels
out of their cells in an attempt to escape. They can use various contraband
tools for this including spoons (from kitchens), axes (from forestry) and
equipment like hammers and drills (from workshops).
If necessary you can encourage tunnelling by having less Free-Time on the
daily regime, taking more Maximum Security inmates (with longer sentences)
and by allowing prisoners access to rooms with suitable tools (with fewer
guards and no metal detectors).
Escape tunnels can be discovered by running a Shakedown (Emergencies menu)
but remember that this will also detect the contraband tools hidden in cells
which they need for digging! You can also deploy dog handlers between your
cell blocks and the perimeter to find potential tunnels.
Once a tunnel has been discovered you can use the Remove Tunnels function
(Demolition menu) to fill it - click and drag to select the whole tunnel.
*This is a line from the evergreen 1963 WWII movie 'The Great Escape' where
the prisoners of war dig three escape tunnels code-named Tom, Dick and Harry.
29 Prison-Industrial Complex* [Bronze / 10G]
"Purchase your first plot of additional land"
In order to be able to buy a plot adjacent to your initial site you'll need
to research Finance \ Land Expansion in Bureaucracy (see Section 08a). Even
after you've researched it, you will still need to have an accountant to buy
extra land - so if you fired her you'll need to hire another one!
The option to purchase additional land is shown when you move your cursor
beyond the edge of your current property. The area (and cost) of the adjacent
plots will depend on the size of your starting map.
If you have no desire to build massive prisons you could get this trophy very
quickly by starting a new game with unlimited funds, setting the game speed
to maximum, hiring a warden, making two offices (Quick Rooms), researching
Finance, hiring an accountant, researching Land Expansion and buying land.
*See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison–industrial_complex
30 I Read A Book Once... Green It Was* [Silver / 30G]
"Have 10 prisoners pass General Education" [PA mode and standard diffs]
To run the educational programmes you'll need to research Education in the
Bureaucracy tree (see Section 08a). You can then either build one classroom
with twenty desks and put six Work hours on the regime (see Section 07c) or
have two classrooms and three hours of Work. You should then activate the
Foundation Education and General Education Qualification programmes via the
Reports menu (see Section 07f).
On consoles the Foundation Education course takes 10 days and the General
Education course takes 20 days and students need to successfully pass the
Foundation level before they can progress onto the General level so it will
take a little while to get the ten graduates required for the trophy.
Registration on the education programmes is voluntary so inmates will be more
likely to sign up if they're happy (satisfied needs). Not having any critical
needs will also improve their concentration which will increase their chances
of passing so it can be helpful to schedule Free-Time just before the Work
time so they can fulfil their urgent needs before class. The Free-Time also
helps them get to class on time (better attendance improves pass rate too).
Prisoners with the "Suppressed" status effect (from solitary or lockdown
punishments and from encountering armed guards) will be less likely to sign
up for classes and will have reduced concentration too. Solitary or lockdown
punishments can obviously affect classroom attendance as well so you could
even try removing punishments for minor offences (Policy menu).
You should avoid using the warden character named Rita as she causes all
suppression to have double the usual effect. After registering for a Double
ID you'll receive two new wardens including Leanne Johnston who increases the
pass rate on education programmes so she should be really handy here.
Inmates from the Maximum Security intake will tend to have longer prison
sentences which gives them more time to complete their studies. You might
also want to cancel your parole hearings while working on this trophy since
otherwise there's a risk that inmates who would otherwise be able to finish
both courses will be released before that can happen!
If you have a shop it might help to close it temporarily because prisoners
prefer to go to work to earn money instead of attending classes.
*Named after a slang term for a prison sentence, 'Porridge' was a classic UK
70's TV sitcom starring the late great Ronnie Barker and Fulton Mackay. In
one show an inmate (played by Brian Glover) was accused of being illiterate
but he protested that "I read a book once. Green, it was."
31 Double Eleven* [Bronze / 10G]
"Play the game at 11:11 (am or pm)"
This trophy will pop if you have the game running when your console's system
time is either 11:11am or 11:11pm. It seems like you need to be actually
playing the game rather than just idling on the main menu.
If you're really keen to get this trophy as quickly as possible then you can
also manually set your system time to 11:10 and then hop back into the game!
*The console port of Prison Architect was developed by Double Eleven studio.
They previously included the exact same trophy in PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate,
Frozen Synapse Prime, LittleBigPlanet and Nom Nom Galaxy. More recently they
put it in Super Cloudbuilt and Songbringer too.
