[Suggestion][Glitches][Recommendations] Lots to talk about

[Flint]

As recommended by "paktsardines" This topic has been updated with both the Video and Text version. The Video version has more in it then the text version with item requests and other ideas so watch it if you want a better explanation on something or to hear all my ideas and requests.

"Video Version".............................................................

I made a video going over Glitches and Recommendations that need addressing or would be a good addition to the game. Just note I do go over some topics stated already on the forums.

Prison Architect Glitches and Recommendations 01


If their anything I have said in this Video gets done please give use the options to choose from Brick or Concrete for the Foundations Wall Constructions.

If you want me to go more in-depth on something I have said please let me know and I'll do my best to elaborate. Comments welcome.

"Text Version"......................................................................

Forum Request...........................................
I've noticed that the only way to import an avatar is thought a URL. Can their also be an option added for a upload from our computers so we can have an avatar of our own? I've made my own Prisoner and I would like to have him on the forum but cant upload him here as of now.


Glitch/Errors/AI Update's.............................

Construction Glitch: "In Video"
I have found from time to time that when you assign a work assignment , the game will spawn the props but then the workers will not move the props to the work areas to install the props. So all the props do is sit on the trucks, delivery area or storage. Sometimes you are even unable to delete the props too. Theirs is a clear way to get to the work area, it unobstructed.

Delivery Worker Glitch: "Can show Glitch on request"
Sometime when a worker takes some metal or a guard takes some cloths to their assigned areas from the trucks they will for some unknown reason just stop what they are doing, drop the prop and leave it where it lies. What the killer part of this error is that the workers will never go back to pick the prop up, EVER. Even when selecting the "Dump" option the workers will not go and remove the prop. So it just sits there, forever and for my luck it always in the middle of a door way where the door can never close.

Lag Issues: "In video" Already known of forum topics.
The game lags later in the game when you have more props and prisoners on screen. It's just evil.

Shakedown Error: "In Video"
As the shakedown currently stands half the prison is not being searched. Kitchen, Canteen, Visitation, Intake, Infirmary, Solitary, Workshops, Yard, Showers, Laundry, Cleaning and all other misc props within the prison that are not owned by a prisoner. I've done many shakedowns and still have issues with contraband and I know they are hidden in areas that are not being searched but are used by the prisoners.

Doctor IA/Guard AI needs updating: "In Video"
When a Guard is injured the Doctors will never go out to heal then nor will the Guard go to the infirmary to get healed when injured. I'm always having to tell my Guards to get healed when this should be done automatically.

Staff/Prisoner Folder issue: "In Video"
"Windowed Mode"
When you have a large Staff/Prisoners and it goes beyond the folder itself you can't scroll all the way down to see everyone in your prison or have the ability to fire them. My Genitors, Doctors and chefs go off screen and I can't do anything with them.

Sleep Glitch: "In Video"
When loading a save game at night during the sleep time all prisons sleep is 100% completed does not matter on what time it was loading. This is annoying since you have to change your regiment all around to confiscate for this change.

Update Worker AI Job: "In Video"
As stated in the video workers would take items off the truck, place in the delivery zone then another worker nowhere near where the delivery zone is get assigned to move the item to its final place. Why not change it where the worker that just placed the item on the ground would take the item move it to the final place, rather than just walking off. Would make for a faster placement of items in the prison.

Update Guard, Fog of War sight: "In Video"
If there is not Guard in a room but the door is open and a Guard walks by you should get a little cone of insight into that room for as long as the Guard is next to the door. "More realistic and useful."


Recommendations/Requests................................................

Foundation Brick Options: "In Video"
When you select the foundation option you should be given the option to either build with brick or concrete. Your already paying the same for brick so why not give us the choice on what to be able to build with.

