[Suggestion] - New reputations

[RFC3514]

I tried searching for this, but didn't manage to find an existing thread, so here goes.

A list of suggestions for new prisoner reputations / character traits:

"Crafty" - Prisoner is better at hiding contraband in his cell (guards are less likely to find contraband / tunnels in cells of prisoners with this trait).

"Holesome" or "Rectally Gifted" - Prisoner is better at hiding contraband in his body (guards are less likely to find contraband when searching prisoners with this trait)

"Well-connected" - Prisoner acquires contraband more frequently.

"Hacker" - Prisoner has a small chance to disable CCTV cameras and operate door servos if he has physical access to them.

"Limber" - Prisoner has a small chance to climb normal fences (implement electrified fences to counter).

"Pickpocket" - Prisoner has a small chance to steal contraband from other prisoners he bumps into (but that can anger them, if if fails).

"Lockpicker" - Prisoner has a small chance to open staff doors and normal prison doors, as long as he is carrying a lockpick (lockpicks count as contraband and trigger metal detectors, but are hard to find in a search).

"Nosepicker" - Ew.

"Suicidal" - Prisoner may try to kill himself if his needs are too high, or if left in lockdown / solitary for too long.

"Saboteur" - Prisoner might deliberately try to damage equipment used in his prison job (ex., if he's assigned to the laundry, the might damage the washing machines). This is done covertly, unlike violent destruction (i.e., the item only breaks after the prisoner has left the area).

"Mentor" - Prisoner might transfer one of his traits to other prisoners he comes into contact with (even if they don't have the "fast learner" trait - see below).

"Fast learner" - Prisoner might acquire traits from other prisoners he meets (even if they don't have the "mentor" trait).

"Poisoner" - If he gets his hands on some poison and has access to the kitchen, he might try to poison the food, causing a large number of prisoners to need a trip to the infirmary.

"Snorer" - Has a tendency to make a lot of noise when he sleeps, potentially interrupting the sleep of other prisoners in nearby cells.

[Trumbettoo]

Nice suggestions, but wouldnt that make most of your prisoners SuperMax (at least I would..)?

Who would want mentor; lockpicker or poisoner or sabouter, fast learner or wellconnected roaming freely? Main reason I put prisoners on Supermax title is to make them unable to work so they dont mingle around much. Seems like my workforce would take pretty nice hit. While suggestions are nice and intriguing, i think reputations should be flavor, not the main meal.

First Legendary one that would arrive in my prison, with this kind of reputation option, would be put in 100+ hours solitary to die of starvation and got rid off.

Extreme lockpicker, extremely well-connected crafty instigator, mentor poisoner? Good luck waking up in the morning finding out most of your prisoners escaped and your guards still asleep due to poison

I didnt even put [lolz] Rectally Gifted

[spectacularnono18]

I like this but like mentioned above some things need to be modified

[WiseWoodrow]

"Rectally Gifted", oh boy. Though these needs serious nerfs so they aren't prisoner-OP, I like the general gist of this suggestion.

[lugaru]

Here are some I had suggested in a similar thread, nothing as fun as Rectally Gifted but still hopefully some good stuff.


Thief: Super high chances of lifting contraband from rooms and fooling metal detectors and guards. Will sometimes become 'marked' for violence if caught stealing from a prisoner.

Pyro: This prisoner will eventually steal a lighter or find other means to create a fire. Once discovered it is very likely they will go into Supermax given that they can destroy a prison.

Procurer: This prisoner trades contraband and usually stays under the radar. Also guards tend to ignore them unless they try to escape since they are masters at bribing and blackmail.

Escape Artist: Digs faster and moves faster in tunnels (returning to their cell during shakedowns). Also during a riot they will damage doors faster.

Handicapped: This prisoner simply moves at about 75% the speed of other prisoners. Very few prisoners come in handicapped, but there is a small chance somebody severely injured will become handicapped.

Deranged: This prisoner will very often ignore needs like sleep, family, food or hygiene. It takes a lot of suppression to keep them in line and when they are also stoic they become a liability.

Reprehensible: This prisoner committed a crime on the outside world that makes them a target to both prisoners and guards.

Developmental Disability: Very poor comprehension during programs. Delayed reaction to the schedule.

[zvmbi]

Rectally Gifted.. that made me laugh a little.

Good suggestions although I do agree with others that there should be more balance between higher risk prisoners and lower ones.

What about the individual bio of your staff? Don't you guys think that there should be also a profile for every employee just like 'Theme Hospital' did?

[WiseWoodrow]

Here are some I had suggested in a similar thread, nothing as fun as Rectally Gifted but still hopefully some good stuff.


Thief: Super high chances of lifting contraband from rooms and fooling metal detectors and guards. Will sometimes become 'marked' for violence if caught stealing from a prisoner.

Pyro: This prisoner will eventually steal a lighter or find other means to create a fire. Once discovered it is very likely they will go into Supermax given that they can destroy a prison.