-------------.----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 17b | Escape Mode s17b |
'-------------'----------------------------------------------------------------'
Escape Mode for PS4 and Xbox One (see Section 14b) was released as premium DLC
in August 2018 and adds thirteen new trophies/achievements. The trophy names all
start with "I" and on PS4 they're all bronze trophies.
There are three preset difficulty levels in Escape Mode - Standard, Casual and
Gentle - and changing any of the gameplay settings gives a "Custom" difficulty.
You must play on the default fixed "Standard" diff to be able to earn trophies -
this means that you always start with three skill points and zero cash.
Most of the trophies can be done "across multiple escape attempts" which means
you can make progress towards your cumulative total over multiple playthroughs.
The exception is "I Am Tired Of Earth" (trophy #33) which requires you to assign
one skill point each into all 25 skills during one escape attempt. You may find
it easier to farm some of the other trophies during one long playthrough too.
For several of the trophies you'll need to play on prisons that have certain
features. You can make things easier for yourself by designing your own prison
in Prison Architect mode - you can add all the features you need and make them
readily accessible by reducing security.
o You need to find all 27 collectible snapshots. These spawn in different rooms
so you'll need one of every room type apart from infirmary, laundry and mail
room. (See Section 16 for more info on farming the snapshots quickly.)
o You need to bribe the warden so their office should be accessible.
o You need to earn XP. Bookshelves and school desks are great for this.
o You need to make money. Armouries are an excellent source of valuable loot.
o You need to bribe guards 50 times. This is quicker with more guards.
o You need to recruit 50 inmates. This is quicker with more prisoners.
o You need to swim. This obviously requires some water!
o You need to do phone missions. This obviously requires a telephone! You can
use phone booths around the prison or you can steal cellphones from offices,
visitation, reception or staff rooms.
o You need to dig tunnels. Workshops, storage and forestry have the best tools.
o You need to burn things. This requires cigarette lighters which can be found
in offices, staff rooms, security, visitation and reception. A large workshop
is an excellent target for arson.
o You need to pick locks 50 times. This requires a screwdriver, hammer or drill
(from a workshop or storage) or scissors (from a morgue, classroom, mail room
or infirmary).
o You need to sabotage equipment 50 times. This requires a screwdriver, hammer,
drill or scissors again and you'll want lots of things to sabotage - laundry
machines, CCTV cameras, metal detectors, door servos, door control systems,
water pumps or power stations and capacitors.
(See 'Prison Design' in Section 14b for more considerations when building.)
Here's a breakdown of all thirteen trophies/achievements:
32 I Am The Ill Intent* [Bronze / 50G]
"Achieve the 'Take Over' ending"
A successfully completed escape receives a score bonus based on the type of
escape - Solo, Crew, Riot or Take Over.
You can get the Take Over ending by bribing the warden. You'll need to have
enough money for this and then walk up to the warden to get the bribe option.
On my first playthrough he wanted $1600 but on later ones he was asking for
$1800, although I've seen someone say theirs only needed $1000. See "I Am The
One Who Knocks" (trophy #40) for tips on making money fast.
Getting to the warden will be easier if their office (and any areas required
for access) are not set to Staff-only. If you're having trouble reaching the
office then you can also catch the warden on a break in a staff room - or in
transit between the office and staff room.
*This part of a long quote from Wilson Fisk in the final episode of the first
season of 'Daredevil'. "I always thought I was the Samaritan in that story.
It's funny, isn't it? How even the best of men can be deceived by their true
nature. [...] It means that I am not the Samaritan. That I'm not the priest,
or the Levite. That I am the ill intent who set upon the traveller on a road
that he should not have been on."
33 I Am Tired Of Earth* [Bronze / 50G]
"Have at least one point in every Skill in a single escape attempt"
There are 25 skills in the console version of Escape Mode (see Section 14b).
Skills are unlocked and upgraded using skill points. To qualify for trophies
you must play on "Standard" difficulty which means that you start with three
skill points to assign to the starter skills. You can save a lot of time by
taking Chronos Traveller at level 1 and if you want to farm XP you should put
all three of your points into that one skill.
You'll need to earn XP to level-up your character - each time you fill the XP
bar you earn one skill point. If you skip a punishment your XP bar will empty
but you keep any unused skill points.
Lots of different actions will earn you XP so your character will naturally
earn them over the course of a long playthrough, however if you want to farm
XP quickly I would recommend reading or studying. You can read at a bookshelf
or in a library and you can study at a school desk (usually found in a class-
room but if you're building a prison first you can put them anywhere).
