From day one, there have always been calls to bring my brand of trash-talking fisticuffs to the streets. However, since I'm in no position to create the epic cities of Grand Theft Auto, I've always envisaged keeping the criminality behind bars. The recent success of shows like Oz and Prison Break has proved that there's plenty of drama when testosterone-fuelled characters interact at close quarters! It's a theme that my wrestling games have been capitalizing on for the past 6 years, so let's see how it pans out on a larger scale than ever before...

Sign Of The Times
The game has been making do with a mere shell of a prison complex for the past few months. Only now has it received the extra details that make it truly inhabitable! Most noticeably, the previously bare walls are now decorated with various signs and posters. Not only do they make the venues look more convincing, but they also offer handy tips on what your options are - such as activities that can improve your skills or jobs that can earn you money. There's even the odd "No Smoking" sign, so you won't have any excuses when the wardens bust you for doing that too!

Mission Impossible
The day-to-day gameplay has started to reach its full potential too. As in other games, your free-roaming exploits are now interspersed by "missions" that you're duty-bound to accomplish. However, one major difference here is that they're assigned and completed in real-time - and can come from any source! The are 4 different types of mission in fact - including favours to your fellow inmates, orders from the upper echelons of your gang, accomplishing goals set by the wardens, and even honouring telephone requests from the outside world. Each of the dozens of missions then play out differently according to where they came from. Improving a statistic at the request of the wardens, for instance, will earn you time off your sentence - whereas completing a similar mission for a benefactor will have financial rewards. The same goes for failure too. If you neglect to accomplish a task by the given time, you'll not only lose out on the reward but also make an enemy of the client - which in the case of gangs can lead to you being blacklisted!

Weight Watchers
As you can see, some alternative body shapes are starting to add a little variety to the characters. The standard build is now joined by slim, muscular, chubby, and obese variations. They tend to be linked to the attributes of each character too, so you've got a legitimate reason to be scared of big guys (or confident that you can outrun them!). Your body shape gradually starts to reflect your lifestyle too. Every time you eat or lift weights, you risk putting on weight - whereas athletic pursuits help you lose it. As in other games, doing so produces an even greater chasm between strength and agility - which may have to be rectified if you're not happy with the results. And since everything is done in real-time here, these changes are portrayed by your character stopping to examine his body and acknowledging what's happened!

Parallel Universe
Speaking of characterization, one major factor that we haven't discussed is that the cast is randomly generated in this game. Every single time you play, you're given 100 brand new generated characters to get to know - from their appearance and attributes down to their own carefully constructed unique name! The downside is that there are none of my usual hand-crafted creations, but it's worth it to be playing in your own unique world. That goes for the item layout too - which randomly generates different items in different places at the start of each new game, so you never know what you're gonna get! Both the cast of characters and the status of the items slowly evolves over time too, so the game keeps you on course for a satisfyingly long experience...

Measure Of A Man
Of course, you also get to insert your own customized star character into that generated universe! As you can see, this game features a more scenic display than usual - whereby you construct your inmate as he stands next to the bed in his cell. Other than that, it's the same old cocktail of statistics and fashion choices for you to sift through. As in Grass Roots, the clothing is a little more simplified here though - requiring that you only choose a "style" of dress rather than specific options for each body part. The preset hair from World War Alpha also means that you no longer have to worry about mixing your own colours. That's just as well because editing as we know it isn't a large part of this game. Once you've created your original character, that sets the tone for your whole experience and can only be subtly adjusted from then on. Although a universal editor may be accessible somehow, it's likely to be reserved for cheating purposes...

Past Lives
The game allows you to keep 3 such universes on file - and unlike the wrestling games, that actually extends to an entirely different collection of characters for each one! As in Wrecked, a snapshot of the moment you left the game is also stored on file to help you identify it and remind you where you were. You can leave the game at any time by simply pressing Escape at a calm point in the proceedings, safe in the knowledge that the whole scenario will be perfectly restored when you choose to return to it...

Where Are They Now?
Should you ever make it that far, the end of your journey has also been implemented! Upon serving every last day of the lengthy sentence you've been given, your character is asked if he wants to leave. Doing so allows you to officially bring things to a conclusion - complete with a dedicated sequence whereby the character strolls out of the prison gates. That's satisfying enough in itself, but the icing on the cake is that your journey is interspersed by notes about what happened to your peers! Their portraits are briefly shown at the bottom of the screen, along with a randomized synopsis of what became of their lives as if it was the end of a documentary. It doesn't sound like much, but it's actually quite affecting to see what become of the faces you spent months coming up against...

Mark Of Respect
There's also time for reflection while you're still inside prison! Upon hearing someone's death announced over the speaker system, the remaining prisoners clasp their hands and bow their heads in sorrow. It's especially effective if you're responsible for the death in question, and should succeed in eliciting a shred of guilt! However, this potentially moving moment tends to be ruined by the fact that their unfortunately placed hands can make them look like they're urinating...

