Recreation need?

[Setari]

So I found an answer on the forums to put in the small TVs as the big TVs don't work for recreation right now. I put in maybe like... 20 or so and I have like ten prisoners. They're not even watching any of the TVs, they're just standing/ jumping around complaining. Any help?

[Fishstick]

Yeah, I have issues with that too. I'll stick everyone in a Yard for 4 hours which has pool tables and TV's, and only one of them will occasionally go watch TV or play pool - I've never seen anyone use a bookshelf. Even so, some prisoners will still come out of Yard time complaining about being Bored.

[christopher1006]

The problem generally is that they're supposed to be exercising in the yard, not watching TV. There's going to be a higher chance that a prisoner will use those facilities if you give them some free-time, I'm not talking about a free-time regime as it's not that difficult to arrange a strict regime around the prison layout you have. Just give them a few hours through the day (I give mine four hours in the morning right after they shower for freetime) so their recreation and family needs will go down until the next day at the time.

[gazmask]

bookshelves and big tvs don't work yet, I always add a small TV in every cell to keep recreation low

[NOFA7CHX]

I think there's still an issue with common room not being used unless in same section as the cells? MEaning there's no doors seperating the rooms and common room, except cell doors of course.

This is how i have my prison layed out to get common room to work:
http://img.ctrlv.in/50f59447b3183.jpg
and here's closer look:
http://img.ctrlv.in/50f594c9a95c1.jpg

And the prisoners are actually using the room to satisfy their recreation needs. They are however rioting because im working out as strict regime as i can, without having total chaos without the prisoners.

[Diceman]

Thanks for the above common room tip - I have not been able to get them to work and my prisoners won't seem to watch TV and make phonecalls in the Yard.

[Fishstick]

Here's what I've been doing: http://i.imgur.com/egGq7.jpg and I've seen prisoners use the common room for pool/tv/phoning. I've seen them make phonecalls in the yard, use showers/toilets, use benches and pool tables and TV. The latter two rarely though. I have double doors between the main cell block and the shower area, but they still seem to use the common room plenty.

[Diceman]

Fishstick I really like your layout, you just inspired me to start a new game with some principles from your screenshot. Sweet canteen

[Setari]

So common room problems aside, how do we get them to exercise as recreation since that seems to be working right now?

Edit: By this I mean what do we build to get them to exercise?

[Diceman]

From my experience , Weight Benches in the yard will work for exercising - They seem to stand near them, and if you hover over the prisoner it says "Exercising".

[Setari]

Huh, cause I have several weight benches and they were still complaining. I am playing right now, we'll see what happens.

Edit: I saw in the intro/tutorial thing that there were inmates running around a track made of concrete or something, does that satisfy a recreation need? Counts as exercising I suppose? Or was it just a scripted NPC thing?

[HerrJoebob]

Huh, cause I have several weight benches and they were still complaining. I am playing right now, we'll see what happens.

Edit: I saw in the intro/tutorial thing that there were inmates running around a track made of concrete or something, does that satisfy a recreation need? Counts as exercising I suppose? Or was it just a scripted NPC thing?

They'll run around the yard as exercise sometimes, but it doesn't seem possible to define a track for them or anything. Maybe they're playing tag?

It only satisfies 'exercise' though - 'recreation' is only small TVs and pool tables AFAIK (the other ones don't work in alpha 5).

[Setari]

I'm putting my Pool table in the yard then... also putting TVs in their cells is nice too, works great. But the bug with the thing where if you put an object at the SouthEast corner of the jail door keeps it open is kind of lame, but I'm sure they'll fix it.

[Fishstick]

If you plop down a Yard without fences touching the yard edge, in a rectangular fashion, they'll do laps around the Yard perimeter. With a more irregular shape they just 'exercise' in place, seemingly. Weight benches work too, yes.

For recreation, plop down a pool table or some TV's in the yard.

Fishstick I really like your layout, you just inspired me to start a new game with some principles from your screenshot. Sweet canteen

Thanks, the idea is the northern end of the prison will mirror the part in the screenshot, with the canteen/kitchen/storage being the axis, so it's high-sec :v.