Getting Started

Getting Started: A Beginner's Guide to Prison Architect

Introduction

Welcome to Prison Architect, a top-down simulation where you design, build, and manage a maximum-security prison. This guide covers everything a brand-new player needs to survive the first hour, avoid common pitfalls, and set up a functional prison from day one.

No Character Creation

Prison Architect does not feature a character creation system. You control the prison from a god-like perspective, managing staff, prisoners, and facilities. The only "character" is the Warden (you), represented by the player's decisions and the prison's design.

Controls on All Platforms

#### PC (Mouse & Keyboard)

• Left-click: Select, place items, interact.


• Right-click: Cancel / deselect / rotate objects.


• Mouse wheel: Zoom in/out.


• Middle mouse button (click & drag): Pan camera.


• WASD / Arrow Keys: Pan camera.


• Space: Pause/unpause.


• Tab: Toggle speed (1x, 2x, 3x).


• Escape: Open menu / cancel.


• F1-F4: Quick save/load slots.


#### PlayStation / Xbox / Switch Controllers
Layout is similar across consoles. Key actions:

• Left stick: Move camera.


• Right stick: Rotate/zoom camera (press stick often changes object orientation).


• D-pad: Navigate menus and quick-select building categories.


• A / Cross (X on PlayStation): Confirm / place.


• B / Circle (O): Cancel / back.


• X / Square: Open context menu or toggle building mode.


• Y / Triangle: Open reports or prison overview.


• LB / L1 & RB / R1: Cycle through speed settings.


• Back / Share: Open pause menu.


• Start: Open full build menu.


Tip: On console, use the radial menu (hold right bumper) to quickly place rooms, utilities, and staff.



UI Overview


When you start a fresh game (Warden Mode -> New Prison), the screen shows:

• Top bar: Money, prisoner count, grants, speed controls, date, and notifications (alerts, events).


• Left sidebar: Main menu icons for Build, Reports, Policy, Intelligence, Finance, and Research.


• Bottom toolbar: Quick actions like materials, rooms, utilities, objects, staff deployment, and zoning tools.


• Right side (small): Tool hints and object health/info when selecting something.


• Center: The prison map, initially empty.


• Escape Menu: Save, load, settings, exit.


Key Panels:

• Reports: View prisoner needs, staff, logistics, and incidents.


• Policy: Set regimes, deployment, and prisoner categories.


• Finance: Track income/expenses, grants.


• Research: Unlock new rooms, equipment, and policies (via Bureaucracy).




Essential Early Objectives (First Hour)


Your first hour should focus on survival and basic function:
1. Accept the starter grant (often "First Grant") – provides initial cash.
2. Build a Holding Cell (room) to house new prisoners.
3. Build a Canteen and Kitchen to feed them.
4. Connect water and electricity to these rooms.
5. Hire Staff: Warden, Chief, Accountant (unlocks grants), Guards, Workmen (for construction).
6. Intake prisoners: Start with a few (minimum 6-8) so you can learn without chaos.
7. Set a basic regime (Eat, Sleep, Free Time, Work) to keep prisoners calm.
8. Add toilets and showers inside the holding cell or a dedicated room.



What to Do First



• Pause the game immediately after starting. Planning before time runs is critical.


• Draw the Delivery Zone (a yellow zone) near the road – it's where trucks drop supplies.


• Build a small Reception Room connected to a Holding Cell. Reception processes new prisoners.


• Build the essentials close together to minimize walking distance.


• Prioritize water pumps and power generators – they are cheap and keep things running.


• Assign guards to patrol corridors.




What to Avoid



• Don't build a huge prison right away. Start small (10-20 cells). Expansions are tempting but drain money faster than you earn.


• Don't ignore prisoner needs – hunger, sleep, toilet, and recreation cause riots.


• Don't skip the foundation – all rooms must be enclosed by walls and a foundation.


• Don't place objects before rooms – you must designate a room (e.g., "Canteen") before placing tables and benches.


• Don't forget to connect power and water – pipes and wires must reach the building.

Early Resource Priorities

Common Beginner Mistakes

1. Building too many cells too early – You pay for empty cells and maintenance. Build as needed.
2. Zoning incorrectly – Rooms must be enclosed by walls and have a door. A "room" is defined by the Room tool, not just objects.
3. Ignoring the regime – Prisoners left idle will find trouble. Use the Policy tab to set a schedule (e.g., 8 hours sleep, 4 hours work, 2 hours yard).
4. Scattering furniture without room designation – Always use the Room tool first, then place objects inside.
5. Forgetting to connect utilities – Water pipes and power cables must hook up to the electrical grid. Capacitors and pumps require distribution.
6. Over-hiring staff – Too many guards drain money. Start with minimal staff and increase as prison size grows.
7. Not saving often – Game is unforgiving. Save every 10-15 minutes.
8. Building in the wrong orientation – Prisons built north of the road require longer walks. Build close to the road for efficiency.