Life Or Death
One of the most life-altering developments in recent weeks is that it's now possible for the characters to die once their health has been exhausted. Fortunately, a character only "risks" death when their health has gone - so you don't have to lose months of progress every time it happens! Fans of Wrecked will be well aware of the make-or-break system whereby the character writhes around on the floor and has a brief time to regain consciousness. If you fail, the camera ascends above your lifeless body as the game fades to black. If you succeed, you regain a little health and live to fight another day. Your fellow CPU characters go through the exact same thing too, so you have to be careful that a beating doesn't end up as a murder...

Falling Down
In addition to the death of the physical body, I've also programmed the death of the mind. Whenever your happiness hits zero, you character slumps to his knees and has a nicely animated nervous breakdown (complete with a disturbing sobbing sound). When he returns to his feet, you'll find he's literally "lost his mind" - because you won't be controlling him anymore! He temporarily becomes a CPU character - and a violent one at that, lashing out at everyone in his way and responding negatively to every conversation. By the time he regains his senses, you'll be left with a character that's made an awful lot of enemies and gotten you into a lot of trouble. I wasn't sure it would be possible to make mental health as important as physical health, but this life-altering episode seems to do the trick...

Arrested Development
That unpredictable behaviour is all the more damaging now that you can be punished for your actions! Up until now, the wardens have been casually pushing you around when you do something wrong - but now it's possible for them to clock serious crimes and pursue them to the end. There are over a dozen different charges they could hold against you - from disobedience and suspicious behaviour to blatant assaults and murder attempts. If you're spotted doing such things, they won't give up until they've got you in a headlock and put you under arrest! You can't even leave an area without facing the consequences, because an alarm will ring out alerting all other wardens to your wanted status...

Jury Duty
For once, the court case gimmick in my games actually means something! Once you've been caught for any given crime, the arresting officer drags you before a judge and proceeds to make his case. After you've made some pitiful excuse, the judge then rules either way - which could mean giving you the benefit of the doubt or hitting you with a fine and extra time on your sentence. This game tends to scale things down though, so we're only talking about weeks and months rather than years (the aim of the game is to finish your sentence and that would never happen in real time!). As you can see, the courtroom has also enjoyed the visual makeover afforded to other locations. Real light fittings beam down from the ceiling, and the various desks have been littered with books and documents...

Public Service Announcement
These crimes and fatalities would normally be reported in a news summary - but since this game never stops, I've had to compromise! Important events that relate to the whole prison population are now announced through giant speakers in the corners of each room. Like a one-way conversation, the camera turns its attention to the speaker as the message unfolds at the bottom of the screen. This can include to anything - from reminding you about lockdown and dinner time, to announcing the recent death or release of an inmate. You can even be informed of new arrivals that come to replace the latter, as the prison population constantly evolves as it would in real life...

One Call Away
Yet more conversations with inanimate objects are provided by the phones! The ones in the main hall are now fully interactive, and you can take them in hand at any time by picking them up as if they were an item. The character then holds it to his ear before hanging up when you choose to leave. And it's not just a visual gimmick. The system is actually used to trigger a whole other range of storylines - involving those on the outside world such as friends, family, lawyers, and the media. There's only one such incident at the moment, whereby your lawyer offers to reduce your sentence for a hefty fee, but plenty should flood in throughout the weeks ahead. And it's a game in itself trying to catch these calls! The phones actually ring at random intervals like they would in real life (indicated by both a tone and a shaking animation), and you have to answer them before the opportunity passes by...

Tooled Up
The phones are one of the few things that you can't use as a weapon (a deliberate decision which allows you to answer phones with your left hand while holding something else!). However, plenty of new ones that you CAN use continue to seep in each day. Recent additions include a deadly meat cleaver (which is essentially a domestic axe), a sharp screwdriver, and a pair of scissors - both of which are used as dagger-like weapons and have no constructive purpose as yet...

My Chemical Romance
It's not all about hacking people to death though! This is one of the few games where items actually have a non-violent purpose. Vices like cigarettes, beer, and drugs are on hand to help a weak prisoner get through the day. Although you can use them as handheld items like any other weapon, they serve an additional purpose when you stand still with them. In the case of cigarettes, they're held to the mouth and actually smoked (complete with particle effects!). Likewise, a bottle of beer is chugged down and a syringe of drugs is held to the arm. And once again, it's no empty gesture. Although it's fun for you to see, it's also "fun" for your character to do - as their happiness gently increases for as long as the drug lasts. It comes at the expense of health though (or vice versa in the case of painkilling drugs), so a junkie never really wins as they struggle to balance out their ill-gotten highs...

