[Suggestion] Electrical Power available warning!

[Dosedmonkey]

I was on 98% power ususage, by the looks of the bar, could hardly see the green, didnt notice for a long time, because it was right up in the corner of the screen.

Can we have an alarm, or a warning on the todo list when you have less then 20% or 10% electrical power please. Thanks.

Also, a different graphic, or choice of graphics for the power plant would be good, this ones a bit odd. Its like a old style generator with no motor (engine) on the end. Realistically it could be a step down transformer from the national grid, or a stand alone generator. If you put a step down transformer, you could make a emergency generator as an extra feature, which only supplies emergency stuff, such as automatic cell doors and minimal light, in a black out situation.

Generator
http://www.ssf.net/images/pages/N1575/generator1.jpg
Step down transformer.

[knoest26]

+1

[Yanmarka]

I like that idea. +1

[spinroblox]

+1

[conquestking]

+1

[animalking]

+1

[Der_Doodle]

sounds nice.

As a side note it would be nice to have listed the power amounts somewhere too.
For example:
Current Power Level: +xxx Points
Generator +100 Power Points
Light -1 Point
Metal Detector -25 Points
Workshop tool -50 points etc

Just that you can calculate what you can put in your prison before expanding to the next generator

[M4RC]

I like ! ! !

[goodvibesman]

I agree wholeheartedly.

[Scalon]

+1
I just ran into power trouble and forgot about my power station and also didn't know that you only can build a certain amount of capacitors near your power supply

[Dosedmonkey]

+1
I just ran into power trouble and forgot about my power station and also didn't know that you only can build a certain amount of capacitors near your power supply

You can build a second powerstation, with second circuit, as some reason you can not parrelel your electrical supplies in this game.

[Farden]

Instead of an obvious alarm or problem signalment like a todo list item, I would prefer something more subtle, like for example little sparks coming out from your cables. The more sparks, the closer you are to the blackout.

[Dosedmonkey]

Instead of an obvious alarm or problem signalment like a todo list item, I would prefer something more subtle, like for example little sparks coming out from your cables. The more sparks, the closer you are to the blackout.

Except you cant see your cables a less in utility mode. I guess when laying new cable you would be utility mode.

If you wanted it to be more real to life, you could simulate a brown out first, with flickering lights, when you get down to 2% remaining power, or just have a emergency generator system, with red lighting, but thats a bit similar to Evil Genius the game.

[paktsardines]

I'm going to have to say -1. The warning you are after is already there in the form of a bright flashing power usage bar.
I like the way the power cuts off unexpectediy. Serves me right for not paying attention. What I particularly like are the few minutes of madness that follow; the panic of losing all CCTV and a prison plunged into darkness. Until a struggling worker drags over and installs another capacitor and my prison lurches back to life.

These moments of madness will be missed if the player receives some utterly unrealistic warning about overloaded powerstation. So, nay from me.

[Xoligy]

I'm going to have to say -1. The warning you are after is already there in the form of a bright flashing power usage bar.
I like the way the power cuts off unexpectediy. Serves me right for not paying attention. What I particularly like are the few minutes of madness that follow; the panic of losing all CCTV and a prison plunged into darkness. Until a struggling worker drags over and installs another capacitor and my prison lurches back to life.

These moments of madness will be missed if the player receives some utterly unrealistic warning about overloaded powerstation. So, nay from me.

Agree with this, but people keep saying "if its an option you can turn off what the hell!" Soon the game will have more options than a chinese takeaway it seems! lol

Also makes you think about your layout and if its worth doing some night work i think, for example something ive started to do is cut my workshops off from the main supply, ive even sometimes added the kitchen onto that second line. If new features come in then it means more thinking too, forexample electric fences, spot lights all that cool stuff should be on a separate line than the main prison