Day-One Checklist

Use this to survive the first in-game day (24 hours):

• [ ] Pause the game.


• [ ] Accept the first grant (Finance -> Grants -> Accept).


• [ ] Buy land if needed (but starter plot is fine).


• [ ] Draw Delivery Zone (Utilities -> Zones -> Delivery Zone) near the road.


• [ ] Draw Garbage Zone next to it.


• [ ] Build a small rectangular foundation (approx. 10x5 tiles) for Holding Cell.


• [ ] Place doors (one entrance from outside).


• [ ] Designate room as "Holding Cell" (Build -> Rooms -> Holding Cell).


• [ ] Place objects inside: Toilets (1 per 4 prisoners), benches, a phone booth, a water pump (if water needed).


• [ ] Connect water to the pump (water pipes from road to pump).


• [ ] Connect electricity (power lines from road generator to building's capacitor).


• [ ] Build a separate 10x5 foundation for Canteen + Kitchen (can be same room, but better separate).


• [ ] Designate Canteen and Kitchen rooms. Place Cookers, fridges, serving tables, tables, and benches.


• [ ] Hire: 1 Warden, 1 Chief, 1 Accountant (unlocks grants), 2 Guards, 1 Cook, 1 Workman.


• [ ] Research Grants (Bureaucracy -> Accountant -> Grants). Accept more grants (e.g., "First Prisoner Grant").


• [ ] Set a basic Regime (Policy -> Regime):

- 6:00-8:00 Wake Up, 8:00-9:00 Eat, 9:00-12:00 Work, 12:00-13:00 Eat, 13:00-18:00 Free Time, 18:00-19:00 Eat, 19:00-22:00 Free Time, 22:00-6:00 Sleep.

• [ ] Intake 6 prisoners (Policy -> Intake -> Accept prisoners).


• [ ] Unpause the game at normal speed (1x). Observe.


• [ ] Watch for alerts: If prisoners are hungry, build more kitchen capacity. If angry, add recreation (TV, weight bench) or yard.


• [ ] Save your game.




First Hour Walkthrough (Step-by-Step)


1. Start a new sandbox prison (Warden Mode). Choose a default easy prison or start from scratch.
2. Immediately pause (Space).
3. Look at the road at the top of the map. Draw a Delivery Zone (Utilities tab > Zones > Delivery Zone) just inside your boundary near the road.
4. Draw a Garbage Zone next to it.
5. Select the Foundation tool (Build tab > Objects > Foundation). Click and drag a 10x5 rectangle south of the Delivery Zone. This will be your Holding Cell.
6. Right-click to exit foundation. Then click the Room tool (Build tab > Rooms) and select "Holding Cell". Click inside the foundation to designate it.
7. Place a Large Jail Door on one of the walls facing the road.
8. Inside the Holding Cell, place: 4 toilets, 1 sink (for cleaning), 2 benches, 1 phone booth, 1 water pump, 1 capacitor.
9. Route water pipes from the road's water supply to the pump (click water pipe tool, draw a line from the road's water node to the pump).
10. Route power lines similarly (power cables from road generator to capacitor).
11. Build a second foundation next to the holding cell (8x8) for the Canteen/Kitchen. Designate it as "Kitchen" (room). Place 1 cooker, 1 fridge, 1 serving table.
12. Add a Canteen room overlapping the same space or adjacent? Better to make a separate Canteen room nearby or connect via doorway. Simpler: make a combined room using a large foundation, designate half as Kitchen and half as Canteen. Place tables and benches in the Canteen area.
13. Connect water and power to this building.
14. Hire staff: click Staff icon (bottom toolbar) and hire: 1 Warden, 1 Chief, 1 Accountant, 2 Guards, 1 Cook, 1 Workman.
15. Open Reports > Grants and accept the first grant (usually $20,000). Also go to Bureaucracy, research Accountant -> Grants. Accept the "First Prisoner Grant" after it appears.
16. Set Regime (Policy > Regime): click on the regime chart. Create a simple schedule: all prisoners: 8 hours sleep (22:00-06:00), 4 hours work (09:00-13:00), 2 hours yard (13:00-15:00), 1 hour eat (08:00-09:00 and 15:00-16:00), rest free time.
17. Intake prisoners: Policy > Intake, set minimum security prisoners, accept 6.
18. Unpause. Watch your staff build the rooms. Once built and connected, prisoners will arrive after a delay (a bus icon appears).
19. First day will be chaotic – they will need food, showers, toilets. Ensure your cook is hired and kitchen has ingredients (the game auto-starts with some supplies). If prisoners riot, add more guards or improve conditions.
20. Save often.



Final Advice



• Use Grants as your primary income early on. They give lump sums for meeting targets.


• Expand gradually. Build a cell block (individual cells) once you have steady income. Cells give more grant money.


• Watch tutorials in-game (the game has built-in tips).


• Read the Prisoner Needs report (Reports > Needs) to see what's causing trouble.


• Keep it simple – a small, functional prison is better than a grand failure.