Dressed To Kill
They must have been "gateway" drugs, because they opened up a floodgate of similarly interactive items! As you can see, a handheld mirror can also be used to admire your appearance - and even change it. By pressing the directional commands once your character has entered this state, you can alter your costume and accessories in real-time! And the hair even has its own version in the form of a comb, which allows you to change both the style and colour while your character fiddles with his scalp. I always intended to make your appearance customizable in real-time, but I was dreading making it happen. I'm pleased to say that this is a perfectly natural system though, which is as easy (and enjoyable) as handling an weapon...

Identity Parade
Your appearance is becoming more and more important as gang culture slowly takes a grip on the game. The tattoos are just the foundation of a gang identity - as they're now accompanied by styles of dress, hair, and accessories! The white supremacist "Suns Of God" gang wear sunglasses to symbolize their name - complete with a shaven head to symbolize their aggressiveness. Likewise, the "Avatars Of Allah" are identified by Arabic headwear, "The Dark Side" wear golden jewellery, and the erudite "Powers That Be" symbolize their intelligence with ties. On the other side of the cultural spectrum, the muscular "Gladiators" show off their physiques by stripping down to a vest - and tuck a sporting headband into their hair. Even the wardens get in on the act with a special police officer's cap that only they're allowed to wear! All of these restrictions are automatically imposed upon you the minute you join a gang, and you may get pulled up if you choose to deviate from them. I also took the opportunity to remake the spectacles from scratch (which any character is free to wear). They hadn't changed since they debuted on The MDickie Show over 3 years ago, so a new design with thinner frames and sharper angles has been a welcome step forward...

Captive Audience
At the last preview, the grappling system had just been implemented and didn't have any moves at its disposal. Now, however, there are all kinds of options at your disposal - from throws to attacking combinations! As in the wrestling games, you can abuse your captive victim with a series of unavoidable attacks - but one major difference this time is that you're 100% in control of the amount. Instead of giving you a preset animation, each press of the attack button causes your character to throw a solitary punch or knee - and it's up to you how many times you do it! When the victim has then taken enough, he'll slip out of your grip and collapse to the floor as if you had attacked him outside of a grapple. And, as ever, these attacks are also compatible with weapons - allowing you to score bonus damage while carrying one...  

No Holds Barred
In addition to those punch and knee combinations, you also have access to 4 wrestling-style moves that throw your opponent to the ground. Pressing a command on its own launches one option, while holding a direction at the same time launches another (much like a cut-down version of what we saw in Wrestling Encore). The moves for this game include a "Bodyslam", a clumsy "Choke Slam" type move where the victim's head is forced to the ground, an energetic "Headlock Takedown", and the "Bulldog" shown above. Since this isn't a dedicated wrestling game, it deliberately lacks the depth and sophistication of what we're used to - forcing the prisoners to share the same basic moveset...

Drag And Drop
Those are just the moves that you have a choice about using. When you're victim struggles free, he's likely to have some ideas of his own! If you go to the well once too often, your grapple could backfire as the victim pushes you to the ground from his headlocked position. Even if you attempt to drag him up from the ground, there's a great "Kick Throw" counter that could send you flying through the air! It's so unexpected, in fact, that it's hard to capture during the game - so you'll have to settle for a video of the 3D Studio MAX file...

Test Of Strength
As you'd expect, your fighting prowess is closely linked to your character's "Strength" rating. This determines how much pain their actions inflict, as well as how resistant they are to the blows of others. You can hone it haphazardly by simply fighting a lot, but if you're more sophisticated than that you may want to hit the weights! The exercise yard has finally started living up to its name with a selection of sporting gimmicks. As you can see, the one dedicated to strength is a bench-press. You access it as if it was a chair, and the character then lies back and begins pumping the barbell with a nice animation. As the minutes fly by, your rating gradually improves at an unpredictable rate - but you can't milk it forever because your health goes down at the same time!

Above The Rim
It took me a while to settle on the equivalent activity for boosting "Agility". Although shooting hoops was always going to be the most logical option, I suspected it would be a step too far. I needn't have feared though, because I managed to pull it off and produce a nice little sub-game! Whenever you try to throw an item while near the hoop, the character performs a basketball jump rather than the usual toss - complete with flight physics that are more vertical than horizontal. The same rules of power then apply as you try to sink the item into the basket - scoring "Agility" and "Happiness" points along the way. And by "item" I do mean any item! You can shoot anything as surely as you can throw anything (although there is a dedicated ball with which to play). And this ball can be picked up and taken anywhere like any other item - complete with the dedicated animations from Grass Roots that tuck it under the arm. But if you don't fancy playing ball games, you can also improve your agility rating by jogging around the yard! Simply running without being interrupted will eventually score you a few points here and there...

