[Suggestion] Planning mode

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AltaHMano
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[Suggestion] Planning mode

Postby AltaHMano » Tue Dec 02, 2014 8:16 pm

Hey guise,

I don't quite know if that has been brought up before, but I would really like to talk about the current state of the planning mode.

I personally am a frequent user of that mode, in fact, I use it every time i start building anything new.
What I would really love to see to improve the planning mode:


  • Be able to plan rooms
  • Be able to write notes on my plan
  • Have an option to show length/width of plans constantly
  • Be able to "paint" your plans. I am not talking about assigning them an actual colour, but to assign a material/object to a wall/etc. which gets build automatically if you want to.
  • LET ME COPY PLANNED AREAS! PLS!

I would really love hearing what you guys think about that. There's probably a shit ton more stuff i want, but I am kinda bad at remembering.
Also, please forgive me my sometimes horrible english.
an otter
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Re: [Suggestion] Planning mode

Postby an otter » Tue Dec 02, 2014 9:50 pm

Some sort of copy plans feature has been requested [loudly] for a while. As it is I'm losing steam on creating new prisons because I like to map them out first, and if I have to hand-draw one more flippin cell...

The present clone tool isn't really great, and is sort of a post-planning aid but doesn't help with all the blueprinting we do.
Jacq
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Re: [Suggestion] Planning mode

Postby Jacq » Tue Dec 02, 2014 9:53 pm

The planning mode was added as a bonus feature and as I see it, is one of the unique things about PA that no other game has tried yet, yet so important. I still sketch layouts on graph paper, but an enhanced planning mode would be welcome. One day when they got the proper time to flesh it out, I definately think they should.

Here are two more suggestions:

- Planning a room that has dependencies to size, like the workshop and kitchen, should show how many can work in there
- Estimated costs
Reeferken
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Re: [Suggestion] Planning mode

Postby Reeferken » Wed Dec 03, 2014 3:21 pm

If i recall correctly theme hospital or evil genius had a good planning mode that allowed you to plan everything and when satisfied or you had the resources go ahead and build everything
Kilmannan
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Re: [Suggestion] Planning mode

Postby Kilmannan » Wed Dec 03, 2014 9:01 pm

First of all, we need a copy tool that can copy as big an area as we need it to. It also needs a rotate option on it. I'm here to play PA, not Prisonminecraft.

As for the planning mode, yes, let us copy it, but more importantly, why not design it so you can plan with the actual items you need, and if you're happy, click 'BUILD IT!' to make your plan reality?!
5hifty
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Re: [Suggestion] Planning mode

Postby 5hifty » Thu Dec 04, 2014 5:53 am

The clone tool shouldn't have a limited size. I should just be able to drag it to the size I need, and then of course, be able to rotate it as I please. Hunting through menus for items, materials and foundations isn't gameplay. I can mark things for construction while the game is paused so the 'placing items/materials' isn't a micro game of 'do it as quickly as you can, before your prison falls apart', it is simply something that needs to be done for my gameplay to continue and it should then be condenced into as few button clicks as possible.
JASPer.Gamer.9.0
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Re: [Suggestion] Planning mode

Postby JASPer.Gamer.9.0 » Thu Dec 04, 2014 10:35 am

Planning mode improvements have been suggested many times already. Please search before you post.
5hifty
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Re: [Suggestion] Planning mode

Postby 5hifty » Thu Dec 04, 2014 5:46 pm

A simple way to do the planning option would be to have it so that when you click the planning button, instead of giving you the current tools, its just, say puts up a light red grid, and you can only select the objects/materials/utilitys tabs. Everything you place is ghost version. You can then drag select an areas and cause it to be added to the que for construction.
an otter
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Re: [Suggestion] Planning mode

Postby an otter » Thu Dec 04, 2014 8:24 pm

Reeferken wrote:If i recall correctly theme hospital or evil genius had a good planning mode that allowed you to plan everything and when satisfied or you had the resources go ahead and build everything

Yeah Evil Genius had a beautiful pre-build mode where you mapped out each room, placed all the props, could edit or remove whatever you've placed without cost, then when you liked what it looks like you clicked "build it" or something. Really is the best method for these sort of OCD build management sims.
JASPer.Gamer.9.0
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Re: [Suggestion] Planning mode

Postby JASPer.Gamer.9.0 » Fri Dec 05, 2014 12:17 am

5hifty wrote:A simple way to do the planning option would be to have it so that when you click the planning button, instead of giving you the current tools, its just, say puts up a light red grid, and you can only select the objects/materials/utilitys tabs. Everything you place is ghost version. You can then drag select an areas and cause it to be added to the que for construction.

