May 14, 2020

Cleared for Transfer and The Bucket Patch Notes

Prison Architect - Fifnaril

To all wardens,

Today we celebrate the release of Cleared for Transfer and The Bucket update, introducing several new exciting mechanics, wall types, objects and much more to your game. Check out the patch notes below!

Cleared for Transfer:

With Cleared for Transfer, we introduce the idea that prisoners can now transfer between security sectors of your prison - you control the criteria or rules for prisoners to transfer. In order to create a ‘motivation’ for prisoners to transfer, you can also link and/or restrict privileges to individual security sectors. You can increase (or decrease) a security sector’s grade (e.g. Min Sec), by attaching privileges (such as Visitation), adding new objects, equipment, and facilities, and making regime changes (such as more Yard time).

Ultimately your aim should be to entice prisoners to want to transfer into a more comfortable or privileged sector, and then encourage them to change their ways in order to meet the criteria for transfer.

Prisoner Transfers system:

The Cleared for Transfer mechanics only refers to the following existing prisoner security sectors/levels; Min Sec, Med Sec, Max Sec, and SuperMax.

This means that prisoners can only transfer between these levels.

A Death Row inmate is always a Death Row inmate, a Protective Custody inmate is always a Protective Custody inmate and the same for Criminally Insane inmates.

Inmates eager to move to a lower security sector with more privileges will only look at the sector that is one below their current one.

Elements that are tied to the Prisoner Transfers system:

New tab in the Reports UI: Transfers.
Updated Policy tab to allow for tweaking of privileges, food quality and parole cutoff.
Updated Prisoners tab to see transfer candidates and to approve transfers.

The Prisoner Transfers system can be enabled and disabled in the map settings.

Expanded Room Grading system:

Cells can now reach a max. Score of 15 (up from 10)
Room Grading now includes the following rooms:

Yard
Common Room
Classroom
Canteen
Gym

Inmates eager to move to a lower security sector with more privileges will only look at the sector that is one below their current one.

Security sector grading:

Security sectors now have a grading that can be viewed in the “Logistics” menu.
This will inform you about the attractiveness of a security sector and will feed into the Prisoners Transfer system.

The Bucket Update:

New room: Gym:

Introduced a new room: The Gymnasium.
We added several new items for this room, such as the Boxing Ring, Punch Bag and Water Cooler.

These objects can also be placed elsewhere in a prison.

The Gymnasium will act similarly to a Yard (but indoors) catering to various prisoner Needs (Exercise and Recreation).

Being inside the Gym will also negatively increase the prisoner’s “Hygiene” need by a small amount, encouraging a Shower.

Prisoners will treat the Gym similarly to a Yard, meaning that they’ll want to visit the Gym during the “Yard” and “Freetime” regime periods
With the exception of gang members (mentioned below), all other inmates should still favor the Yard (seemingly as they get to spend some time outside).

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New custom security sectors for Deployment:

You can now create a custom security sector in the Deployment menu,

e.g. You can set a sector that includes min and med security.

Punishments, Searches, Shakedowns & More per sector:

Actions that you trigger via the bottom-right HUD element can now be activated for individual security sectors.

New Staff control:

In the “Deployment” menu, you now have 4 new options:

Prioritize Area (Janitor)
Prioritize Area (Gardener)
Assign Cook.
Assign Doctor

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Other:

New Walls, Signs, Floors, etc.
Added new quick rooms:

Mail Room
Library
Laundry
Infirmary
Armory
Visitation

The Planning mode now has an option to disable auto-foundations.
Added Forestry Prison Labor.

New research is necessary in the Bureaucracy menu.

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Barred walls will now allow for heat to pass through them.
You can fire multiple staff now by holding the mouse button and dragging your selection.