Selective Shakedown options: "In Video"
Lets add an option that when selected you can search all props and prisoners in a room at a that time and it only effects everything in that room. Also the option to only a Global Prisoner Shakedown or a Global Prop Search would be nice.
"Example" All prisoners are in the canteen, you select that option and search the canteen and everyone and everything within the canteen gets searched but the rest of the prison is left untouched.

Hotkeys: "In Video"
Give us the ability to use keys when dismantling or destroying parts of your prison or give a mass Dismantle ability like "Demolition" that would dismantle everything within the selected area. Good for when you want to rebuild parts of your prison but want to save everything that you build into it.

Bathrooms at Night: "In Video"
If its Sleep time in your prison and a prisoner reaches a certain level of need in their bowl or bladder content the prisoner would get up and use the bathroom. This is practical and would prevent massive unrest in the prisons as soon as they prisoners get up for shower time.

Death Log: "Same as Contraband" "In Video"
When someone dies in your prison you should be able to go back at any time and see where they died, who died and even tell if the person was found that committed the murder. It's useful to have when running a large prison since you can't see everything at once.

Landscaping Prisoner Job: "In Video"
More jobs that the prisoners can work and also get contraband to use within the prison. Would need a landscaping room with a rack for gardening tools, table and so on. Good for prisons that have a lot of outdoor grass.

Building on the road: "In video"
With the option to buy land on the other side of the road you need to be able to build on the road. My Suggestions to be able to build on the road without blocking it is in create road doors and allow materials to be build on the road such as concrete tiles. In real prisons trucks would pull into a area a door would close behind it then another door in front of the truck would then open and the truck would proceed into the prison. Why not just replaced this.

ERS, "Emergency Response System" "In Video"
When researched under the Deployment you would gain a new icon in the tool bar, the ERS. What the ERS would do is when clicked and placed on a location all available guards would rush that that location and stay there until the cancel the alert. Good for quelling early riots.

Workshop Storage: "In Video"
When built next to the workshop the Workshop Storage would have additional metal for the prisoners to use in the workshop when needed. For every table you add into the storage area the game would always buy enough metal to fill those tables. Good for very large workshop prisons such as the one in the video where it would run out of metal fast and the workers could not fill the tables with new metal fast enough.

Custom Discipline, Folder option next to valuation: "In Video"
Allow me the warden of the prison to set custom punishments for what crime accurse in the prison. For any action that accurse I'll be able to set what would happen if it accurse and how long it would last for.

Open Concept Cells: "In Video"
Min 3x3, 2 bed, 1toilet. You can have as many prisoners as you want in these cells but the more you have the higher the risk you have of the prisoners getting angry and rioting over the overcrowding. Allows for neat cell designs.

CT Cameras Still: "In Video"
Give an option in each CT camera where you can start and stop the rotation of the CT camera and keep it looking at a certain area. Since most of the time you do not need the 180 it would be great.

Prisoner Cost: "Gone over in forum topics" "In Video"
For each class of prisoner there would be a different payout for having then in the prison. "Example" min 75, normal 100, high 150.

Drug Effect, different type of drugs: "In video"
For each type of drug or drug used by a prisoner there would be a effect on the prisoner that used the drug. "Example" If a prisoner takes cocaine they immediately go insane and the first 3 thing they hit are 100% destroyed or killed. You would really want to have a good control on drugs with this type of system.

Prisoner Intake: "Gone over in forum topics" "In Video"
For as many beds as you have in the game not filled the game would send that amount of prisoners + 20 prisoners. By the time the next day comes you would have filtered thought 20 inmates thus the need for large amount of prisoners to just keep afloat in prisoner cost. The larger the prison the more inmates you will need coming in to just keep the population above breaking even.

Hidden Risk inmates: "In Video"
New concept, when you receive inmates not all will be classified correctly. You could be getting low risk inmates but 1 or 2 of them could be high risk inmates but where sent as low risk. You would need to have the ability to now possesses ever new inmate to insure they where assigned to the correct risk level. You would need to have a psychologist and a doctor plus a screening room to check their mental status and be assigned to the correct risk level. Not doing so could result in more riots, deaths, contraband and so on.