Upgrading the Avid Learner skill will increase the amount of XP you get from
all actions so it's worth sinking some skill points into that too. With Avid
Learner and Chronos Traveller both maxed out you can earn 15-16 XP every
couple of seconds by reading/studying with the game at max speed.
You will need to attend to your needs, especially Sleep and Exercise which
are depleted during reading/studying. The most convenient way to do this is
to make a little money - see "I Am The One Who Knocks" (trophy #40) - and use
the dealer's items to satisfy your needs.
You can buy these items and carry them with you so you can use Sleep time
more productively by reading and then take care of your Sleep need with an
energy drink. This is easiest if you have bookshelves in all cells or if the
library/classroom are in a quiet area without guard patrols.
You can also buy skill points from the dealer, although he only sells one per
day and the price increases each time. Upgrading the Merchant skill will
reduce his prices though.
Remember that this trophy must be completed in a single playthrough.
Levelling up your character also unlocks slots for crew members so you could
work on "I Want YOU!" (trophy 36) at the same time as this one.
*"I am tired of Earth, these people. I'm tired of being caught in the tangle
of their lives." is a line from superhero Dr Manhattan in the 2009 'Watchmen'
movie. (The original wording from the comicbook is slightly different.)
</pre><pre id="faqspan-11">
34 I Always Wanted To Be A Gangster* [Bronze / 20G]
"Bribe 50 guards across multiple escape attempts"
Guards are bribed with money so you need guards and money for this!
If you have enough money you can bribe a guard by standing next to them and
holding the Cross button when prompted. Sometimes the required amount will be
as little as $10 or $20 but other times it could be hundreds or thousands.
You can reduce the bribe amounts by upgrading the Back Scratcher skill. At
max level this reduces the cost of bribes by around 50%.
A bribed guard is indicated by a green dollar symbol on top of the eye icon
that appears when the guard can see you. This will gradually fade over time
and the guard can't be bribed again until the dollar sign has gone. For this
reason it's helpful to have lots of guards if you want to farm bribes.
For tips on making money in Escape Mode see "I Am The One Who Knocks" (trophy
#40). If you're farming money for that trophy you can also use it to bribe
guards for this one.
*This is part of the famous voiceover in the 1990 movie 'Goodfellas' spoken
by Henry Hill (portrayed by Ray Liotta). "As far back as I can remember, I
always wanted to be a gangster."
35 I Like Dirt* [Bronze / 20G]
"Personally dig 200 metres across multiple escape attempts"
It is possible to dig through dirt with your bare hands but ideally you'll
want tools to dig escape tunnels. Several item types can be used for digging
(see 'Tunnelling' in Section 14b) - most of the good ones come from forestry,
workshops and storage but don't overlook the humble spoon from the canteen or
kitchen which is pretty handy in soft soil.
You can start tunnels under certain types of objects, for example toilets,
trees, sofas, desks and even altars and electric chairs! You don't need to
start from your cell but obviously that gives easy access during Sleep time.
Your Sleep, Food, Clothing and Hygiene needs will all deteriorate quickly
while digging so watch them closely. You can leave the tunnel to satisfy your
needs but the most convenient option (if you have enough inventory slots) is
to buy items from the dealer to fill your needs while still in the tunnel.
There are several skills that can help with this trophy. Escape Expert and
Engineer are obviously focused on tunnelling but Pack Mule, Secret Pocket,
Saboteur, Merchant and Chronos Traveller can all be useful too.
(The Moleman skill reduces the chances that your tunnel is found. That's not
really so important when going for this trophy, in fact it can be better to
have your tunnel discovered and backfilled so you can start again!)
Each tile represents one square metre so you'll need to dig out a total of
200 squares for this. You don't need to dig in long straight lines - you can
pick a path through the easier terrain and dig out wide areas.
Your recruited crew members will dig tunnels when ordered to escape but the
trophy description makes it clear that this doesn't count. However you can
also order them to collect contraband items for you so they could deliver
tools to your cell as long as the prison has sources for these.
*'I Like Dirt' is a song title off 'Californication' from 1999, the biggest
selling album by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
36 I Want YOU!* [Bronze / 20G]
"Recruit 60 crew members across multiple escape attempts"
You'll need to unlock at least one crew slot or preferably several. You get a
new crew slot for every five skill points you earn or buy - see "I Am Tired
Of Earth" (trophy #33) - for a maximum of six slots.