Procurer: This prisoner trades contraband and usually stays under the radar. Also guards tend to ignore them unless they try to escape since they are masters at bribing and blackmail.

Escape Artist: Digs faster and moves faster in tunnels (returning to their cell during shakedowns). Also during a riot they will damage doors faster.

Handicapped: This prisoner simply moves at about 75% the speed of other prisoners. Very few prisoners come in handicapped, but there is a small chance somebody severely injured will become handicapped.

Deranged: This prisoner will very often ignore needs like sleep, family, food or hygiene. It takes a lot of suppression to keep them in line and when they are also stoic they become a liability.

Reprehensible: This prisoner committed a crime on the outside world that makes them a target to both prisoners and guards.

Developmental Disability: Very poor comprehension during programs. Delayed reaction to the schedule.

..This is.. amazing.

We need a pyromaniac reputation for sure. I feel that if fires only happen during extremely big riots, you might not even realize fires exist until a huge riot breaks out and it's out of control -
having a pyromaniac changes the way you keep an eye on contraband.

[RFC3514]

Who would want mentor; lockpicker or poisoner or sabouter, fast learner or wellconnected roaming freely?

I don't think you're supposed to want any of them roaming freely. That's why they were sent to prison. The way you deal with them is a challenge.

You could, for example, put them inside locked showers with two volatile murderers and see if your problem gets solved...

BTW, I only mentioned negative traits in the first post, but I think there should also be some positive ones (which could make "mentor" or "fast learner" very desirable, and encourage players to group certain prisoners together).

Imagine having a "Pacifist" trait (makes prisoner less likely to start fights or join in with others). Or "Pacifier" (calms down other prisoners around him). Put that prisoner near a fast learner, and suddenly the fast learner becomes useful. Or (if the first prisoner is a "Mentor"), put him near your most violent prisoners and maybe he will calm them down (or maybe they'll kill him and you'll lose your little helper, of course).

Though these needs serious nerfs

I didn't even mention what % chance they'd give, none of them is in the game, and you already want them nerfed?

If something gives prisoners a 10% lower chance of having contraband found, is that OP? If 0.1% of prisoners have a "fast learner" trait, that gives them a 5% chance per day of acquiring a trait from a prisoner they bump into, is that OP?

It's a matter of balance (i.e., if a trait is very common, it should have a smaller effect; if a trait has a very strong effect, it should be very rare, etc.). I deliberately left that out of my post because the balance will have to be tested (and depends on which new traits they add).

[RFC3514]

BTW, just as a follow-up to the previous post, here are some positive traits that prisoners could also have (note that, like the ones above, these are just things with a certain % chance, they're not guaranteed to trigger all the time, or even at all):

"Smartypants" - Has significantly increased chance to complete education and apprenticeship programs (but is also slightly better at hiding contraband and tunnels).

"Strong-willed" - Has significantly increased chance to complete drug therapy and behaviour programs, slightly increased chance of completing apprenticeship programs, and his psychological needs rise slower than average (but he is also resistant to suppression). I suppose this could be just a tweak to "stoical".

"Pacifist" - Has a reduced chance to start fights or join them.

"Pacifier" - Can calm down other prisoners around him (preventing them from starting fights or causing them to stop fighting).

"OCD" - Cleans floors and does laundry / ironing at twice the normal speed, but his hygiene and environment needs rise faster than normal, and he does other jobs very slowly ("I can't work properly with all this food / sawdust / metal filings lying around!).

"Vigilante" - Hangs around targeted prisoners and will block and counter-attack anyone who attacks them. Also has a high chance to pre-emptively attack dangerous / violent prisoners, while having no tendency to attack weaker / more peaceful prisoners.

"Jester" - Tells jokes and can reduce the entertainment need of prisoners near him. Can also save him from being attacked, but can wind up volatile prisoners.

And, finally, one that is not necessarily positive, but is a must in a game from this developer:

"Introvert" - This prisoner might have other traits, but you'll never find out what they are. Now go away. (masks other traits)

[RFC3514]

What about the individual bio of your staff? Don't you guys think that there should be also a profile for every employee just like 'Theme Hospital' did?

I definitely think there should be traits for staff, and you should be able to send them on programs too. Ex., sending guards on a self-defence or martial arts course would make them more likely to disarm / suppress violent prisoners without getting injured, sending them on maintenance courses could enable them to repair items that are below 50% damage (slightly reducing the need for workmen in cell blocks), sending cooks on a course could make them faster (or allow them to make more food for less money), etc.

These abilities could be displayed as reputations / traits, same as for the prisoners.

This would also have the added gameplay benefit of making your staff more valuable, encouraging you to keep them alive (and to not constantly hire / fire staff).

I can definitely think of at least a couple of courses (and resulting traits) for every staff member. In fact, this could completely replace the ugly "bureaucracy" screen!

