Is there a way to prioritise a task in the job queue?

[TeeWee]

Normally, the order that my staff do stuff is pretty good, or I don't care about it enough. But sometimes, I just want something to be done quickly: removing some rubble or trash that's blocking a door, searching a specific prisoner, escorting a specific prisoner, place a specific object, etc.

Right now, the closest thing I can get, is to direct a staff member to go to the spot where the job needs to be done, and then hope that the algorithm calculates that job as the highest priority for that staff member. But it's a bit random: chances are he'll just wander off to somewhere else.

Is there a way to give a certain task priority? I'd like to be able to manipulate the order both in the "Jobs"-tab (multiple select!) as well as by clicking on a task in the main screen (say, a door to be placed, or a prisoner), select the task you want done and adding a button "priority".

[zbyrne]

nope is the short answer.

probably should be. certainly im often unhappy with the way the game distributes jobs, but not all that much that be done about i think.

[metalbunny]

I wish there was. Demolition seem to take priority over everything else, which is nice when I accidentally short out or overload the generators, but not so nice because running cables seem to be less priority than walls, so solving the above problem means cancelling all construction jobs to fix the circuits.

But searching prisoners ... they normally stop and wait to be searched, so there isn't a real rush to prioritize that (they take forever to do it, sure, but I have so many that need searched every day I can't tell how big an issue it is). I find it a bigger issue that guards won't open the door right next to them, and that there is no simple way to call guards to take care of prisoners that are beating each other up (I want a way to call all idle or nearby guards to a specific location).

AI and job priority does however need a lot of work. The guards I have on door control keep running off to do other stuff, like helping their colleagues, which means whenever I have problems in supermax, noone can get in through the remote-only door because the guy that's supposed to open it stand there waiting in line with all the others. And I deliberately put in the remote door so the prisoners can't get out when they steal the keys. It looks like door control is the lowest priority of all the jobs.

[5hifty]

<snip>

Just an FYI - guards deployed to a room (not on a patrol route in the room) are the first people to be tapped to open a door in that room. Its can become a little broken because doors and walls can sometimes become their own little 'room' (sec level can be set = is a 'room') meaning that for that specific door, you'll never be able to get someone to be tapped first.

[metalbunny]

<snip>

Just an FYI - guards deployed to a room (not on a patrol route in the room) are the first people to be tapped to open a door in that room. Its can become a little broken because doors and walls can sometimes become their own little 'room' (sec level can be set = is a 'room') meaning that for that specific door, you'll never be able to get someone to be tapped first.

No, not that. The actual remote door control station. I have remote only doors into my Supermax and Protected areas. The idea is that if a prisoner steals the keys then they can't get in or out. But when there is trouble in the Supermax, the guy at the remote door control runs off to help, which then means there are no one to open the remote door and then no one can enter. So suddenly I have 10 guards outside the sealed door with no way to get in, because the guy that's supposed to open the door went to stand in line with them. It just needs a minor adjustment so the task to operate the remote doors has higher priority than assisting his friends, and then it'd be fine. Usually the guys at the terminals otherwise wait patiently to relieved before scuttling off.

The only place I actually deploy guards are in the canteen and yard because patrolling is a bit pointless because of the size and amount of prisoners in a relatively confined space.

[JaguarXJ6]

Stationing the same number of guards to terminals (or +1 over the number required) will ensure proper remote control/phone tap/CCTV monitoring at all times. I don't believe guards leave their station in Security if placed there on deployment except for relief, something +1 over the number needed helps smooth the transition out with less chance two guards need relief at the same time. Even if there is a prison riot, they will monitor.

Personally, I skip remote doors entirely. I prefer a pressure plate + door servo controlling incoming traffic and a stationed guard in a door lock area between the cell block and the outside. This allows me to run with cell doors all open and eliminate micromanagement of doors for a small hit to the budget for the guard. Deploying meals, laundry with an open cell block arrangement is a piece of cake. This also avoids a remote door emergency and if the guard is killed, they will fight amongst themselves or attack both doors any way.

The stationed guard will also be the first to act in cell block searches, respond quickly to a cell block emergency, help prevent tunneling besides being there to let traffic out.

I even go so far as to have a dog patrol inside the cell block walking the exterior to catch tunneling and I only have 10 prisoners per block so you can imagine I have a healthy staff budget.

[JaguarXJ6]

To the OP, I found that workman respond in queue order until a new order is received. So, it's in order, but last in, first out.

If you choose an action that requires something to be dumped or placed, it will execute other tasks on that spot so if you place a wall or structure, garbage will be removed if it was buried in a queue of jobs.

If you order a new object, that will be prioritized higher so the busier you keep your workman basically the deeper your queue gets the longer the delay. If you build or dismantle too much too quickly, it grinds things to a halt based on the last in, first out method, will block exports, create a traffic jam, etc.

It can even grind your kitchen to a halt if you order too many things built. If there's anything that gives your workman a chance to catch up on queued tasks, it's a big prison riot or wave of escapes from lack of food. Then the repairs begin.

[metalbunny]

To the OP, I found that workman respond in queue order until a new order is received. So, it's in order, but last in, first out.

...

The workers seem to go out of order when trees need to be chopped down, or exports moved out. I've often had workmen run off from a large building construction to chop down trees and do other stuff, and then they'd idle for a while before going back to construction. They also seem to always fail at resting for whatever reason (that seems to be an AI problem). Constantly have them run around saying tired, but there's plenty of space in the staff room, though the workers seem to prefer the storage.