You will also need some money to recruit your crew - see "I Am The One Who
Knocks" (trophy #40). Prisoners without reputations are the cheapest and you
can reduce recruitment fees by upgrading the Natural Leader skill.
You can't dismiss your crew members but you can get a turnover by ordering
them all to escape the prison. Once one successfully escapes you can recruit
a replacement and then give him the escape command too.
You can help them out with the tunnelling. It's wise to take the Moleman
skill to reduce the chance of your tunnel being detected. (After several
unexplained escapes the guards will implement a tunnel search.)
If you're playing a small prison and run out of people to recruit just wait
until the "fresh fish" arrive in the 8am intake.
*A famous recruitment poster for the U.S. Army during World War I had Uncle
Sam pointing out from the image with the caption "I Want YOU for US Army".
(That 1917 design was based on a similar British recruitment poster from 1914
featuring Lord Kitchener also pointing - "[Lord Kitchener] Wants YOU".)
37 I Kinda Feel Like God* [Bronze / 20G]
"Sabotage 50 pieces of prison equipment across multiple escape attempts"
To sabotage equipment you'll need level 1 of the Saboteur skill. (You'll need
to buy level 1 of Avid Learner first.)
You'll also need a screwdriver, hammer or drill (available from a workshop or
storage area) or a pair of scissors (from a library, infirmary, morgue, mail
room or classroom). The prison must have at least one of these sources if you
want to make progress towards this trophy.
Equip the tool and hold Cross when prompted to interact with an object.
You can sabotage CCTV cameras, metal detectors, door servos, door control
systems, laundry machines, water pumps, power stations and capacitors.
A prison will always have electricity and water supplies - and if you find a
power station surrounded by a full set of sixteen capacitors you'll have
seventeen things to individually sabotage!
Alternatively you can build your own jail in Prison Architect mode and then
play it in Escape Mode. You can place a load of washing machines or metal
detectors in a quiet corner without any guard patrols.
Once a piece of equipment has been sabotaged it will take 24 hours (game
time) for the damage to be identified and repaired. Each additional level of
the Saboteur skill increases this duration by a further 24 hours so don't
upgrade the skill if you want to repeatedly sabotage the same objects.
*This is a quote from "Cereal Killer" in the 1995 movie 'Hackers'.
38 I'm A Firestarter, Twisted Firestarter* [Bronze / 20G]
"Burn down $10,000 worth of prison property across multiple escape attempts"
You'll need a cigarette lighter to start a fire. These can be found inside
offices, staff rooms, security, visitation and reception. You can't buy them
from the dealer so the prison must have at least one of those rooms, ideally
with easy access (not zoned as Staff-only).
Lighters are consumable items so you may need to get a new one from another
room - or from the same room after the contraband has respawned.
Select the lighter in your inventory, stand near an object and hold R1 to
burn it. Not all objects are flammable but many are - have fun experimenting!
Workshops are great for this trophy because work benches (saw or press) can
be burned and each one is worth $1,500.
Take care to avoid getting burned because fire can kill you instantly. When
you set fire to an object always stand as far away as possible and move away
once it's started burning. Also try not to get trapped in a burning room!
*This is a repeated line from the 1996 single 'Firestarter' by The Prodigy
which was included on their 'The Fat of the Land' album the following year.
39 I Know Because I Must Know* [Bronze / 20G]
"Pick 50 locks across multiple escape attempts"
To pick a lock you'll need at least one level of the Locksmith skill.
You'll also need a screwdriver, hammer or drill (available from a workshop or
storage area) or a pair of scissors (from a library, infirmary, morgue, mail
room or classroom). The prison must have at least one of these sources if you
want to earn this trophy.
Equip the tool and hold Square when prompted to interact with a door lock.
It's possible to pick a lock on an unlocked door and you can pick it as many
times as you like so completion of this trophy is trivial. With Locksmith and
Chronos Traveller both maxed-out you can lockpick several times per second!
You'll want to avoid getting spotted by a guard so just enter a quiet
unlocked room, let the door close behind you and then pick its lock.
*This is a line from the Keymaker character in 'The Matrix Reloaded' (2003).
40 I Am The One Who Knocks* [Bronze / 20G]
"Earn $10,000 across multiple escape attempts"
There are several ways to earn money in Escape Mode on consoles.
Once you've played long enough to make a decent stack of cash you can use it
to bribe guards for "I Always Wanted To Be A Gangster" (trophy #34).