Tale Of The Tape
With all these statistics rising and falling, it's a good job that I've finally made a start on the in-game displays for this game! The above information sits at the top left corner of the screen, and splits your status into 2 distinct categories of "physical" health and "mental" health. While losing your physical health will risk death as expected, there will also be grave consequences for becoming deeply unhappy! Sitting next to these vital meters are 2 further attributes that are applicable to each - "Strength" and "Agility" for the physical, and "Intelligence" and "Reputation" for the mental. All of these statistics fluctuate throughout the day based on what you've been up to, and you need to make a conscious effort to keep them in check with training, study, and relaxation. Meanwhile, your "Reputation" is based rather more on how you deal with other people. Every act or word of disrespect damages your status, and the only way to reclaim it is to respond with a vengeance! And to help you keep track of these rollercoaster changes of fortune, each value is temporarily highlighted green when increased or red when decreased...

The Information Age
You can also access this information about your fellow inmates - albeit with considerably more detective work! The various computers dotted around the prison can now be used to browse the stats of each character - like a real-time version of the "Database" from previous games. After sitting at a computer, you simply press left or right to browse through the digitized profiles that appear at the bottom left of the screen. And one nice touch is that each location's computer offers a different kind of information. The study, for instance, gives you a breakdown of each character's mental status - whereas the hospital ward sticks to the physical statistics. A third computer even details the length of their sentence and the gang they're affiliated with. Quite what you do with this wealth of information is down to your imagination and cunning! It's also down to your "Intelligence". Yet another small detail is that your character can't use things like computers unless his mental status permits it. Instead of tapping at the keys and bringing up a file, he'll simply stare at the screen with folded arms. And to drill the point home, he even mutters his own little promo to himself wishing that he was more intelligent!

Picture Perfect
The icing on the cake for this database feature is that the game constantly takes photos of your peers to help you identify them visually. Every time you speak to someone new, the game takes the opportunity to snap their portrait - which is then stored for future reference. In theory, capturing and manipulating images on a regular basis like that could cripple a game's performance - but in my hands you don't notice a thing! An impressive duet between design and programming ensures that everything ticks over nicely behind the scenes. In fact, the game even allows you to keep 3 separate universes on file - which, unlike the wrestling games, use completely different characters and retain their unique portraits...

Show Me The Money
In addition to those physical statistics, you've also got your financial status to worry about. Although its true potential hasn't been implemented yet, money will be key to both greasing the wheels of prison life and funding your case in the outside world. To help you acquire it, there are all kinds of jobs that you can sacrifice your time for. You can prepare food in the canteen, sort files in the study, concoct medicines in the hospital ward, or construct items in the workshop. Each requires a certain level of skill to be accessed, and you're paid increasingly large sums accordingly. Other than that, they're all largely symbolic and simply involve the character fiddling with something at a desk while the hours fly by...

Sweeper System
One job that isn't symbolic is sweeping! Following on from the basketball, all manner of other items have started to boast their own unique purpose (other than beating people to death). The nicely textured brooms above are among them, and cause the character to sweep the floor whenever he's stood still. Like the desk jobs, you're then paid a small amount for your efforts as time ticks by. Other new items include a brand new hammer - which is of the everyday tool variety, rather than the huge sledgehammers of previous games! It hasn't been given a particular purpose yet, but one might expect it to factor into your workshop projects. A nice touch is that it's acceptable to carry items in their natural habit - such as hammers in the workshop, knives in the kitchen, and dumbbells in the yard. Working within this logic will give you a little more leeway with the wardens, whereas ignoring it will get you into trouble!

Murder Ink
Not everybody is a hard-working prisoner though. Gangs have started to emerge which have other ideas about how to make a living! Not only does a gang affiliation change the way the characters interact with one another, but it also seeps into their appearance. Each gang has its own unique symbols and mottos tattooed across the arms and body - in much the same way that scars and racial shading are applied. Depending on what the character is wearing, you can then identify where their allegiances lie and adjust your actions accordingly. To help you spot gangs from a distance, I'm also hoping to introduce unique accessories and ways of dressing. Out of the 6 gangs, 3 are racially and culturally motivated: "The Suns Of God" are the Aryan white supremacists, "The Avatars Of Allah" are their fanatical Muslim equivalents, and "The Dark Side" are the bastions of black power. Controversial stuff, but they're all equally prejudiced so it should balance itself out! Besides, the 3 remaining gangs discriminate about other characteristics: "The Powers That Be" are intellectual conmen, "The Gladiators" are burly athletes, and "The Peaks" are the resident do-gooders that remind you prison is there for rehabilitation. And, of course, there's the choice of not being in a gang at all - which, rather ironically, could be considered a gang in itself! Either way, I'm pleased to have reached this milestone. It means I can plough ahead with some relationship-based storylines and give the action a little more meaning...

Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind
Speaking of storylines, the promo system has finally started to be put to use. Although I programmed the shell a while ago, there were no prison-based conversations to be had. Now, however, the guards stop you in your tracks to confront you about carrying weapons, attacking inmates, and even refusing to enter your cell! Meanwhile, your fellow inmates bicker with you over similar issues that are affecting their day. I've even programmed the handing over of items from one person to another (complete with an actual animation of it happening), so you can be bullied for something you're holding or asked to sell it. The possibilities are so endless that I can't see myself finishing the damn project! A good problem to have, I suppose...

