Cannot change gang member cell - bug or feature?

[_alphaBeta_]

Gang member cells currently do not allow the player to make changes to them, just like captured territory. It's currently tracking as a bug on Mantis with more reports coming in. In Mantis and on the forums, I've also seen a good amount of confusion stem from this issue with players wondering why they can't improve cells and manage utilities through them. So what is the consensus on this: intentional feature or bug? This "issue" persists as of update 1 that came out today. It will also be more of a factor since gang numbers and activity has been increased in update 1's latest balance changes.

To start the conversation, I feel this is indeed a bug. I understand bunk beds and multi-prisoner cells were introduced in update 1 as well, but to this point, cells have been for individual prisoners. A single prisoner does not project power or influence of significance. The whole gang principle has been strength in numbers. There's also no icon above the cells that shows this dynamic like there is for the intended yards and common rooms. The concept is also "easily" worked around by moving the prisoner. If this were an intended feature, I would think the gang members would require more effort to evict from their cells. There was also no mention of this on the videos, as the coloring of cells was merely to identify where the gang members' cells were located as far as I can tell.

Regardless of intention, I find this highly annoying, and I feel it just causes confusion among players. I also don't think it makes any real-world sense. If this feature were implemented for dormitories and bunk beds, that would make sense. A workman is probably less inclined to walk away with the dormitory radio when 5 gang members are just sitting there enjoying their radio. A single gang member in a regular cell though just doesn't add up for me. If dormitories could be taken over, they should display the icon in the gang view to show what is happening and allow the player to retake control per the usual game feature methods.

As I mentioned earlier, gangs have seen some balance increases. As a quick tangent, I feel this was needed since gangs haven't been causing me enough problems in a prison prepared for gangs. That said, I am concerned about having a substantial amount of cells now being off limits. It's not fun to relocate 10 gang members so that you can run some electrical wire or improve every cell of a cell block. Other game features are also affected since searching this cell for tunnels can be problematic as well as reported elsewhere on the forums.

[Darkrious1]

It's a feature. You can however move the gang member to another cell by finding him (wait until lock-up or Sleep when he will be in the cell) left click on him to select him, the right click on an empty cell and he'll be escorted there allowing you to make changes to this former cell. Ideally you'll have any construction done before accepting prisoners or marking buildings/cells under construction as 'Staff Only' until construction is complete to prevent this from happening too soon. Take note that the cell a gang member is moved to will now be automatically claimed by the gang/gang member.

I second to having dormitories to be claimed by gangs which would incline them to house together and making for good forceful recruiting...

[dapullia]

Frankly, on cell searches and such a Gang member should not have the right to refuse. He should have 2 choices. Comply or fight. Just going to reality. In a real prison if a prisoner says no, the guards take him down and haul him out chained up. If a gang member refuses a search then if you have armed guards, you should have the ability to form a SRT (prison Swat Team). When he says no, then 5 armed guards respond and force him to comply or drag him out to solitary. If he chose to fight then tasers free and problem solved.

[Darkrious1]

Frankly, on cell searches and such a Gang member should not have the right to refuse. He should have 2 choices. Comply or fight. Just going to reality. In a real prison if a prisoner says no, the guards take him down and haul him out chained up. If a gang member refuses a search then if you have armed guards, you should have the ability to form a SRT (prison Swat Team). When he says no, then 5 armed guards respond and force him to comply or drag him out to solitary. If he chose to fight then tasers free and problem solved.

Yeah I just noticed today that you can't do cell searches on gang member cells, unless you do the search cell block option. Just searching the toilet or cell only? Nope, not gonna have it. Wanna dismantle the toilet to find a possible tunnel? Nope, gang says no. (Like the Little Britain shows 'Computer says no' phrase. Annoying.

In prison least in the USA they call them 'Cell Extraction" Teams/Squads. Least that's the term I've heard used. Happens all the time.

In-game they should allow you to search his cell and make changes to his cell provided he's not actually in it. Not much you can do if you aren't in the cell to begin with.

Oh, and gangs do takeover Dormitories in a way. If they're any members of rival gangs within the dormitory they will fight each other to the death nightly. Neutral prisoners they'll leave along as long as they don't join in.

[_alphaBeta_]

I don't see why gang member cells should be different from regular prisoner cells with respect to searches or their cells being changed. While I think it would be a cool for certain prisoners (not necessarily tied to the gang mechanic, which wouldn't even apply if players have gangs disabled) to resist searches and cell changes, a number of other game mechanics and features will need to change. The player would need ways of handling these situations. Manually moving guards to locations where cells are being modified will get old and tedious fast. Having mechanics and commands giving guards the ability to cover workmen while carrying out tasks near prisoners or in other dangerous areas would be a necessary feature as an example. For searches, guards would need to work together to ensure a guard doesn't find himself alone during shakedowns are cell block searches.