Staff assignments. "Deployment" "Forum Topic already done" "Idea by: HerrJoebob"
Once Deployment is researched I would have the ability to assign Doctors and Chief to work in their assigned Kitchen or infirmary. Since prisons are going to get very big or have Multiple prisons you will need to have a certain amount of staff in each one. Allowing the user to set how many go where would be really useful and would create a need for good micromanagement for how many prisoners will go to each area when needed.

Doctor Query: "Idea by: HerrJoebob"
Once you Research "Doctor" you can set at what point a Guard or staff members injury level can be before being sent to the infirmary without having to be selected and set the user.

[Lolloler]

Your first problem (with deliveries): Just make a bigger area to drop deliveries and the problem is solved.

[Flint]

Re-watch the first 2 min. I clearly stated all materials where assigned to be moved in a job query to be installed. Even if a larger area was made for delivers the error is still accruing and nothing would be done.

[paktsardines]

I'm afraid this isn't very helpful . Please post your suggestions here in textual form, and your 'glitches' in the bug tracker (assuming they have not already been posted).
Videos are obviously not included in the search results, so both your glitches and suggestions will otherwise be overlooked.


note: I can't actually watch your video anyway, as I'm at work.

[Flint]

OK then, I'll just recreate the post.

[paktsardines]

No need to recreate the post, you can just 'edit' and include a summary. Cheers.

[Flint]

Topic updated as requested. Enjoy and please tell me what you think.

[HerrJoebob]

Construction glitch: Occasionally seen this one too, seems new in alpha 12. Had one prison that I had to throw away because I was persistently getting this during a remodel.


Delivery Worker Glitch: This happens when the guy drops a workshop or laundry item in a staff-only zone. Since the item is now "owned" by inmate workers, nobody will pick it up. I assume that it is indeed a bug, but it's well known. If you can indeed reproduce it on demand, you should probably put that info in the bug tracker to help the devs.


Doctor IA/Guard AI needs updating: Doctors will chase down anybody they 'see' that has any injury, but they have to have a certain amount of damage, like 25% or so, before the 'store X in medicalbed' job will be queued. Slight workaround is to put infirmary near entrance to the yard.


Update Worker AI Job: I don't know if this is a bug, could just be an unfinished feature.

New concept, when you receive inmates not all will be classified correctly.

+1 to your other suggestions, I liked them all very much. This one is supposedly already implemented though and my experience has indicated that it is in fact working (meaning, I've had the same low-risk prisoner kick off over and over and groups of max-risk that wouldn't kick off ever).

[Flint]

I never thought of the metals already being prisoner owned as an issue but the problem with that is that the items never truly made it into the prison, just the front door so they could never be prisoner owned yet, I hop?

"Doctor IA/Guard AI needs updating: Doctors will chase down anybody they 'see' that has any injury, but they have to have a certain amount of damage, like 25% or so, before the 'store X in medicalbed' job will be queued. Slight workaround is to put infirmary near entrance to the yard. "

----Maybe then I as the warden should have the ability to set when someone goes to an infirmary. In my prisons any damage I would want a person in a infirmary so giving the play the choice on when the Guard can go would be great. Having it automated to do it on its own is just icing on the cake. Never tried having multiple informers, since you cant yet assign how many doctors, chiefs can work in what area I don't think it would work well. I'll add this idea to the list.

[HerrJoebob]

I never thought of the metals already being prisoner owned as an issue but the problem with that is that the items never truly made it into the prison, just the front door so they could never be prisoner owned yet, I hop?

It appears that they become prisoner-owned the moment the original carrier drops them - this may be part of the bug.

As for the infirmary, although it generally works surprisingly well for an alpha it definitely still has a 'not-quite-cooked' feel, with corpses frequently being dropped off in the beds and such. My guess is that the infirmary threshold is part of some other idea they have (or had) for that system.