The Choice Is Yours
In preparation for the multiple choice confrontations, I've also had to make a start on the game's menu boxes. As you can see, the black & white brick design is in keeping with the main logo and is topped off nicely by the childish scrawl of a font that you would associate with badly educated convicts! For the first time, this novelty font even finds itself being used for the subtitles too - so the transition is pretty thorough...

Theatre Of War
One thing I'm pleased to have wrapped up in recent weeks is the range of locations. The prison complex is essentially complete - weighing in at a satisfying 11 different places to visit (which is twice as many as Wrecked). All that remains now is to tidy up the ones that are already there and unleash their full interactive potential. The latest additions that complete the set are a workshop that you can access via the study, and a hospital ward which is one of many places you can access via the main hall. Although all-encompassing screenshots don't do them justice, both locations have met the high standards of detail that I've been aiming for with this game. Nice high resolution textures adorn the walls and floor, while plenty of furniture makes them look lived in. The main hall itself continues to get refurbished with each passing day too - featuring noticeably different door designs for each novelty location it links to (which is a godsend for finding your way around), along with all manner of new facilities of its own to entertain the inmates...

Do Not Disturb
Despite its inherent simplicity, a small bathroom connected to the nursing ward is actually one of the most intriguing new locations. Creating a series of detailed toilets was a surprisingly good exercise in modelling and texturing, and resulted in some of the most realistic scenery yet! Where the scene really shines is the shower area - which actually features transparent running water, complete with splashing effects on the ground. Water is notoriously difficult to depict in games, but the effect here is as good as I could have hoped it to be. The function of these amenities hasn't yet been determined, but don't expect the characters to drop their trousers for either activity! I've got no interest in making things that realistic (although it is possible to sit at the toilets like any other chair). Although the location is largely symbolic, one function it will have is that it'll be the one area where guards aren't permitted to watch your activities. Quite what the implications of that will be, it's too early to say - but we can expect a lot of hassle-free trading and beatings...

Light Fantastic
All of the locations continue to benefit from my breakthroughs in lighting too. Not only do the rooms now feature visible light fittings, but those lights now have a very real effect on the scene as well! Up until now, my games have used one all-encompassing light source - but now there can be any number of them, emitting from any source. In this case, each bulb shines down to light the room - and the effects are noticeable on anything standing beneath them. Unfortunately, the same old circular shadows stop it being entirely realistic - but it's definitely a step in the right direction. And nowhere is this new lighting more noticeable than when night follows day in real time! The atmospheric system from Wrecked has returned to give you a very real sense of time. The game clock ticks by to the tune of a minute per second, and the atmosphere gently changes accordingly - fading from bright daylight to the dark of night and back again...

Hard Day's Night
The sensation of time is no empty gesture in this game though! As in real life, the inhabitants of the prison have to stick to a strict schedule. At 10pm a buzzer sounds and you're expected to return to your home cell for lock down, before being released again at 7am the following morning. In the meantime, there's very little to do but sleep - and that's exactly what you can do on the fully interactive beds! As surely as you can mount a chair by repeatedly walking against it, you can lie down on the beds in similar fashion. Your home cell may be the most obvious option, but you can in fact make use of ANY bed - including those in the hospital ward! Either way, you don't have to worry about watching your character snooze for hours on end. The clock automatically flies through the minutes at a rapid pace when you're engaged in time-consuming activities, so it's only a matter of seconds before you're back in action. And when you awake, you'll have recovered some valuable energy to boot...

Fashion Victim
Although it hasn't been implemented yet, another thing you'll be able to accomplish in your cell is a change of clothes. In preparation for it, we've seen a welcome little breakthrough in the way my characters are dressed. The struggle between "tight" and "baggy" costumes has finally been settled by accommodating both in ANY model! The 2 options are built into each model as standard and then removed as required - just like the hairstyles and weapons. This means you'll be able to browse between tight and baggy tops in real-time without having to reload (or even change) the model. And I do mean "real time"! This game rarely leaves the 3D setting of the prison, so menu systems will be few and far between. It's highly likely that you'll browse through the costumes and hairstyles in the very cell that you dwell in...

Sticks & Stones
Another liberating development is that I've finally started weeding out the World War Alpha weapons to introduce some dedicated new ones. Among the many items that my games have never seen before are a dumbbell for the exercise yard, a shiny nightstick for the guards, and a stray brick. The pool cue from Popcorn has even returned to provide a logical replacement for the wooden cane! Up until now, the cues on the pool table were mere scenery - but now you can snatch them up and use them like any other weapon. In fact, the guards are less sceptical of you carrying such an everyday item - so you can use it to launch vicious attacks without arousing suspicion! There are plenty of other brand new weapons on the way too - ranging the obviously lethal to the everyday items that only become lethal when "misused"...