Armoury Farmery
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
An easy way to make a lot of money quickly is to build a prison in Prison
Architect mode with a block of several small armouries and a nearby common
room and then play the map in Escape Mode, repeatedly farming the contraband
items from the armouries and selling them to the dealer.
Don't add any security measures that would hinder your activities - avoid
Staff-only zoning, guard deployment, CCTV and metal detectors. Use orange
standard doors for accessibility and don't employ any armed guards (because
they take their breaks in armouries instead of staff rooms).
Each armoury provides a rifle ($300), shotgun ($300), submachinegun ($300),
handgun ($150), tazer ($100) and baton ($25) worth $1,175 in total.
If necessary buy ramen and energy drinks from the dealer to satisfy your
needs. You can even stay out all night making money this way if you have a
quiet location without any guard patrols.
If you're starting a quick playthrough specifically to get this trophy I'd
suggest taking one level in Chronos Traveller and two levels in Pack Mule.
It can be worth spending a little time to upgrade your skills though. When
Pack Mule is fully upgraded you have ten inventory slots and if you level-up
the Merchant skill to maximum you can sell items for double their normal
value so a full sweep of one armoury is worth $2,350. Ker-ching!
Phone Missions
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
The missions you receive by phone from the "The Boss" are fairly quick and
lucrative - and you need to complete fifty of them anyway for "I Want What's
Coming To Me" (trophy #43). They pay between $50 and $500 per mission.
Crew Extortion
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
After recruiting prisoners to your crew you can issue a command for them to
extort money from other prisoners. This will require you to level-up your
character to unlock the crew slots and it will only give small contributions
but you need to recruit crew members anyway for "I Want YOU!" (trophy #36) so
you might as well get the bonus cash if you're on a longer playthrough.
Your potential victims will only have money if the prison has places to work
(to receive wages) or visitation (to receive gifts) so keep that in mind.
*Like the "Knock Knock" trophy in Battlefield Hardline, this trophy's name is
a reference to the TV show 'Breaking Bad'. In a famous quote Walter White
outlines his position. "Let me clue you in. I am not in danger [...] I *am*
the danger. A guy opens his door and gets shot and you think that of me? No.
I *am* the one who knocks!"
41 I Am A Nice Shark* [Bronze / 20G]
"Swim 100 metres across multiple escape attempts"
For this trophy you will obviously require a prison with some water. Ideally
it should be in an area that's easy to access - and not covered by any guard
patrols or CCTV (since swimming is counted as suspicious behaviour).
You'll need to spend a skill point to unlock the Swimmer skill. This also
requires that you have the Fighter and Athlete skills so if you want to get
swimming as soon as possible you should take both those skills at the start.
At level 1 you can only swim for around 2-3 metres before the swimming gauge
empties and you become unconscious, however it's still more than enough to
get this trophy if you're careful. Just swim near the edge of the water and
hop out before the gauge is empty. Wait a couple of seconds for the gauge to
refill, hop back in and repeat until the trophy pops.
*The pledge of the fish-friendly sharks in 'Finding Nemo' (2003) is "I am a
nice shark, not a mindless eating-machine. If I am to change this image, I
must first change myself. Fish are friends - not food."
42 I Am Become Death* [Bronze / 20G]
"Spend 3 minutes in Rage Mode across multiple escape attempts"
This requires at least one level of the Rage skill which in turn requires at
least one level each in Fighter and Athlete.
You can activate the Rage state when the R3 indicator is shown in the top-
right corner of the screen. For the duration of the effect this makes you
invincible and increases the strength of your melee attacks.
The skill goes into cooldown for 12 hours (game time) after use.
The Rage effect lasts for 12 minutes (game time) at level 1 but this can be
extended to 20 minutes by fully upgrading the skill. The requirement for the
trophy is to use Rage for three minutes (real time) in total so just keep
popping it when it's available and level-up the skill if you want to get the
trophy quicker.
You cannot use Rage when you're injured, unconscious or handcuffed.
*In the 1940's, Robert Oppenheimer was the director of the Manhattan Project
at Los Alamos, New Mexico, developing the first atomic bomb. Speaking in a
televised interview in 1965 he infamously quoted Chapter 11 of the Bhagavad
Gita (a major Hindu scripture) to describe his feelings on witnessing the
first atomic test - "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."
43 I Want What's Coming To Me* [Bronze / 20G]
"Complete 50 missions for The Boss"
(although not stated, this must be cumulative over multiple playthroughs)
You start missions by calling the gang boss with a telephone - so the prison
design must have at least one phone booth or a room from where cellphones can
be obtained as contraband (office, staff room, visitation or reception).