[Flint]

As for the infirmary, although it generally works surprisingly well for an alpha it definitely still has a 'not-quite-cooked' feel, with corpses frequently being dropped off in the beds and such. My guess is that the infirmary threshold is part of some other idea they have (or had) for that system.

In time I'm sure it will be worked out. Now I've had times where people brought to the infirmary would go their, I'd go a way for a sec, look back and all you see is 4 heads on the hospital bed and no body. Hahah creepy.

[Novbert]

Construction Glitch: Your delivery area is full. Your storage is full. Those workers have probably picked up a task, the material for which haven't arrived yet - and can't even arrive as there's no place for it. Suggestion: Free up some space in Storage room, free up some space in Delivery area. If that doesn't work, fire and hire some workers afterwards. That resets their work assignments.

Delivery worker glitch: As it has been pointed out, hauling from deliveries to Workshop/laundry is a worker/guard job. Once the item gets dropped, it becomes a prisoner job to move it, but they can only move it if it is not in a Staff only zone. A bit annoying, but currently this is how it works.

Lag: I found it definitely a workshop-related issue, as that is the room which generates the most tasks continuously. Looking at your video only supports that (lag starts at workshop time). Solution? Even you mention that the lag appears as the prison gets larger, yet you complain about not having enough prisoners. What if you'd stick to smaller prisons as long as performance doesn't get improved? (Option B: Get rid of the workshop as soon as you have enough money.)

Shakedown error: Contraband doesn't work like this. Prisoners either carry their contraband or hide it in their cell. There's not third option. Searching other rooms for contraband is rather pointless as they are the source of contraband. E.g. Kitchen is the source of spoons and knifes. There's no point searching the kitchen for these because these are always there. And as long as prisoners have access to the kitchen they can steal it from their, though they are a lot less likely to steal if a guard is patroling there.

Hotkeys, Bathrooms at night, landscaping prisoner job: I totally support these.

Workshop storage: As I see the main problem is your delivery and workshop placement. The delivery area is just too far from the top of the road - and the workshop is too far from delivery. As I found it works like this: At the beginning of every hour, the game checks, each workshop saw if they have less then 12 sheet metals on the left side. If there is, a stack is sent so that the sum becomes 12 (e.g. if the saw has 5 sheets on it, 7 sheets are sent for that). Considering that delivery trucks move about two cells a minute, in your setup it takes about 20-30 minutes for the truck to reach the delivery area. Then another 5-10 for the workers to unload. Then another 20-30 mins for the workers to take the sheets to the saws. As a saw processes 1 sheet in 10 minutes, they can run out of sheets rather fast - especially if delivery of new sheets takes about - or more than - an hour. Solution: Put the delivery area as north as you can. Place the workshop as close to the delivery area as you can. Place the storage room as close as you can to the delivery area - as workers like to hang out there and this way you can avoid loosing too much time while the workers get to the devlivery area to unload the trucks. Plus: Place more saws than presses. You can even place more saws than prisoners could possibly operate as they currently kinda work like workshop storage.

Open concept cells: The feature you're requesting exists: It's called holding cell. Check out this thread: http://forums.introversion.co.uk/prison ... fbf698ee3b

Staff/Prisoner Folder issue: Though I agree that this issue should be fixed, I can't stand commenting on your staffing policy: Man, you have 63 guards (31 of which is idle most of the time) for about 200 prisoners?!? If that's the way you play it, it's okay, but I've run similar size prisons with about twenty-something guards without any issue. And again: If you have one staff member for every prisoner, don't be surprised when the lag appears.

[Flint]

Construction Glitch: Your delivery area is full. Your storage is full. Those workers have probably picked up a task, the material for which haven't arrived yet - and can't even arrive as there's no place for it. Suggestion: Free up some space in Storage room, free up some space in Delivery area. If that doesn't work, fire and hire some workers afterwards. That resets their work assignments.

