AI and the Bathroom

[MekaDovah]

What is it with prisoner AI that the majority of them just don't bother to use toilets that are right next to them? Seriously, while some of them do actually use the toilets, my prison toilets are sparkling clean most of the time while the ground is a horrific mess of stains that my janitors literally run away from.

[some moron]

I haven't yet identified what the blobs are on the ground and walls, or what dog scratching at tunnel looks like. I had no idea they were pooping and peeing all over the place like homeless people. After I've created a grand home for them! Ingrates! Inmates!

[MekaDovah]

I thought I identified a prisoner who was just sitting there reading in the canteen over the biggest green/brown stain I've ever seen. I was ready to send him to solitary over it, but then I checked him and noticed his needs showing he hadn't actually gone yet, he was just sitting there reading his book over someone else's titanic mess.

Later that same prisoner did use the toilet like a normal person. At that point I wanted to give him some extra freetime or extra privileges if I could have managed it just for being one of the few people in the prison who is actually potty trained. Pity we can't grant/revoke privileges like visitation or work to encourage good behavior. Maybe put it under policy. Go x number of days without being in any sort of trouble, get a reward.

I wonder how badly the staff would be about this if I had staff needs on.

[some moron]

Just remember, AFAIK inmates do not "learn" or work for reward or to avoid punishment. Kindof the biggest let down about the game - there is no motivation to earn better secuity. In fact if you punish a "bad' inmate they are likely to lose access to their needs and therefore misbehave again. It's the best behaving prisoners you need to "punish" the most (to save money and space) because they won't misbehave.
The worst behaving prisoners you have to give the best rewards so they don't throw a tantrum. Doesn't make sense IRL but this game didn't include learning, as far as I know.

[MekaDovah]

True, but I did think it'd be kind of handy in terms of population control as well as just having another feature to play with. If I have prisoners who are super well behaved and don't need the extra security, why not move them out of max and under medium so I can bus in a few more max guys?

And I was thinking since suppression and heavy guard does have a noticable effect on whether or not inmates steal contraband when given the opportunity, they could expand on that. They may not "learn" but maybe you can still manipulate them into doing what you want.

Edit: Also I like to look at it this way: my best behaved reforming prisoners get out early and can go rebuild their lives and atone for their past crimes while the supermax guys get to sit in a box for decades listening to one radio station. Yeah they got their private room and four hours of free time...which they have to spend in that room because there's no where else to go. It may not translate into direct gameplay, but it doesn't have to.

[some moron]

I've got my PC locked cordoned off into cell yard and canteen (no work no luxury). I'm waiting to see whether they die of boredom

[MekaDovah]

My Prot Sec guys mingle with Min Sec, but lately I have to deal with the fact they whenever one gets parolled, they often choose to exit through Max Sec. You can imagine how well that goes.

[some moron]

I've agazined on the pathing, and how a PC will choose a toilet on other side of prison deep in Max territory. At first I thought that was stupid, but recently I've decided that's part of the game. If everyone behaved welll and chose intelligently, it wouldn't be an inetersting game would it? I think the challenge is to make functional, yet segregated
PS I had my minsec inmates jump my PC when the lights went out because of some poor planning. So i've had to segregate PC even from Minsec

[MekaDovah]

The problem with Prot Sec heading to Max Sec isn't improper zoning, it's the fact that after they receive their paroles, prisoners stop behaving like prisoners at all, ignore all zoning, and just take whatever exit they please.

And I don't really believe a game is made more interesting or challenging specifically through issues like this. There are more, better ways to do so than just having the game not behave properly. I think we should get more control over things like civilian pathing so any failures that happen are due to our mistakes, not because the game randomly decides to cause a problem.

[some moron]

I only have one way in and out of my prison. It does not lead through Super. I have never had a single snitch killed after release. (Only had 4 PC, some did die during lunch work or freetime until I sorted that out)
I wonder whether they take a truly random route or do they take the "shortest" route? Maybe you can ensure Parole is near the exit so it's never "shorter" to cut through max/super.

[MekaDovah]

Originally posted by some moron:

I only have one way in and out of my prison. It does not lead through Super. I have never had a single snitch killed after release. (Only had 4 PC, some did die during lunch work or freetime until I sorted that out)
I wonder whether they take a truly random route or do they take the "shortest" route? Maybe you can ensure Parole is near the exit so it's never "shorter" to cut through max/super.

I'll probably have to. This didn't start until I installed a new staff room.

Specifically, a larger staff room that could fit tables and stuff in case I ever feel inclined to turn Staff Needs on and they need a place to eat.

I hate Staff Needs. Even when I don't have it turned on it manages to find a way to cause me grief. If the game wants to be realistic enough that guards need to eat, could they make it so people stop walking out the wrong door? Pretty sure IRL civilians can't just come and go anywhere they please in a prison.