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Modding:

The renderer now supports multiple spritesheets!
Vehicle speed and support for removing shadow casting from objects is now exposed for modding

Modding:

The renderer now supports multiple spritesheets!
Vehicle speed and support for removing shadow casting from objects is now exposed for modding

Additional Improvements, Fixes & Features:

Intake UI: Renamed “Prisoner Transfer” to “Legendary Prisoners” to avoid confusion with the Prisoner Transfer system.
Lunar Plot Forestry will now only grow Sakura trees.
Assigned Cooks will now cook in their kitchen.
Fixed an Exploit that would reset the Security Rating when reloading a prison.
Fixed an issue that showed all Sectors as available in the Emergency Actions, if you've set a custom sector up in the prison.
Transfers in Reports no longer open as a new window.
Fixed a number of missing translations.
Fixed a crash that would occur if you change the language several times in-game
Fixed a slow down that a player would see if on multiplayer if the client turns on Prisoner Transfers. Also fixed Client not being able to see the correct Grading score for Security Sectors.
Fixed a bug that would cause a crash on starting Prison Stories.
Fixed a bug that would stop you from moving the Firemen in the "Palermo" scenario in Prison Stories.
Policy menu will no longer show Criminally Insane if you do not have the DLC.
Players will no longer be able to approve transfers if they load a map that had transfers on unless they have the DLC.
New Assign and Prioritize options have the New Star picture on them to highlight they're new.
Fixed a bug that meant Death Row inmates did not pass parole despite meeting the criteria for it.
Clone tool no longer shows incorrect sprites when used.
Fixed the Allow Transfer option so that when you disable it, no prisoners are shown as ready for transfer.
Inmates whose reoffending rate match the number you set the 'estimated reoffending rate' for transfer now qualify for transfer.
Fixed a bug that would stop you entering tunnels in Escape Mode.
Fixed a bug that stops MAC/Linux players from playing the game in Windowed Borderless mode
In Multiplayer when a Client changes criteria on the Transfers tab, other players can now see that change.
Fixed an issue that had prisoners constantly being swapped about if they were in a Mixed Custom Sector wing.
Criminally Insane prisoners can now live in a Custom Sector for 'Criminally Insane'.
Fixed a bug that stopped a player from playing a modified map in Escape Mode
In Multiplayer if the host has the Cleared For Transfer DLC, anyone who connects to that game will have access to the Transfers mechanics and content, regardless of if they own the DLC.
Fixed an issue that caused UI elements to be off-screen or overlap if High DPI option is on in the graphics settings.
Criminally Insane Prisoners with the Claustrophobic reputation no longer grows extra hands when in lockdown and aggressive.
If using 4k resolution the Policy menu will no longer scroll off the page.
Canteen trays no longer float in the air if they are at the bottom of an Oak Table.

May 14, 2020

Power Up Your Equipment

ArcheAge: Unchained - CM iArches

A hero is only as powerful as their gear! With the battle of a lifetime coming up, you'll be prepared. That's where we step in, after maintenance on May 14th you'll be able to get a little stronger every day with a little bit of hard work.

How do I participate?
Those over level 30 can head to Mirage Isle and speak to the Event Quest Exchanger to purchase a Growth Event Quest item for 5 gold. Using this Grimoire will grant you a quest that requires you to spend 1500 Labor for Reward Gems! You can purchase up to 18 Growth Event Quests during this event period per account, so there's plenty of gems for everyone.

What are the rewards?
Reward Gems can be exchanged at the Gem Exchanger in Mirage Isle for the following goods:

Radiant Hiram Infusions x30 - 9 Gems
Radiant Hiram Infusions x45 - 12 Gems
Radiant Hiram Infusions x75 - 15 Gems
Radiant Hiram Infusions x150 - 18 Gems
Unidentified Abyssal Enhancer x45 - 9 Gems
Unidentified Abyssal Enhancer x70 - 12 Gems
Unidentified Abyssal Enhancer x115 - 15 Gems
Unidentified Abyssal Enhancer x225 - 18 Gems
Growth Event Crate x2 - 9 Gems
Growth Event Crate x3 - 12 Gems
Growth Event Crate x5 - 15 Gems
Growth Event Crate x10 - 18 Gems

What do the Crates contain?
The Growth Event Crate has a chance to reward the following items:

Bound Serendipity Stone
Bound Anchoring Tempering Charm Box x1
Bound Tempering Charm Box x1
Honorable Victory Rank 1 x1
Honorable Vocation Rank 1 x1
Ancestral Coinpurses x5

This event comes to a halt on June 4th at 01:00 AM UTC, so make sure that you get your quests completed before they disappear.