When you're selecting a prison (or building your own especially for Escape
Mode) it's helpful to have payphones all around the prison and/or several
accessible rooms (not zoned as Staff-only) where you can grab a cellphone.
To use a cellphone you need to have it selected in your personal inventory
and then press Square to phone "The Boss".
There are three types of missions. You will be required to attack (kill) an
inmate, collect a contraband package or cause a distraction by getting the
guards to chase you for a certain length of time.
After completing the mission objective you can collect your cash reward from
the dealer in any common room, canteen or yard. You cannot start a new one
until you've handed in the previous mission, although an open mission will
expire after a period of time.
It's worth upgrading some skills for the missions:
- Mob Connections increases the number of packages on the contraband
collection missions and that gives bigger cash rewards.
- Athlete will help you evade guards in the distraction missions.
- Fighter and Tough Guy are handy on the hitman jobs.
- Chronos Traveller is generally good for everything.
It can be useful to buy/steal a weapon for the hitman jobs too.
*This is a line from Al Pacino in the 1983 gangster movie, 'Scarface'. "Me, I
want what's coming to me. [...] The world, chico. And everything in it."
44 I Have This Condition* [Bronze / 100G]
"Collect all the Escape Mode snapshots"
The Escape Mode expansion adds 27 new snapshot collectibles which can be
found while playing Escape Mode.
Each snapshot spawns in a different type of room and a new one appears each
time you start a new game in Escape Mode (as long as the prison has at least
one of the rooms required for one of the snapshots you haven't found yet).
See Section 16 for more details and my quick guide to farming.
You can check your progress under Options & Extras off the main menu.
*Our final movie quote is from the 2000 Christopher Nolan film, 'Memento'.
The main character - played by Guy Pearce (Mike from Neighbours!) - suffers
from Anterograde Amnesia. He is unable to form new memories and instead uses
a system of written notes (including tattoos) and Polaroid photos.
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 18 | CONTACT s18 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
I welcome feedback, corrections and contributions on this guide. Contributions
will usually be reworded but will always be fully credited to the submitter so
be sure to tell me the name you want me to use.
You can email me at barticle at hotmail.com - obviously changing the "at" to an
@ and removing the spaces. It would be helpful if you include "Prison Architect"
somewhere in the subject line to get my attention.
I prefer contact by email but if you have trouble with your emails (inbox full,
webmail blocked, overzealous spam filter, etc) and/or you don't hear back from
me within a few days then feel free to message me via GameFAQs.
------------.-----------------------------------------------------------------.
| Section 19 | THANKS s19 |
'------------'-----------------------------------------------------------------'
I would like to thank the following:-
o Mark and Chris for their informative and entertaining update videos
o the many contributors on the game's excellent Wikia and Devwiki support sites
o Nat D11, HamsterX3, Skierky, treglehent, Peptuck, tfiggs, Quigleyer and
Defector_from_4chan for helpful forum posts
o swatlord (Reddit) for IDing three console Escape Mode snapshots
o shanethegooner (Reddit) for confirming a few prices from "The Slammer" update
o www.xboxachievements.com for the achievements gamerscores
o KulpritGaming (Youtube) for his Alpha 16 and Alpha 25-27 (PC) playthroughs
o OfficialStuffPlus and Sips (Youtube) for their Update 7 (PC) playthroughs
o Kuberous (Twitch) for his epic novelty prison designs
o Tropic of Coldness, Cave in the Sky and Jason van Wyk for super sounds
I will be happy to give credit and thanks to anyone who makes a contribution.
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/ / / // / / // / / / / // / / / / / GUIDE |
/ \/ // \/ // / / \_ / // \_ / \ / \________ o-----'
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--
Prison Architect Guide
Copyright 2016-2019 James R. Barton
Initial version 1.00 completed 9 July 2016
Current version 1.14 completed 29 November 2019
All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their
respective trademark and copyright holders.
This guide may be downloaded and printed for personal, private, non-commercial
use only. This work is subject to copyright. It may not be hosted online or
otherwise distributed publically or reproduced either in whole or in part
without the advance written consent of the author. Any violation would
constitute an infringement of copyright and is strictly prohibited.
The only website with my consent to publish this guide is GameFAQs/Gamespot.
If you find this file hosted on any other site I would be grateful if you would
inform me at the email address given at the top. Thanks!