I guess people never notice the obvious when I state, " A massive job assignment in the shower/laundry" and all the materials in the rooms are for those jobs. but are not being worked.

Delivery worker glitch: As it has been pointed out, hauling from deliveries to Workshop/laundry is a worker/guard job. Once the item gets dropped, it becomes a prisoner job to move it, but they can only move it if it is not in a Staff only zone. A bit annoying, but currently this is how it works.

Then when you order to "dump" that item it should override the owner and remove the prop. When the item is at the entrance to your prison you can't have prisoners go get the prop or they will just escape.

Lag: I found it definitely a workshop-related issue, as that is the room which generates the most tasks continuously. Looking at your video only supports that (lag starts at workshop time). Solution? Even you mention that the lag appears as the prison gets larger, yet you complain about not having enough prisoners. What if you'd stick to smaller prisons as long as performance doesn't get improved? (Option B: Get rid of the workshop as soon as you have enough money.)

Any lag is an issue and should be stated so it can be corrected. Not enough prisoners come from the game itself not sending enough to fill all the beds in the prison. There are more than enough prisoners to fill all my jobs in my prison +.

Workshop storage: As I see the main problem is your delivery and workshop placement. The delivery area is just too far from the top of the road - and the workshop is too far from delivery. As I found it works like this: At the beginning of every hour, the game checks, each workshop saw if they have less then 12 sheet metals on the left side. If there is, a stack is sent so that the sum becomes 12 (e.g. if the saw has 5 sheets on it, 7 sheets are sent for that). Considering that delivery trucks move about two cells a minute, in your setup it takes about 20-30 minutes for the truck to reach the delivery area. Then another 5-10 for the workers to unload. Then another 20-30 mins for the workers to take the sheets to the saws. As a saw processes 1 sheet in 10 minutes, they can run out of sheets rather fast - especially if delivery of new sheets takes about - or more than - an hour. Solution: Put the delivery area as north as you can. Place the workshop as close to the delivery area as you can. Place the storage room as close as you can to the delivery area - as workers like to hang out there and this way you can avoid loosing too much time while the workers get to the devlivery area to unload the trucks. Plus: Place more saws than presses. You can even place more saws than prisoners could possibly operate as they currently kinda work like workshop storage.

That's not a fix, that's compensating for issues and even so you can't build shops so close to your delivery zone since the traffic of workers though the doors would lead to easier prisoners escapes. Storage is the best answer since when the shops close for the night they can be field at easy without having any time constants.

Open concept cells: The feature you're requesting exists: It's called holding cell. Check out this thread

Game exploitation, totally unrealistic, prisoners do not roam prison as much, Pointless, Game breaking.

Staff/Prisoner Folder issue: Though I agree that this issue should be fixed, I can't stand commenting on your staffing policy: Man, you have 63 guards (31 of which is idle most of the time) for about 200 prisoners?!? If that's the way you play it, it's okay, but I've run similar size prisons with about twenty-something guards without any issue. And again: If you have one staff member for every prisoner, don't be surprised when the lag appears.

We all run a prison different ways, yours is on luck and hop of no riots. Mine is of confidence and best use of my abundant resources. Any Riot issues get quelled fast without me having to issues orders which is great of a massive prison where you can't see everything at one time.

Thanks for the replay though, They are good ideas.

I also added an "annotation" on the Video to state all materials in the Storage, Delivery and on the trucks are for the already assigned job.

[Novbert]

Construction Glitch: Your delivery area is full. Your storage is full. Those workers have probably picked up a task, the material for which haven't arrived yet - and can't even arrive as there's no place for it. Suggestion: Free up some space in Storage room, free up some space in Delivery area. If that doesn't work, fire and hire some workers afterwards. That resets their work assignments.