Please note: The Reward Gems and Gem Exchanger will disappear on June 11th!

May 14, 2020

Power Up Your Equipment

ArcheAge - CM iArches

Radiant Hiram Infusions x30 - 9 Gems
Radiant Hiram Infusions x45 - 12 Gems
Radiant Hiram Infusions x75 - 15 Gems
Radiant Hiram Infusions x150 - 18 Gems
Unidentified Abyssal Enhancer x45 - 9 Gems
Unidentified Abyssal Enhancer x70 - 12 Gems
Unidentified Abyssal Enhancer x115 - 15 Gems
Unidentified Abyssal Enhancer x225 - 18 Gems
Growth Event Crate x2 - 9 Gems
Growth Event Crate x3 - 12 Gems
Growth Event Crate x5 - 15 Gems
Growth Event Crate x10 - 18 Gems

What do the Crates contain?
The Growth Event Crate has a chance to reward the following items:

Bound Serendipity Stone
Bound Anchoring Tempering Charm Box x1
Bound Tempering Charm Box x1
Honorable Victory Rank 1 x1
Honorable Vocation Rank 1 x1
Ancestral Coinpurses x5

May 14, 2020

Steel Division 2 - Blog Post - DLC Tribute to D-Day 2 Divisions Explored !

Steel Division 2 - [EUG] Kaelior

Good day to you!

In the lead-up to the launch of our new Steel Division 2 “Tribute to D-Day” DLC this 6th of June, we are going to explore each of the six new divisions in detail. In true versus format, we’ll focus a weekly post on two individual formations: one Allied and one Axis.

Today, the theme of our post is mechanized infantry. Please welcome the contenders to the ring: for the Allies, it’s the U.S. 2nd “Indianhead” Infantry Division; on the Axis side, we have the 17. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division “Götz von Berlichingen.”

For those of you who missed last week’s news: on the 6th of June, in celebration of Operation Overlord in 1944, we’ll be releasing a brand-new DLC for Steel Division 2: “Tribute to D-Day”. This expansion features 6 divisions from Steel Division: Normandy 44, and will bring several new units to the battlefields of the Eastern Front.

A brief history

A disclaimer: yes, we know, the 2nd ID “Indianhead” is technically not a full mechanized formation compared to the 17. SS in the strictest sense of the word. However, we are labeling the American battlegroup as such in our game. This is due to the real-life reinforcements of independent units which were added to the division late into the Normandy campaign. Keep on reading to find out more.

2nd Infantry Division “Indianhead”

First off, the brave soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Division “Indianhead” which came to shore on D+1. Locked into fierce combat around Saint-Lô with among others the 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division, the American formation learned the hard way how to operate (and succeed) in dense bocage country, creating improvised weaponry and developing new tactics on the fly. At the end of July, the division managed to break out, and advanced onto the important port of Brest. Much later in the war, the Indianhead soldiers also fought during the Battle of the Bulge, before ending up at the conclusion of World War II all the way across Germany, in Czechoslovakia.

17. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division “Götz von Berlichingen”

The mechanized 17. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division “Götz von Berlichingen” couldn’t hold a candle to the Third Reich’s best: it was a far cry away from a well-supplied and armed division made up of battle-hardened, experienced soldiers. Instead, raw recruits and Volksdeutsche filled up its ranks, and the lack of motorized transports had only been slightly mitigated by using locally sourced French trucks and automobiles.

Named after the Swabian 15th-century knight, with an iron prosthetic hand (yes, they had them in those days) which led to the black-and-white coat of arms, the 17. SS was also known as the “Lick my Ass Division” thanks to the famous saying of the namesake, Count von Berlichingen. Nonetheless, the 17. SS proved themselves well during the fighting in Normandy. Heavily mauled in constant battles, only the tattered remnants of this division managed to escape the Falaise Pocket.