Make Or Break
Speaking of weapons, the workshop will allow you to construct those that you don't have the fortune to find! The game uses a similar system from Wrecked, whereby a handful of potential creations are loaded in advance and then hidden away until they're needed. By fiddling with the raw materials at one of the workbenches you can then conjure the item out of thin air and use it as you see fit. The feature may also double up as a "job" - allowing you to sell your creations for a small profit! Either way, it's yet another little distraction that conveys the feeling of being in a convincing, fully interactive world. It should also make your mental status more prominent, as your success in such activities will be governed by a character's technical knowledge and skills...

Hungry Work
The workshop isn't the only place where you can earn a crust though. I'm hoping that every novelty location will offer a work opportunity - where you can sacrifice your time for credits of some sort. The canteen already has such an opening - allowing you to sit behind the counter and construct the meals instead of consuming them! Speaking of which, there's now a dedicated process for eating a tray of food. At the last preview it was a meaningless animation, but now the morsels of food visibly deteriorate with each bite your character takes. When there's nothing left to eat, he slumps back in his chair and enjoys the extra energy he's just acquired...

Male Bonding
At a busy point in the game's progress it takes a lot to stand out, but it's no exaggeration to say that the latest development is the greatest of them all! As you can see, the project has built upon the fighting of World War Alpha by adding a bit of grappling. It's not as deep as what we've come to expect from the wrestling games, but the execution is already much better. For a start, that headlock makes for a more logical and satisfying starting position! The character lunges with his left arm and immediately wraps them up in that hold (rather than resorting to the awkward shoulder to shoulder dance of previous games). Although it looks more aggressive and realistic, one obvious drawback is the limited amount of moves it can lead to - but since this isn't a dedicated wrestling game that's not the problem is would otherwise be. The moves here are likely to be the rough tugging and tussling that you expect from real life, and it's perfectly adequate for that. Whatever I come up with, you can expect it to be nicely animated. Just applying and releasing the headlock alone is already smoother than what we saw in Wrestling Encore, so things should pick up when the action turns really violent! However, another thing this game can't emulate from the wrestling games is the interaction with furniture. It all has to be stapled to the spot in a game of this kind, so don't expect to go crashing through tables with your takedowns. In fact, it was a 24 hour struggle trying to get the moves to animate within the confines of these cluttered rooms! The mathematical programming I relied on in the wrestling games was barely compatible with the adventurous style of this game, and some serious rethinking had to be done. I managed to pull it off though, so let's just be glad that grappling moves of any persuasion are being performed in this unconventional setting...

Identity Parade
Well, before we go any further, it's worth pointing out that the rather cryptic title of Cell Division has been changed to the more self-explanatory Hard Time. Call me a sucker for Hollywood clichés, but the original title was starting to feel like that of a Biology class! The new identity must be a step in the right direction because the project hasn't looked back since. I took the opportunity to draw up a brand new logo, and the stylized look is a radical departure from my usual corny presentation! With menacing simplicity, the words depict a prison scene in black & white silhouette. And an equally cool theme tune has already been composed to go with it. Although the game's title might tempt a guy to steal The Big Bossman's old entrance theme, I've managed to sidestep that landmine and produce a minimalist hip hop beat worthy of Oz. Or if you'd prefer a wrestling reference, it's rather reminiscent of Razor Ramon's old tune! An exciting new style for me whichever way you look at it, and a revealing glimpse of what might be achieved in 2007 and beyond...

What Not To Wear
The game itself has also started to develop its own visual style as the characterization finally starts to take shape. Not only do we have the boys in blue watching over your every move, but the different cell blocks also have their own colour of clothing - with green, grey, and navy blue variations joining the default orange. And like the kits in Grass Roots, these outfits can also be worn any number of ways - ranging from vests and bare chests to short or long sleeved versions of the overalls. The racial variations that we've come to expect from recent games are also on hand to make sure any appearance is available to any race. Combined with the many hairstyles and facial differences, this ensures that every single prisoner is recognizably different...

Friend Or Foe
And these characters promise to act as differently as they look. After an uninspiring couple of weeks of groundwork, the project has finally hit its stride with the most sophisticated AI programming yet! Whereas the relationships in previous games amounted to one friend and one enemy, this game charts the history between each character and every other character - so it's possible to have dozens of friends and enemies at any one time. This long-term hatred is also accompanied by a temporary "annoyance", which fuels the fires of retaliation whenever you aggravate another inmate. By default, no character has any interest in attacking another - but hostile incidents will temporarily spark them off. At this point, the AI also alerts any friends of the victim to run to their aid - not least the wardens whose sole job it is to put out such fires! This chain reaction can produce some pretty wild riots, which is especially amusing when they're started by one character accidentally hitting another...