I guess people never notice the obvious when I state, " A massive job assignment in the shower/laundry" and all the materials in the rooms are for those jobs. but are not being worked.

You can't be sure, how worker AI works - maybe it is set to wait until all the resources arrive for a certain 'massive assignment'. For the sake of experimentation, could you just try what I've suggested?

Delivery worker glitch: As it has been pointed out, hauling from deliveries to Workshop/laundry is a worker/guard job. Once the item gets dropped, it becomes a prisoner job to move it, but they can only move it if it is not in a Staff only zone. A bit annoying, but currently this is how it works.

Then when you order to "dump" that item it should override the owner and remove the prop. When the item is at the entrance to your prison you can't have prisoners go get the prop or they will just escape.

Correct. This is ALPHA. And this is a bug. You can only get rid of those by directly editing the savefile.

Lag: I found it definitely a workshop-related issue, as that is the room which generates the most tasks continuously. Looking at your video only supports that (lag starts at workshop time). Solution? Even you mention that the lag appears as the prison gets larger, yet you complain about not having enough prisoners. What if you'd stick to smaller prisons as long as performance doesn't get improved? (Option B: Get rid of the workshop as soon as you have enough money.)

Any lag is an issue and should be stated so it can be corrected. Not enough prisoners come from the game itself not sending enough to fill all the beds in the prison. There are more than enough prisoners to fill all my jobs in my prison +.

No offense, but what would be enough for you? When would your prison become large enough.
Once I learned about the natural limitations of prisoner count I've started building a Min Sec prison - now I'm having a population of 50 or 60 and I'm happy with it. I currentyl tend to think that the game is currently only stable on a small map (without expansion) and without tweaking prisoner count - and I consider medium and large size maps only experimental. I'll only try those once I'm ready to get annoyed.

Workshop storage: As I see the main problem is your delivery and workshop placement. The delivery area is just too far from the top of the road - and the workshop is too far from delivery. As I found it works like this: At the beginning of every hour, the game checks, each workshop saw if they have less then 12 sheet metals on the left side. If there is, a stack is sent so that the sum becomes 12 (e.g. if the saw has 5 sheets on it, 7 sheets are sent for that). Considering that delivery trucks move about two cells a minute, in your setup it takes about 20-30 minutes for the truck to reach the delivery area. Then another 5-10 for the workers to unload. Then another 20-30 mins for the workers to take the sheets to the saws. As a saw processes 1 sheet in 10 minutes, they can run out of sheets rather fast - especially if delivery of new sheets takes about - or more than - an hour. Solution: Put the delivery area as north as you can. Place the workshop as close to the delivery area as you can. Place the storage room as close as you can to the delivery area - as workers like to hang out there and this way you can avoid loosing too much time while the workers get to the devlivery area to unload the trucks. Plus: Place more saws than presses. You can even place more saws than prisoners could possibly operate as they currently kinda work like workshop storage.

That's not a fix, that's compensating for issues and even so you can't build shops so close to your delivery zone since the traffic of workers though the doors would lead to easier prisoners escapes. Storage is the best answer since when the shops close for the night they can be field at easy without having any time constants.

Prisoners won't escape through staff only zones. Ever. I don't say that your idea is bad, I just say that till we get some sophisticated storage system, we'd better obey the current rules - no matter how illogical they are.

Open concept cells: The feature you're requesting exists: It's called holding cell. Check out this thread

Game exploitation, totally unrealistic, prisoners do not roam prison as much, Pointless, Game breaking.

I don't see this as an exploit. A rather creative usage of a room, but it's kinda encoded in the fact that holding cell population and size has no upper limit, and that inmates in that cell can fulfill their sleeping needs if there are availalbe beds.
On the other hand this is the exact setup that can be seen in your video. A large room with lots of beds, toilets and no internal walls. I can't see why your version is more 'realistic'. Or why it is not an exploit of walls not being necessary for cells.