Just send your warden on a "management" course (which he does by himself, in his office, as long as he has a bookcase and a desk with a PC) and he gains the "manager" trait, allowing him (i.e., you) to hire more staff (namely an accountant and a security chief). Then send the chief on a "firearms" course (requires a weapon rack in his office, for example), and he gains the "weapons expert" trait, allowing you to hire armed guards, and so on. The accountant could go on courses to unlock grants, loans, etc. (most of these would be "self-given" courses, that they would get as long as they had access to items like bookcases, office desks with a computer, etc.). Others could be given by previous staff members (ex., to get an armed guard, hire a normal guard and tell him to attend some classes given by the security chief). They would work basically the same as the bureaucracy (pay some money, wait some time, unlock new qualifications / traits).

I think you're definitely on to something there. It sounds like a perfect solution to improve the UI and make your staff (and the game as a whole) feel more alive.

[Bubba123]

I think that the reputation system is the best thing added to the game in awhile. It gives Prison Architect a wonderful sense of randomness, like the random weapons a player finds in ARPG's such as Diablo or Path of Exile. I think it is incredibly important that the game expands this system beyond the basic stuff we get now. Here are my top ten traits, a few were mentioned before, I think these will add wonderful depth to the game.

1. Suicidal - Hopefully a system like this will be introduced eventually, where if the prisoners are miserable and suppressed enough, some will dig, some will riot, but a few will start procuring items to cause themselves self harm (rope etc). This prisoner is particularly prone to self harm and would do better in a lower security setting with less suppression and lockdown time, would make for an interesting combo with something like volatile.

2. Popular - This guy is loved by other prisoners. He will increase happiness of prisoners around him, however if he is hurt it produces a large amount of unhappiness among the prisoners, and if he is killed it produces a strong and long lasting negative effect on prisoner happiness. Do you let this guy mingle with max sec in order to calm them, or put him in protective to lower risk of him being killed?

3. Connected - This guy is the son of a Senator and has powerful friends outside the prison. If he is hurt the prison takes a financial hit, if he is killed the prison takes a severe and long lasting financial hit.

4. Thief - Mentioned before, a prisoner who is naturally good at stealing and hiding contraband. More likely to steal, and has a high chance of sneaking contraband past a dog or a detector.

5. Escape Artist - Also mentioned, more likely to dig, and digs at a faster rate than most prisoners.

6. Safecracker - During a riot can accelerate the opening of doors even without keys.

7. Commando - This man is ex-military. Significantly more deadly when holding a weapon, probably should not work in workshop.

8. Pusher - This man is a narcotics salesman, will procure alcohol and drugs and encourage others to get addicted. Will accelerate spread of addiction in prison.

9. Pyromaniac - Mentioned before, really like this one, best searched often.

10. Trait Removed - A crossed out trait that has been removed because of something you done. Hard and expensive to do but a way to remove really bad traits. Anger management class to remove volatile trait, psychotherapy to remove instigator etc.

[czar mohab]

In general I like the concept of the addition of traits, especially those from Bubba123. Couple of thoughts:

3. Connected - This guy is the son of a Senator and has powerful friends outside the prison. If he is hurt the prison takes a financial hit, if he is killed the prison takes a severe and long lasting financial hit.

How about "This prisoner has political connections outside the prison - whether the son of a senator or friend of the governor doesn't matter; If he is hurt the prison takes a financial hit, if he is killed the prison takes a severe and long lasting financial hit."

10. Trait Removed - A crossed out trait that has been removed because of something you done. Hard and expensive to do but a way to remove really bad traits. Anger management class to remove volatile trait, psychotherapy to remove instigator etc.

Perhaps adding a strike through over the removed trait, followed by a similar description ("this trait has been removed because of <reason>")? I (and probably many others) have a bad memory when it comes to which prisoner has or had which trait when the number of prisoners is high or it has been a while since I played last.

As to the staff having reputations/traits/etc., I'm for it if it is done right, but this is a subject that I personally do not really want to get into until, and if, it makes its way in game.

The Czar

[snarst]

10. Trait Removed - A crossed out trait that has been removed because of something you done. Hard and expensive to do but a way to remove really bad traits. Anger management class to remove volatile trait, psychotherapy to remove instigator etc.

Should the loss of a trait such as volatile lower re offending chance even if they have maxed out reform?

[WiseWoodrow]

The suggestions here are genius. I like introvert.

[rsdworker]

i loved it the suggestions

Handicapped: This prisoner simply moves at about 75% the speed of other prisoners. Very few prisoners come in handicapped, but there is a small chance somebody severely injured will become handicapped.

he or she would be in wheelchair so you have to modify the prison to accommodate wheelchair in also disabled persons in wheelchair are likely less violent eg can't fight but can set fires or self harm also they can move out from wheelchair to toilet or bed slowly and can't be cuffed while in wheelchair so if he caught on drugs or having illegal stuff then he or she will be escorted by two guards to solitary