Honour Among Thieves
Not only is there a complex network of relationships behind the scenes, but those relationships can also be noticeable onscreen. Whereas a character's eyes were predetermined in previous games, here they constantly change to suit the subject of their gaze - ranging from that angry Heel look for enemies to a docile look for trusted friends. It sounds too small to matter, but it's actually very telling to see a character's face change the minute he sets eyes on you! And if that's not obvious enough, the system is also accompanied by animated greetings. Upon making eye contact with an inmate that you have a history with, the characters will briefly stop to give each other a friendly wave (which turns to face the target like an aimed gun!). I also experimented with a middle finger alternative for enemies, but that doesn't work quite so well. After all, you're more likely to ignore someone you hate - and the gesture looks like a wave if you're not paying attention! As it is, whenever you stop to greet another character you know you're in safe hands...

Walkie Talkie
The culmination of the relationship programming is that the inmates can finally speak to each other too. This game pushes my infamous "promo" system further than ever before by allowing conversations to occur with anyone at any time. As surely as each character has a specific relationship with every other inmate, they also have their own topics of conversation - which are triggered whenever you approach their vicinity (or when they approach yours). At this point, the characters stop to exchange words before the action resumes - much like in World War Alpha. What this means is that we'll see the first ever context-sensitive conversations - such as being warned by wardens when you step out of line, or being confronted by inmates about something you just did! Not only does this apply to linear conversations, but it also extends to those "multiple choice" meetings - whereby a positive or negative response from you alters the course of the discussion. It's still early days yet and very few relevant storylines have been implemented, but you can rest assured that the possibilities are truly endless...

Collect Call
The prison setting has also been slowly evolving alongside the characters. The previously bare main hall has now been kitted out with plenty of distractions and decorations - ranging from a TV viewing area to a pool table. Your level of interaction with these has yet to be decided, but rest assured that I'll cook up something. One thing that is designed to be handled is a row of pay phones! It's hoped that they'll provide a link to the outside world and open up even more storyline possibilities - much like the phone-based missions from the original Grand Theft Auto. And a welcome addition to all locations is that they finally have light fittings too! I've avoided them in my 3D work thus far, but it turns out they can add a lot of character to a room (and certainly make the bright lighting a little more logical)...

Self Service
A nice looking canteen (perhaps too "nice" for a prison!) is one of many brand new additions to the complex, and it boasts more even detail and polish. For a start, some decent plastic moulded seats have finally confined that dubious Wrestling MPire fold-up chair to the history books! They sit around a dozen large dining tables that line the walls. Speaking of which, the textures for the walls, ceiling, and floor are brand new creations that are perfectly suited to the location. Of course, the centrepiece of the location is the food counter that runs down one side of the hall. Its metallic worktop displays unconvincing trays of food in a series of glass cases - while various tables, boxes, and kitchen appliances lurk in the background. You may even find yourself working back there! It's hoped that each novelty location will provide a work opportunity, where you can sacrifice your time for credits of some sort. Quite what that should be and how it might pan out in a gaming context has yet to be determined...

Higher Learning
A similarly detailed new location is the study - where the inmates go to expand their minds! It's essentially a revamped version of the writing office from Popcorn, which benefits from improved modelling and texturing throughout. Not least with regards to the huge bookshelf that adorns the wall, and is filled with hundreds of individual tomes! Some of which are even opened up at a seated desk area for your inspection...

Take A Seat
In case you were thinking this is all symbolic, you'll be pleased to know that the learning process is interactive! Every chair in the game can actually be sat in by repeatedly walking against it. The character then slides in and begins doing whatever it is that the location demands. In this case, they cast their eyes over the nicely textured pages of the book in front of them. Although there's no logical reason to spend your time doing this at the moment, it will eventually help you earn "Intelligence" points in the finished game...

Computing For Dummies
The study even features a computer in the corner of the room, which can also help in your intellectual endeavours. Although it hasn't been implemented yet, it's hoped that this will grant you access to a prison database - where you can look up the details of any inmate without having to speak to them personally. This sensitive information can then be used to determine who you can manipulate and who you should avoid...

Telly Addicts
It's not all work though. Some of the prison's facilities are simply there to help you pass the time (or increase your "Happiness" rating). Taking a seat at the TV viewing area of the hall will cause your character to sit back and gaze up at the screen - which actually displays flickering images like the video screens of the wrestling games! You're not invincible while relaxing though. In fact, there may be competition for a seat at the more popular activities - and it could be one of the many things that you come to blows over...

You Are What You Eat
One sitting activity you don't have an awful lot of choice about is the regular meals that keep you alive! Rather predictably, your 3 square meals will be your main source of energy - but you'll have to take the time to find a seat in the canteen and get munching. I had expected to use some symbolic food items as in Wrecked, but it seems you'll actually get to finish off an unconvincing tray of food placed at the tables. Fortunately, the process features one of the best animations in the game - as the character plunges each hand into the food and crams a handful into his mouth. And since there'll be a limited supply of meals, you can expect yet more tension when it comes to getting your fair share (or being confronted for taking somebody else's!)...

