Alpha 34 - Shops

(previously 'DEVELOPER') Private forum for registered community members. To register, please visit www.prison-architect.com/register.

Moderator: NBJeff

cheetah2003
level0
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2014 6:13 am

Alpha 34 - Shops

Postby cheetah2003 » Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:11 am

OK so I really like the idea of the commissary/shop in Alpha 34, but I have a question cuz I'm seeing a problem: When do prisoners get a chance to buy items from the shop? I don't see my prisoners getting stuff during the only time it has worker prisoners: The Work settings in the regime.

So I'm confused. My prisoners make money doing work around the prison, but they're not allowed to shop during the work hours or they're too busy working. The 'work' period is the only time the shop is open for business. This seems like a problem.

A suggestion related to this: Perhaps prisoners who like to work the shop will continue to work it during 'Freetime' periods, and the rest of the prisoners can shop at this time? Also if you wanted more detail, perhaps have certain types of prisoners fleece other prisoners for items and/or cash so the non-working population can get items too?
User avatar
Pogmothoin
level2
level2
Posts: 195
Joined: Thu May 01, 2014 5:13 am
Location: Cell Block H

Re: Alpha 34 - Shops

Postby Pogmothoin » Thu Jul 02, 2015 5:37 am

You need at least 2 prison populations to run a shop, one works while others have free time (to shop) and vice versa. It's never a good idea to have everyone on the exact same schedule anyway.

Also prisoners that don't have a job during worktime are considered to be on freetime.
Trixi
level2
level2
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2015 9:22 am
Location: Ulm, Germany
Contact:

Re: Alpha 34 - Shops

Postby Trixi » Thu Jul 02, 2015 1:57 pm

There must be fit many different things, that a prisoner do buy a thing from shop:

1. the prisoner must have the money to buy sth. ($ 5.00 per item) how much money a prisoner have u can look, at his tooltip. quite at top is that added
2. The Prisoner must have free time (so while he's working hisself, he cant buy things)
3. the prisoner must have a need, that can be satisfied with the shop
4. the shop have to be open (means another prisoner works at the shop front, best if its from another security level, so for example u set for max sec from 10am - 12am work time, and for medium sec from 10am - 12 free time, then the med sec prisoners can buy things).
5. the shop has to be the nearest field to satisfy his need (else he will go to the other object, that can satisfy the need)
Inge Jones
level2
level2
Posts: 236
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2014 9:15 am

Re: Alpha 34 - Shops

Postby Inge Jones » Thu Jul 02, 2015 2:33 pm

I still think non-workers should not be considered as having free time. I am pretty sure no real prison operates that way. Or at least, it's free time in cell, not getting up to any old thing.
BarrettHeft
level0
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 5:59 am

Re: Alpha 34 - Shops

Postby BarrettHeft » Thu Jul 02, 2015 9:47 pm

Inge Jones wrote:I still think non-workers should not be considered as having free time. I am pretty sure no real prison operates that way. Or at least, it's free time in cell, not getting up to any old thing.

The problem is that Work regime needs to be a separate timeline than the main regime. That way you can set the regime for doing normal things, like Lockdown, Yard, and Free Time for those that are not working. Real prisons, though, are hard to schedule.

Here's some links I found to real world prison schedules: http://www.doc.state.nc.us/DOP/HOURS24.htm
http://www.quora.com/What-is-a-typical- ... e-schedule
http://www.alcatrazhistory.com/daily.htm
Kelderek
level1
level1
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2013 8:43 pm
Location: United States

Re: Alpha 34 - Shops

Postby Kelderek » Sat Jul 04, 2015 7:42 pm

Pogmothoin wrote:You need at least 2 prison populations to run a shop, one works while others have free time (to shop) and vice versa. It's never a good idea to have everyone on the exact same schedule anyway.

Also prisoners that don't have a job during worktime are considered to be on freetime.


This puts a real kink in my plans for a segregated prison population. This basically forces you to allow access to the same area to different security levels. I'd prefer to see some other solution that allows a homogeneous population to work and shop without needing to mix with a different security group. What do you do if you only have one security group in your whole prison? The only choice you would have is to limit how many can work at a time and hope that your prisoners cycle through working and being idle during work time.
RedTear
level2
level2
Posts: 80
Joined: Mon May 25, 2015 3:04 pm

Re: Alpha 34 - Shops

Postby RedTear » Sat Jul 04, 2015 8:48 pm

Kelderek wrote:
Pogmothoin wrote:You need at least 2 prison populations to run a shop, one works while others have free time (to shop) and vice versa. It's never a good idea to have everyone on the exact same schedule anyway.

Also prisoners that don't have a job during worktime are considered to be on freetime.


This puts a real kink in my plans for a segregated prison population. This basically forces you to allow access to the same area to different security levels.

For now - as there is a bug with multiple of those counters (allthough im not sure if it matters if they are accessible on the different sides by different people, no idea about that), which will be fixed. But in theory you could build multiple counters to multiple rooms which let a different kind of prisoner shop.
User avatar
Pogmothoin
level2
level2
Posts: 195
Joined: Thu May 01, 2014 5:13 am
Location: Cell Block H

Re: Alpha 34 - Shops

Postby Pogmothoin » Sat Jul 04, 2015 9:08 pm

You can split your prison in half, have min/protected, and max/normal together, min sec doesn't attack protected people, so you just need to alternate their regime so that the shop runs.

It's a bit of a moot dilemma though as there isn't any need for the shop atm, it provides nothing that can be done quicker elsewhere, it's just a place for prisoners to spend money if they have it and there is something they actually want. A well run prison doesn't need a shop, I barely make even $100 a day from my 2 shops, even though I payout over $1,200 in wages.
Kunovega
level1
level1
Posts: 51
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:46 am

Re: Alpha 34 - Shops

Postby Kunovega » Sun Jul 05, 2015 3:10 am

Kelderek wrote:
Pogmothoin wrote:You need at least 2 prison populations to run a shop, one works while others have free time (to shop) and vice versa. It's never a good idea to have everyone on the exact same schedule anyway.

Also prisoners that don't have a job during worktime are considered to be on freetime.


This puts a real kink in my plans for a segregated prison population. This basically forces you to allow access to the same area to different security levels. I'd prefer to see some other solution that allows a homogeneous population to work and shop without needing to mix with a different security group. What do you do if you only have one security group in your whole prison? The only choice you would have is to limit how many can work at a time and hope that your prisoners cycle through working and being idle during work time.


your problem is solved simply by having more prisoners; anyone not working is on free time. you need a large enough population that your prisoners take turns working and/or being on freetime

Return to “Community Members”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests