My Prison — Starting out with Tuto and the tutorial
About
OverviewMy Prison is a tycoon game where you build and run your own prison from the ground up, arresting criminals, keeping inmates happy, and stopping riots and escapes before they happen. This guide covers everything from your first steps with the tutorial NPC to managing gangs and expanding to new island plots.
What is on this page
Contents
Starting out with Tuto and the tutorial
Step
When you create a brand new prison, an NPC called Tuto runs up and asks you to talk to him. He walks you through twelve pages covering how to catch criminals, what prisoners need, escape tunnels, workers, and research. Once you have finished reading, Tuto stays useful — his Assistant tab lists exactly what is missing from your prison at any moment, such as a bed shortage or a missing piece of furniture.
- Talk to Tuto he triggers automatically when you first load in, so do not skip him.
- Read all twelve tutorial pages they cover arrests, prisoner needs, escape tunnels, workers, and research in order.
- Open the Assistant tab whenever Tuto runs up to you it shows a plain list of what your prison is lacking right now.
What prisoners actually need
Check
Prisoners have a set of needs and they will become unhappy if any go unmet. Unhappy prisoners complain first and then attempt to escape or riot. Higher-security prisoners require additional items like Pull-up Bars and Guard Towers on top of the basics. If a prisoner cannot find a shower or sports equipment even though you own enough of them, try adding two extra units as a buffer, since prisoners avoid using the same piece of furniture twice in a row.
- Enough beds for every prisoner in the cell block.
- Dining tables, a buffet, and soda machines place trash cans nearby because prisoners drop litter there.
- Showers in the right quantity for your current headcount.
- Push-up Mats and Isolation Chairs before accepting Medium Security prisoners.
- Pull-up Bars and Guard Towers before accepting High Security prisoners.
- A buffer of two extra furniture items if prisoners keep ignoring the ones you already have.
Keeping order — riots, escapes, and gangs
Tips
Riots and escapes do not happen out of nowhere — they build up from unmet needs and ignored complaints. As your prison grows, gang factions arrive and their conflicts add another layer of disorder.
- Check prisoner complaints regularly; ignoring them is the direct path to a riot.
- Use sleeping hours to make repairs and fix gaps in walls, since prisoners will not escape while they sleep.
- Bring in new prisoners during sleep time too, so you can finish preparations without triggering unrest.
Growing your prison step by step
Step
Early on, focus on profit from a small, well-run facility. The game uses an off-grid placement system, so you are not locked to a fixed grid.
- Reach six prisoners hire an additional Guard and a Chef.
- Reach seven prisoners add another Wooden Bunkbed, a Toilet, and a Shower.
- Reach ten prisoners at that point you earn one hundred dollars every game hour and pay twenty-three dollars to workers.
- Hire Janitors once trash becomes a regular problem, and Repairmen to fill escape tunnels.
- Research automatic prisoner delivery and higher security classes to grow faster.
Layout and building tips
TipsThe off-grid placement system lets you position buildings outside the standard grid squares. Good layout choices now prevent headaches when the prison doubles in size.
- Use half-walls to enclose your plot and leave a door opening so workers and prisoners can get in and out freely.
- Leave a gap between the vehicle runway and your lot so cars can move without being blocked.
- Move beds to a corner to open up space in the middle of the cell area.
- You can use floor materials as a makeshift roof, so you do not need separate roof pieces if you run short.
- Join a less-crowded server when you want to spawn near Crime City or Crime Town, since proximity makes arresting criminals much easier.
delivery
OffGrid
Cloth
Vegetation
Staffing and avoiding common mistakes
Warn
Workers cost money every game hour, so every hire needs to earn its keep.
Visiting other prisons and multiplayer
SummaryThe game lets you visit both friends and strangers in their prisons. Clothing customisation for prisoners and guards is available whenever you want to give your facility a distinctive look.
- Visit mode available for any other player's prison, friend or stranger.
- Clothing customisation style and colour of prisoners and guards can both be changed.
- Update cadence the game receives updates every two weeks, so new features arrive regularly.
Glossary
Glossary- Tuto
- The tutorial NPC who greets new players and whose Assistant tab tells you exactly what your prison is missing at any time.
- Riot
- A breakdown of order triggered by prisoners whose needs have been ignored for too long.
- Gang / Faction
- A group of prisoners that arrives as your prison grows and whose conflicts with other factions can destabilise the whole facility.
- Isolation Chair
- A piece of furniture required before you can house Medium Security prisoners.
- Guard Tower
- A structure required before you can house High Security prisoners.
- Off-grid placement
- A building system that lets you position items outside the standard grid squares, giving you more control over your layout.
- Island Plot
- A separate piece of land that becomes available as your prison expands, allowing you to grow beyond your starting area.
- Repairman
- A worker you can hire specifically to fill escape tunnels that prisoners have dug.
Common questions
FAQWhen should I hire more Guards and Chefs?
Hire a Guard and a Chef at six prisoners. Hiring beyond what your prisoner count actually needs gives no extra benefit.
How do I stop riots from happening all the time?
Riots build from unmet needs, so go through Tuto's Assistant tab and fix every listed problem.
Can I visit other players' prisons?
Yes — the game has a visit feature that works for both friends and strangers.
Game updates can change what is on this page. If you spot something, get in touch and let us know.