Criminal Mind
A lot of work has gone into helping the CPU characters explore this interactive environment as much as you do. Not only do they take a seat and make use of the facilities, but they also have the wherewithal to navigate the prison architecture. Heading up and down stairs and weaving in and out of each cell goes far beyond anything in the wrestling games, so some mind-numbing recalculations had to be made. Fortunately, I've already managed to get them to find and enter their cell without too many problems - so they shouldn't be holding up the proceedings when the wardens call to lock the place down! Some nice AI also helps the wardens to keep order. Not only do they respond to acts of violence, but they can also pre-empt it by spotting weapons being carried and other suspicious activity. All of which makes for a convincing world populated by living and breathing characters...

Cell Division
Due to the delayed release of World War Alpha, the game has actually been in production for a whole week - and has already acquired the identity, Cell Division ("division" will become a recurring theme as the concept progresses!). It's too early to know exactly what the finished game will offer, but it looks set to be the usual melting pot of previous games. It'll have the muscle of Wrestling Encore, the epic scale of World War Alpha, and - most crucially of all - the survival gameplay of Wrecked. Your freshly incarcerated character will try to preserve both his mental health and physical health while spending his days in the company of hundreds of morally ambiguous convicts and the wardens that watch over them...

Home Sweet Home
Although the grim concrete visuals don't do it justice, the game takes place in some of the most carefully crafted locations that my work has ever required. If World War Alpha upped the ante on terrain, then this project does the same for architecture - as each prison block consists of 2 layers of 10 cells, connected by a huge central staircase and balcony. It's certainly a major step up from the makeshift set used in Popcorn!

Steel Cage Match
Your corner of this ugly universe lies behind the bars of a cramped cell. At the moment, they're sparsely decorated with little more than an uncomfortable looking bed tucked into the corner. Since there are 20 such locations on screen at once, I can't exactly go overboard with detail - but we may see one or two aesthetic additions as the game progresses. You won't actually spend much time in there anyway. It's little more than a place to start and end each day, as a rusty sliding door lets you out to explore other locations during your waking hours...

Open Door Policy
Like Wrecked, the world consists of several separate locations that need to be loaded up each time you access them. I know that's not ideal, but nor is it ideal to ask your computer to display hundreds of characters on screen at once! Here, it's a network of doorways that take you from one part of the prison to another. You simply head towards them for a little while, and the game takes the hint that you want to move on...

Meet The Fockers
There are 9 such locations in the game - 4 separate prison blocks, 4 as yet uncompleted activity rooms, and a large lobby that connects them all. At the moment it's as sparse as a prison block, but the plan is to fill it with phones, TV viewing areas, and other distractions. It's essentially a meeting place, where everybody passes through to while away the hours...

The Great Outdoors
The most exciting location is the exercise yard, where our incarcerated friends get to glimpse the outside world behind a wire fence. When this location is complete, it will offer several opportunities to improve your physique with sports-based activities. However, it'll no doubt attract the more muscle-headed characters - so one of those "activities" could be fighting!

Eye Contact
Despite their conceptual differences, the game has hit the ground running by borrowing from the World War Alpha engine. I was expecting to maintain the same hybrid movement method, but it turns out it's not precise enough for an enclosed environment. Instead, this game has regressed back to the dedicated "turn & advance" system that Wrecked used. However, one difference is that you now walk by default and only run upon hitting a dedicated command. Fortunately, the cool new head-to-head feature is still in place though - so you can see the inmates eyeballing each other as they make their way around!

Magic Numbers
The game even draws inspiration from Grass Roots, by using the shirt numbering system for the prison ID's! Each character has their own alphabetical and numerical code, which indicates the block and cell respectively. Not only is it a nice little detail, but it also informs you as to where they can normally be found - so you can track down those that wrong you or intrigue you. When the differences between blocks are implemented, where they're from may even tell you something about their reputation...

Know Your Role
At the moment, all inmates wear the same orange jumpsuits that the thugs from Wrestling Encore wore (albeit sharper versions recreated in high resolution). However, the finished game will be open to as many variations as the kits from Grass Roots - with those choosing to wear shorter sleeves, strip down to a tank top, or even go bare-chested if they have a physique to be proud of! Not to mention the possibility of different colours for each block. I'm also hoping that tattoos will be an interesting new addition to my games. In the same way that numbers are planted onto their backs, I'm hoping to brand logos onto their flesh which indicate an allegiance to one of many gangs...

Murder In The First
The violence has already got off to a ferocious start thanks to the foundation of the World War Alpha gameplay! Quite how much of it will remain is uncertain, but at the moment the characters are attacking and blocking with the exact same system. The weapons have even made the transition - but they certainly will be edited soon! A Medieval long sword doesn't quite look right on the floor of a prison. The knives and guns (when held by the guards) are a logical addition though, and they should help to get the weapon-based gameplay off the ground. It all promises to be a lot sneakier in this game though. Fights of any kind will risk punishment if they're not justified, and being seen carrying a weapon will give you even more to explain...