Staff/Prisoner Folder issue: Though I agree that this issue should be fixed, I can't stand commenting on your staffing policy: Man, you have 63 guards (31 of which is idle most of the time) for about 200 prisoners?!? If that's the way you play it, it's okay, but I've run similar size prisons with about twenty-something guards without any issue. And again: If you have one staff member for every prisoner, don't be surprised when the lag appears.

We all run a prison different ways, yours is on luck and hop of no riots. Mine is of confidence and best use of my abundant resources. Any Riot issues get quelled fast without me having to issues orders which is great of a massive prison where you can't see everything at one time.

Thanks for the replay though, They are good ideas.

That's true. I don't like to spend unnecessary resources. 1 guard for every room and every cell block and then some to carry the noobs in - that's all.
I think I'm going to share my max sec max population prison soon - just to get some feedback and see if I really only got lucky with that

[Flint]

Construction Glitch: Your delivery area is full. Your storage is full. Those workers have probably picked up a task, the material for which haven't arrived yet - and can't even arrive as there's no place for it. Suggestion: Free up some space in Storage room, free up some space in Delivery area. If that doesn't work, fire and hire some workers afterwards. That resets their work assignments.

I guess people never notice the obvious when I state, " A massive job assignment in the shower/laundry" and all the materials in the rooms are for those jobs. but are not being worked.

You can't be sure, how worker AI works - maybe it is set to wait until all the resources arrive for a certain 'massive assignment'. For the sake of experimentation, could you just try what I've suggested?

Then I think you just proved my point that their is an error with the Delivery "Spawn" system. If the workers and items are their to work then they should work. The game should never assume that their will always be enough room to all items coming into the prison at one time. As the game is being build you can build onto new land and if you are doing that you have lots of money to build fast which means lots of items are going to be spawned at once. Your never going divert 500x500 for just delivery and even that can get full. So here is an error that needs correcting.

Delivery worker glitch: As it has been pointed out, hauling from deliveries to Workshop/laundry is a worker/guard job. Once the item gets dropped, it becomes a prisoner job to move it, but they can only move it if it is not in a Staff only zone. A bit annoying, but currently this is how it works.

Then when you order to "dump" that item it should override the owner and remove the prop. When the item is at the entrance to your prison you can't have prisoners go get the prop or they will just escape.

Correct. This is ALPHA. And this is a bug. You can only get rid of those by directly editing the savefile.

That's why I brought it up, remember this is the developer forums. Such errors must be stated and fixed.

Lag: I found it definitely a workshop-related issue, as that is the room which generates the most tasks continuously. Looking at your video only supports that (lag starts at workshop time). Solution? Even you mention that the lag appears as the prison gets larger, yet you complain about not having enough prisoners. What if you'd stick to smaller prisons as long as performance doesn't get improved? (Option B: Get rid of the workshop as soon as you have enough money.)

Any lag is an issue and should be stated so it can be corrected. Not enough prisoners come from the game itself not sending enough to fill all the beds in the prison. There are more than enough prisoners to fill all my jobs in my prison +.

No offense, but what would be enough for you? When would your prison become large enough.
Once I learned about the natural limitations of prisoner count I've started building a Min Sec prison - now I'm having a population of 50 or 60 and I'm happy with it. I currentyl tend to think that the game is currently only stable on a small map (without expansion) and without tweaking prisoner count - and I consider medium and large size maps only experimental. I'll only try those once I'm ready to get annoyed.

Well no offence to you but I guess micromanage is not your strong suit. The larger the project, the more going on at one time, the more fun the game becomes. At your prison size it can run itself but at the one I am building to it will require management and consented evolution which makes the game more fun since you doing more at once time. Trying to privatize your time, resources, ect. That's when the game truly becomes fun. Not to mention since I do not modify the "Balance" code at all I need a large income to run a large operation and yet I'm always with a Surplus budget.