Tho that isn't simple, it is a nice idea....
MFWIC
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Re: [Suggestion] Planning mode

Postby MFWIC » Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:00 pm

I really wish planning mode extended to designing the room / area in its entirety, specific placed objects, utilities and all. After your planning is done, you hit go, and your minions proceed to construct according to plan. Right now, you're basically building the prison twice.
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CumpyLustard
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Re: [Suggestion] Planning mode

Postby CumpyLustard » Wed Dec 10, 2014 11:04 pm

I do think it could use some improvements/expanding, yes. Particularly being able to just order plans to be built if you have the resources.

Also, it occurred to me that I had never actually used the clone tool. The area you can clone is way too small, in my opinion.
Haz
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Re: [Suggestion] Planning mode

Postby Haz » Thu Dec 11, 2014 2:26 pm

I was about to suggest something with the planning mode so I'll just add it to here. I really want to be able to "approve plans" for a building or something and have the walls automatically be built as I have planned them. It's quite tedious having to do everything twice. I've made the plans, now I want a 1 click "build what I've planned" function of some sort
5hifty
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Re: [Suggestion] Planning mode

Postby 5hifty » Thu Dec 11, 2014 4:24 pm

JASPer.Gamer.9.0 wrote:
5hifty wrote:A simple way to do the planning option would be to have it so that when you click the planning button, instead of giving you the current tools, its just, say puts up a light red grid, and you can only select the objects/materials/utilitys tabs. Everything you place is ghost version. You can then drag select an areas and cause it to be added to the que for construction.

Tho that isn't simple, it is a nice idea....


Don't see how it isn't simple. Objects already have ghosts - when they are marked but not yet built. Just use a similar icon, color is a random color, say blue, and then just code it so it isn't added to the ques until the go ahead is given.
Gangrene
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Re: [Suggestion] Planning mode

Postby Gangrene » Thu Dec 11, 2014 5:29 pm

When I use the planning tool I put a Letter in each room so I know what it is... I can draw most letters on a 3x5 area... So, I'll put a "K" in the Kitchen planned room... It would be great if I could apply a "room" to the plan much like applying a room in the actual building and I could see what they all were.

The big thing for me would be to place objects. I want a stove there, a frig there, and the sink there... right now I have to figure the size for each item, if I don't know it... and remember which set of white boxes were which later when I build it. I think you should be able to put "ghost items" in location. +1 on that.

I really don't care about the one button build. I can actually think of a lot of problems that would create. I "plan" long term, not just the next room but the whole prison layout beforehand. I hear everyone saying they have to build it twice, but I don't see it that way. I plan it once and I build it once... I see them as distinct and as things come up in the build I can deviate from the plan. I look at the plan like a blue print that is typically followed, but doesn't have to be. I definitely DO NOT want everything planned to just start building. I want to build things in a specific order... I may have planned where I want a 2nd yard to go... but I want the other yard built first and that one is just a later expansion. You'll also have the problem of planning things you have not unlocked yet.

If we are going to talk about the clone tool. The weird part is that it doesn't clone the utilities... I have to, after the fact, put them in and I really have to build part before I clone it because I can't put utilities in certain places because they are surrounded on 4 sides by a wall... can we just remove that limitation on building utilities? It also doesn't follow any specific order when building things... it should build 1. utilities 2. floors 3. walls 4. Non door items 5. doors. If doors aren't built last you workers can be significantly slowed by the hindrance of them.

Copying plans, why not?

Estimated Costs and showing how many people can work in a particular design... GENIUS!

While I'm talking about building "First things first"... Please consider the option of clicking a worker and right clicking any purchased object ghost and that worker will immediately drop what they are doing and go work on installing that item. They should then start building objects in a mechanic based on distance from the last object built... therefore designating workers to locations automatically without actually having to assign them to an area.

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