Yard Congestion

[mire3212]

I seem to have this issue in every prison I've built so far where the yard gets extremely crowded at just the entrance and they don't move INTO the yard. This is causing riots right at the gate and people die, things explode and all hell breaks lose.

My yard is definitely big enough to fit people without them sitting on top of each other, but they seem to love each other so much that they refuse to separate.





Is this a bug? Am I doing something wrong? Maybe something I can do better?

[xander]

Prisoners tend to cluster near doors if they have nothing better to do, particularly if they have needs that can be satisfied by things beyond the door.

xander

[iNick]

The regime tells where the prisoners where to go, not what to do. If prisoners can satisfy a need where they are, they will do it (after a short pause).

Your yard time is nothing different from others. They go to the yard (on the other side of the door) and then riot when (for example...) a protective custody prisoner is in the midst. If not a PC, some other snitch or ex-law undercover.

Free time is a blessing. But is also a curse; too much free time negates the scoring of prisoners for rehabilitation and release. Too much lockup does too.

We have all witnessed the bloodshed during yard time. If free-time can work instead of yard, try it.

[Amitiel]

You could also consider putting in some different items into your yard. It's kinda sparse, so there aren't many needs that can be met there. I typically put in phone booths, weight benches, pool tables, TVs, even a couple of toilets (yard often ends up being right after a two-hour lunch block and some work before that, so by the end of lunch, bladder/bowels need is usually very high).

[desrocchi]

I have a similar problem. First of all I do not use Yard timeslots, I just use Free Time so people are not all in the yard at the same time.
Secondly, I usually create a large number of yards - tipically one every 30 cells and large unough to host twice that number without issues.

My problem is that almost all the prisoners go to the same yard, which is the very first I ever built.
The objects in the yards are all the same, as the yards are usually cloned, so the needs of the inmates can be satisfied exactly the same in all the yards.

Despite this all the other yards are empty or host 1-2 prisoners...

[mire3212]

Thanks guys! I'll use this information and see what I can do to fix my congestion problems.

[Threehorns]

Note: Paving stones work as a disperser ... prisoners don't stay standing on those.
So just pave the entrance and you should be fine.

[zbyrne]

You could also consider putting in some different items into your yard. It's kinda sparse, so there aren't many needs that can be met there. I typically put in phone booths, weight benches, pool tables, TVs, even a couple of toilets (yard often ends up being right after a two-hour lunch block and some work before that, so by the end of lunch, bladder/bowels need is usually very high).

I've always had a problem with this sort of thinking - it's gamey. No real prisons have tvs in the yard, or pool tables. And this shouldn't be the the Sims, where my ambition is meet as many needs as possible. It's a prison, I need to keep them locked up first and foremost, and then either try to punish or rehabilitate with my limited resources.

I seem to have this issue in every prison I've built so far where the yard gets extremely crowded at just the entrance and they don't move INTO the yard. This is causing riots right at the gate and people die, things explode and all hell breaks lose.

My yard is definitely big enough to fit people without them sitting on top of each other, but they seem to love each other so much that they refuse to separate.

another solution (because I have this problem with many rooms - yards, canteens, showers) is to de-zone the first few tiles around the door, so that they actually have to move four or five squares into the yard itself, before the game recognises that they are in the room. In my experience, they cluster much less.

[Threehorns]

Within prisons its normal to see at least
- pavement ... for fast walking
- place benches + tables & pews ... to sit
- excercise equipment
- a toilet

works for a 200+ prison all going to the Yard at the same time.
It still takes a bit for prisoners to disperse, but they'll end up far away from the entrance.



the library there only gets used during work/free time.
toilets require large entrance & exits with 200+ prisoners, or they get blocked going in or out.

[Stereolab]

I am stealing that yard design for my next prison.

[Threehorns]

Here is vid of the Yard in action with 220+ prisoners. (Death Row and Super Max have been excluded from ever visiting this Yard)

https://youtu.be/rV3UILjEihY

[TearingTerran]

Note: Paving stones work as a disperser ... prisoners don't stay standing on those.
So just pave the entrance and you should be fine.

Here, have some of my eSports £$€'s !!

Thanks for this little tip which I never knew.

[Threehorns]

Note: Paving stones work as a disperser ... prisoners don't stay standing on those.
So just pave the entrance and you should be fine.

Here, have some of my eSports £$€'s !!

Thanks for this little tip which I never knew.

if you needed the assist, it won't make me rich

[TearingTerran]

It's the thought that counts.