Workshop storage: As I see the main problem is your delivery and workshop placement. The delivery area is just too far from the top of the road - and the workshop is too far from delivery. As I found it works like this: At the beginning of every hour, the game checks, each workshop saw if they have less then 12 sheet metals on the left side. If there is, a stack is sent so that the sum becomes 12 (e.g. if the saw has 5 sheets on it, 7 sheets are sent for that). Considering that delivery trucks move about two cells a minute, in your setup it takes about 20-30 minutes for the truck to reach the delivery area. Then another 5-10 for the workers to unload. Then another 20-30 mins for the workers to take the sheets to the saws. As a saw processes 1 sheet in 10 minutes, they can run out of sheets rather fast - especially if delivery of new sheets takes about - or more than - an hour. Solution: Put the delivery area as north as you can. Place the workshop as close to the delivery area as you can. Place the storage room as close as you can to the delivery area - as workers like to hang out there and this way you can avoid loosing too much time while the workers get to the devlivery area to unload the trucks. Plus: Place more saws than presses. You can even place more saws than prisoners could possibly operate as they currently kinda work like workshop storage.

That's not a fix, that's compensating for issues and even so you can't build shops so close to your delivery zone since the traffic of workers though the doors would lead to easier prisoners escapes. Storage is the best answer since when the shops close for the night they can be field at easy without having any time constants.

Prisoners won't escape through staff only zones. Ever. I don't say that your idea is bad, I just say that till we get some sophisticated storage system, we'd better obey the current rules - no matter how illogical they are. .

Well if that's true that's a game glitch. If their is any way for a prisoner to get out of the prison they should try to make a run for it if possible. "Staff only" zone just stop then from going to that location but lets say all the doors are open in the staff only zone to the outside of the prison then the prisoner needs to be able to "make a break for it" because of the wardens stupide for door placement, ect.

Open concept cells: The feature you're requesting exists: It's called holding cell. Check out this thread

Game exploitation, totally unrealistic, prisoners do not roam prison as much, Pointless, Game breaking.

I don't see this as an exploit. A rather creative usage of a room, but it's kinda encoded in the fact that holding cell population and size has no upper limit, and that inmates in that cell can fulfill their sleeping needs if there are availalbe beds.
On the other hand this is the exact setup that can be seen in your video. A large room with lots of beds, toilets and no internal walls. I can't see why your version is more 'realistic'. Or why it is not an exploit of walls not being necessary for cells.

I would recommend you take a tour of your local prison like I have. Your do not need to be a Criminal Justice program to do it, just ask your local warden.

As for the large rooms with open cells. I did say I was running an open concept prison and I did say this was exploitation since prisoners where not being effected correctly to the environment as well as lots of room was not being used to do cell allotments connecting together. Thus the need for "Community Cell Blocks" min 3x3, 2 bed, 1 toilet. from their you can go as big as you want or have any many toilets or beds as you want. This is in real use in prisons today.

Staff/Prisoner Folder issue: Though I agree that this issue should be fixed, I can't stand commenting on your staffing policy: Man, you have 63 guards (31 of which is idle most of the time) for about 200 prisoners?!? If that's the way you play it, it's okay, but I've run similar size prisons with about twenty-something guards without any issue. And again: If you have one staff member for every prisoner, don't be surprised when the lag appears.

We all run a prison different ways, yours is on luck and hop of no riots. Mine is of confidence and best use of my abundant resources. Any Riot issues get quelled fast without me having to issues orders which is great of a massive prison where you can't see everything at one time.

Thanks for the replay though, They are good ideas.

That's true. I don't like to spend unnecessary resources. 1 guard for every room and every cell block and then some to carry the noobs in - that's all.

Yes for a small town operation it would be, nor no riot protection in their either, no piece of mind. That's just me though, I like having my bases covered.
I think I'm going to share my max sec max population prison soon - just to get some feedback and see if I really only got lucky with that