don't drop the soap

Automatic game-over

I voted no, however, I do think it should go to some type of court decision (pop up screen) and they decide how long you should spend in jail depending on the severity of your crime. This should then in turn affect the amount of stats that are affected.

I meant that there should be a little bit more going on for a prisoner for the sake of those who want to roleplay out their sentence, but that the option to skip it should NOT be removed because, as I said and as you said, the serving time can get to be extremely high.

Would be nice if you'd have to spend at least a full day doing some prison-activities. not like TES prison simulator 2011 sort of stuff, but maybe a few quests/jobs.

One consequence should should wind you up in the jail cell forgotten. (read: you don't die, but nobody ever comes to let you out; Play the game as long as you like. :chaos:)

Papillion the RPG.

***The brilliant scenario designer would put Fast Travel on the map but have it lead to different versions of the jail cell (years apart), and alter the PC's age in each new cell.

(Maybe have him be released in 20 years.)

Bethesda seemed to almost go out of their way to have strange people meet you out in the open on the street to welcome you into the Thieve's Guild, while leaving all of the potential interactions you could have in jail (which are more believable) overlooked. I'd be keen on seeing a jail with tons of random characters who could later become Radiant Story allies or enemies that you make while 'on the inside' ... Everyone knows jail and prison is where stupid criminals go ... TO BECOME SMART ONES .... because they socialize and make friends that teach them the real way of things ...

There could be many opportunites for shady-threaded plotlines that all begin when you spend time in jail. I think the whole jail system needs to be revamped from the ground up to provide, as well as the previously mentioned ideas in this thread, many more ideas just waiting (like a gold mine) to be discovered.

1) It's a great source for believable story openers for shady and villanous activities to be performed for the Thieves Guild, or the dark criminal underworld.
2) Pay back your debt but earn stat raises for the activities performed
3) Interact with people to build a network of friends and also enemies that could benefit or detriment you once they got out.
4) Prison fights (using the Duel system) but with a crowd of onlookers jeering and hooting and egging you on....
5) Help good people unfairly imprisoned to find justice or a way to help their loved ones with your help....
6) and more ....

Cant I get some dashing young Bosmer to drop the soap?
By Azura!

Id like to see some more jail life. Talking to prisoners and guards, fun little quests like described in this thread, I like these ideas.
I hope there is something like that in the game, but Im sure the modding community could add something.
It would be nifty if a non thieves guild member could do a little quest via the jail, that gets them some sideline interaction with the thieves guild.

If it's done well and in a meaningful and fun way, then yes!

I still think there should be the option to sleep through it.

If you could sleep through it that'd be fine, and it would be cool if you could attempt escape like in Thief games.

i think they should have a mini game where your guy is standing in a bath room with a bar of soap in his hand and a bunch of prisoners are standing around whispering things like "mmm fresh meat" and the game is you have to keep from dropping the soap. if you dont withing the time limit screen goes black and it fast forwards to you leaving prison. if you do drop the soap.... well the screen goes black and you hear some disturbing sounds.

I tried to think of improvements to the Oblivion jails, I've been wanted more options for getting out of prison, instead of the single lockpick or serve time. Firstly, 3 different ranks of prisons:

1) Low Security - Small towns and villages. Wooden or stone cell, large barred windw to outside, flimsy iron gate (same as in Oblivion), medium grade lock, no magical protection. One city guard, not well equipped or trained.
2) Medium Security - Large towns and cities. Stone cell, small barred window to outside, solid reinforced wooden door with barred window at head height, high grade lock, door enchanted to partially protect against magical attack or unlocking. A few Legion guards.
3)High Security - Imperial Palace. Stone cell with runes inscribed on walls, floor and ceiling nullifying all magic in the area, no window to outside. Solid metal door with, master-grade lock, enchanted with some high-level resistances. Numerous Palace guards.


Now, methods to escape:

1) Speechcraft: Convince the guard(s) to let you out and pretend you escaped
2) Barter: Bribe the guard(s) to do the same
3) Illusion: Use Command Humanoid or Charm spell to get the guard to let you out
4) Sneak: Pick the keys out of the guards pocket as he walks past the cell (only doable through the iron gate or window on wooden door)
5) Mysticism: Use telekinesis to retrieve the key from the guard's desk (same limitations)
6) Destruction: Disintergrate spell on the cell door/gate, or attack spell to blast it down
7) Strength: Bash down the door
8) Conjuration: Summon a creature to do the same
9) Security: Smuggle in a lockpick (high Sneak) or get someone to give you one through the window (need allies), pick the lock
10) Alteration: Magically unlock door

and now for allies (communication through messenger/representative at cell window)

11) High rank in Mages/Fighters guild/The Blades: Have them demand/petition the Legion for your immediate release.
12) High rank in Thieves guild: Get someone to sneak in, pick the cell door lock and sneak out with them
13) High rank in Dark Brotherhood: Get someone to sneak in, kill the guards and unlock your cell door with the keys, and walk/sneak out

There needs to be a gameplay reason for jail, so people don't just reload instead of going there. For criminal gangs in real life jail time is often respected, I think the same should hold true with a thiefs guild or other criminal element, you reputation raises because of your time in jail. Some might not even trust you until you have been in jail.

nice idea but they are taking out speech craft and mysticism. though we should still have the spells from mysticism. i think you should be able to have a conversation with the guard but it should have a personality check towards you. the palace guards should have 100 check against it though making it really hard to get out. i would also like to see race have an affect on if the guards like you. like if you are a argonian and the guard is a high elf they should laugh in your face and you have 0 chance of talking them into letting you out.

As I said, those were my thoughts for improving on the Oblivion system, not neccesarily ideas for Skyrim.

either way they would fit nice into Skyrim just with a few modifications to the skill list.

I agree with the idea of having quests in prison, and if there were multiple prisons throughout the world (minimum-security, medium-security, and maximum-security) depending on how notorious you are for committing crimes. It's a bit much to ask but it's something I'd love to see incorporated.

In a mod I was put in stocks infront of the temple in Anvil, as a sadistic feature you could not wait you out of the punishment who was pure torture as you had to listen to the insane megaphone using prophet all the day

I dunno, I always tried to avoid going to jail, because of the stat reduction. A more severe sentence? So now they'll take a hand while they're at it? I'd sooner drop half the money I've been collecting than go to jail and lose my precious stats.

:thumbsdown: Bor-iiing!

Well, In myt opinion you should be locked up for a long time if you for instance killed someone. But it should more ways of escaping than in Oblivion. Say, for instance, if you speak to the right guard, he might be a part of the same guild as you (secretly a member of the dark brotherhood) and he'll let you out, but it only works on that special guard, and he doesn't work every day. Things like that.

If you can't escape or by principle want to serve your time, you will lose stats that fits sitting in a jail cell, and maybe your reputation as a convicted criminal will make it difficult or impossible to join certain guilds.

I couldn't find a single one... which is odd since the Imperial City has very elaborate sewers. What a waste of taxpayer money!

you pick it up duh!

:hubbahubba:

Hey, maybe being in prison could open up a whole faction questline! LOL! You could join a prison gang, "forge" weapons out of silverware, get tattooed, smuggle stuff, break out, etc...