Dynamic Rewards
Overview
Job rewards automatically adjust based on prison needs. Popular jobs pay less, neglected jobs pay more. Creates self-balancing economy without forced assignment.
The Problem Solved
Without dynamic rewards:
- Players find “best” job
- Everyone does that job
- Other jobs neglected
- Economy unbalanced
- Admins must intervene
With dynamic rewards:
- No single “best” job
- Natural player distribution
- Economy self-balances
- No admin intervention needed
How It Works
graph TD JOB[Job Completion] --> RESOURCES[Resources to Prison] RESOURCES --> STOCK[Prison Stockpile] STOCK --> CALC[Calculate Need Level] CALC --> MODIFIER[Set Wage Modifier] MODIFIER --> DISPLAY[Show on Job Board] DISPLAY --> CHOICE[Player Chooses Job] CHOICE --> JOB
Stockpile States
Each resource category has a stockpile level.
| State | Meaning | Wage Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | Prison desperately needs | Large bonus |
| Shortage | Prison running low | Bonus |
| Balanced | Prison has enough | Normal |
| Surplus | Prison has plenty | Penalty |
| Overflow | Prison has too much | Large penalty |
Self-Balancing Loop
EXAMPLE CYCLE:
1. Kitchen is popular
└── Many players choose it
2. Food stockpile rises
└── Prison has plenty of food
3. Wages decrease
└── Kitchen pays less
4. Players notice
└── "Kitchen pays poorly now"
5. Players switch jobs
└── Move to better-paying jobs
6. Fewer kitchen workers
└── Food production drops
7. Stockpile decreases
└── Prison needs food again
8. Wages increase
└── Kitchen pays well again
9. Some players return
└── Balance achieved
→ CYCLE CONTINUES NATURALLY
Player Visibility
Job Board Shows
- Current stockpile state per job
- Current wage modifier
- Whether job is in demand or overstaffed
- Clear visual indicators (arrows, colors)
Design Principle
Players make informed choices. No hidden mechanics. Transparency creates strategic play.
Wage Calculation
Final Wage = Base Wage × Dynamic Modifier + Performance Bonus
Where:
- Base Wage: Set per job type
- Dynamic Modifier: Based on stockpile state
- Performance Bonus: Based on job completion quality
Update Frequency
- Stockpiles update after each job completion
- Modifiers recalculate periodically
- Changes visible on job board
- Gradual shifts, not sudden swings
Design Goals
Player Experience
- Always clear why jobs pay differently
- Freedom to choose any job
- Economic incentive, not force
- Multiple valid strategies
Economy Health
- No single dominant job
- Resources stay in reasonable ranges
- Supports other systems (trading, crafting)
- Organic, not artificial
Server Balance
- Works regardless of player count
- Scales naturally
- No admin tuning needed
- Self-correcting
Connected To
- prison-economy - The larger system
- Resource System - What’s being tracked
- job-board - Where modifiers display
- Cooperative Jobs - What’s being rewarded