New toys to play around with

The “Tribute to D-Day” divisions will have full access to all the new unit types introduced in Steel Division 2, such as the artillery observers and commander units, and the Feldgendarme for the 17. SS. Not only that, but we are also introducing some new units to these two formations:

SS-Legionari - 17. SS. This unit is composed of die-hard Italian SS troops. They are veteran assault soldiers equipped with Beretta SMGs, G-43 semi-auto rifles, Molotov cocktails, and Panzerfausts.
Basics - 2ID. Much as the name implies, these fresh recruits are armed with Garand rifles and gathered in large squads. As green replacements, they carry the Disheartened trait. We can’t save all the Private Ryans, can we?
Assault Group - 2ID: A field-expedited full SMG squad (a mix of Thompsons and Grease Guns) formed after suffering one too many defeats in “hedgerow hell.” This unit is available from phase B onward.
Demolition Group - 2ID: Urban combat specialists, created by the Indianhead during the street fighting in the port city of Brest. These soldiers are armed with a combination of flamethrowers, bazookas, rifles and experimental full-auto M2 carbines. These soldiers can only be deployed in phase C.
Snipers - 2ID: This unit is introduced for the first time to the Indianhead. Does exactly what it says on the tin: shoots the enemy from afar with deadly accuracy!

The “Tribute to D-Day” DLC will also “revive” some classic units from Normandy 44 and allow for their deployment on the Eastern Front in Steel Division 2. These units can all be found in the 2nd Infantry Division.

U.S. Rangers - The famous elite American soldiers will equip four different infantry squad variants and one support half-track unit.
M3 105mm howitzer - A light artillery piece used by both airborne troops and regular infantry U.S. Army regiments.
M18 Hellcat - Fan-favorite tank destroyer which sported paper-thin armor but resulted in it being the fastest tracked vehicle of the war.
M4A1 Rhino - A Frankenstein of a Sherman, some tankers fitted out their tanks with scrap metal scoured from German beach obstacles. This scratch-built armor allowed the Rhinos to destroy the dense hedgerows and shrug off light anti-tank weapons.
Xylophone - A beautifully named truck-mounted twin multiple rocket-launcher. The North American cousin of the Katyusha.

Some behind-the-scenes Eugen thinkin’

We have made some additional changes to these two divisions. One of the most important is also one of the most obvious: these divisions no longer feature fixed economies, following instead the various Steel Division 2 templates currently available (Vanguard, Balanced, etc.).

That said, to acknowledge each division’s history, we decided to represent the “evolution” these divisions saw during the Normandy campaign. This we did by unlocking each unit at a specific combat phase depending on when they were used during the battles in Northwest France.

For instance, the 17. SS will gain access to heavier Flak units (37mm and 88mm), most of the tank destroyers (Jagdpanzer IV) and assault Sturmpionier from phase B onwards. This reflects that these elements only joined the division relatively late into the campaign.

The “Indianhead” experiences this even more. Here we see the Ranger-associated units only available in phase A or B in low numbers. Improvisation in the field led to the deployment of Assault Groups and the M4A1 Rhino, which is reflected by these units becoming available from phase B onward. The Xylophone rocket launcher and the M18 Hellcat joined the division late in the campaign; as such they can only be deployed in phase B and C. Another new unit is the Demolition Group infantry squad. Together with the British flame-throwing Crocodile tank, they played a vital role in the liberation of Brest, much later on. That’s why they can only be deployed in phase C.

Concluding Thoughts

The upcoming “Tribute to D-Day” DLC will release on June 6th and will be made available for $16,99 / €16,99.

We’d love to know what you think! Don’t hesitate to check out our Steam forums and Eugen forums, or our social channels (Facebook and Twitter). You can also join us on our Discord server or Reddit page.

Next week’s blog post will take a look at the kick-ass paratrooper Tribute to D-Day divisions and see some devil-versus-devil action: the 6th British Airborne squares up against the 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division.

Until then, take care and see you on the battlefield, commander!