Suggestions and Updates

[MettaWorldPeece]

I love Prison Architect. And while I've browsed the forums, I feel like there are a lot of good suggestions on how to update the game in order to prolong the longevity of it. I wanted to compile a list of my suggestions as to what I think could drastically help make the game feel better.

I feel like the game is great, but I feel like it has some major points where it is failing.

• Replay-ability - Aside from changing the layout of the prison, often times when building a prison it seems like its the same deal. Get the same starting grants, build the same starting rooms, keep advancing in the same pattern, and basically progress the same way you did last time.
• Lack of flavor - While this has changed a little with the newest update, I feel like this type of game could use some more options for items, rooms, and perhaps reputation of prisoners.

------------------------------------------------ Quality of Life Improvements ------------------------------------------------​

1. Sometimes when placing lights the box that shows up saying how much it costs covers the area where I am counting spaces. I would like to see a ruler mode. Instead of right-click erasing placed objects, it creates a ruler to show how many spaces something is.
2. Room Quality should not impede a prisoner from entering a cell or dormitory. I believe that overall happiness in the prison can be affected by the room quality. Prisoners receiving more than what they expect should get a small boost. Those receiving less a decrease.
3. Be able to build a special utility pass through/under perimeter walls. This would also be a potential escape route.
4. Fix item placement cancellation due to "unable to access." I've had that bug appear several times when it is clearly able to access and in the end I have to replace many items.
5. Fix shade effect on hedges. As it stands it looks as though the hedges give off light on their tile, as the dirt around their base is brighter during the day. Makes it look strange with the shadow effect.
6. Just like shower-heads can go above items like toilets, ALLOW US TO PUT CCTV cameras ABOVE items like desks, tables, benches, sofas, etc...
7. Improve the Bureaucracy menu layout - Might I suggest having compartments for each section rather than a component diagram map. In each box, there are points that can be completed. Sub-points can only be completed after the above point is completed (eg-tasers before taser roll-out)

------------------------------------------------ Game Changes ------------------------------------------------​

New Rooms:

1. Computer Labs - places to do certain types of classes
2. Fields/Courts - outdoor place to do exercise, with bigger emphasis on exercising. Tracks, basketball courts, soccer fields, etc...
3. Probation Office - a place where a probation officer can prepare people for parole. They will make prisoners more likely to participate in programs that will help them get out of prison. This can also help discover reputations that can be earned or hidden

Unique Grants:

1. New grants that require new programs to be implemented and passed that go along with programs and rooms listed here.
2. Unique grants with a mutator that doesn't allow you to choose your grants, but instead assigns you tasks to fulfill to receive payments.
3. Improved Bureaucracy - add more items to the bureaucracy menu. Add sub-categories below others like Education programs below education, medical rehabilitation below health, item/area/walls/building options unlocks under foreman (eg-you can only build fences at the start, but perimeter walls are unlocked with more advanced items)

New Items/Building Materials

1. Computers/computer desks
2. Basketball hoops, soccer nets
3. Track flooring (for an outdoor track to run on)
4. Flowers, bushes, and other outdoor decorations
5. New weapons
6. Floor signs and paints - be able to paint floors certain colors to show zoned areas outside of deployment menu.

New Reputations

1. Leader - if mixed with bad reputations, can create gangs or instigate problems. With good traits or when well treated can help prevent other prisoners from starting fights
2. Cautious - prisoner is less likely to be affected by others, not likely to be instigated even by prisoners with that trait
3. Behaved - prisoners are likely to treat staff, items, and others with respect. Accept punishment and follow rules. More likely to get parole, lower re-offending rate, but also more likely to become a snitch and targeted by prisoners
4. Loud - likely to create noise and bother nearby inmates, lower their happiness. More likely to instigate problems and create unrest
5. Quiet - opposite of loud, don't create problems
6. Compliant/Compliant - prisoner is not likely to fight, though they may riot. Prisoner is more likely to have a positive outcome from classes/programs

New Programs

1. Re-Entry Program - taught by the warden perhaps, designed to help prepare inmates available for parole to return to society. This can be set as mandatory for parole inmates to pass, giving them incentive to participate in other programs.
2. Financial Planning - taught by the accountant, can help inmates manage money better, be more likely to join in work programs and spend money at the shop, less likely chance of re-offending
3. Language Classes - have prisoners that enter unable to speak English. This would go along with the non-native language speaking challenge

New Staff

1. Probation Officer - runs probation class, can discover reputations
2. Teachers - full-time staff required to teach classes rather than coming in from outside. Can do tutoring as well.

New Challenges

1. Inspections - Inspectors come to see if prisoners are starving, being overly punished, unhappy, unhealthy, or in bad condition. Fines can be placed for prisons not in compliance. Failure to fix problems can cause you to lose your prison.
2. The Warden, Fixing Prisons - You play as the warden in warden mode. You start with a pre-made prison (first levels are easy). You are tasked with fixing certain problems or completing certain grants. Upon completion, you are moved to harder challenges and tasks. After completing several tasks, you are promoted to a new, larger prison to "fix."
3. Re-offenders - When prisoners released from your prison are sent back to your prison, you are giving warnings. If too many prisoners are sent back, you can fail as a warden (releasing prisoners not ready to be released)
4. Weapons Collection - much like the pages or photo collection to find and pick up, have certain legendary weapons that can appear as a way to have other collectible items.
5. Non-Native Speaker - makes it possible to get a prisoner that does not speak the native language of the prison. This prisoner is much more likely to create problems, and requires special classes to teach language to help know needs, increase their happiness, and decrease likelihood of instigation

------------------------------------------------ ~ ------------------------------------------------​

While I am open to more suggestions, as I don't believe this to be an all inclusive list, I would like input from the community because Paradox is definitely a company that listens to its fanbase.

Many of you may note that I left out the "multi-floor prison." While I too would love to see that, I believe its implementation would be much more complicated for the layout of the game right now and is more of a dream. I believe many of these things can add much more flavor and uniqueness to each build by making it more of a "receive and respond" scenario rather than "build this first, then this second, then this third..."

I'm also open to opinions!