Emprison vs healing for recruitment?

Dorian · February 23, 2017, 03:15:39 PM

I've had a few life pods crash with people needing some medical help. It seems when I take them to a medical bed to treat them, they heal up and they wander off and leave the map. Do they ever join the colony? I've resorted to making them prisoners instead while they are treated and then convincing them to join, which works much better, especially since my prison rooms are very large and lavish with a table, plants, art etc...

Is healing up these crash landers just a roll of the dice if they'll join when they're better? Seems like a longshot every time.

Miridor · February 23, 2017, 03:43:28 PM

That 'recruting' crash landed spacers works better when you imprison them is a well known fact

When you rescue them, heal them up and they are ready to leave, there is a small chance they stay, increased by the threat level outside and if your colony already has family/friends of the spacer. Haven't checked it in Rimworld's sourcecode but these are the factors I heard about.

Hans Lemurson · February 23, 2017, 03:44:38 PM

I used to imprison everybody that arrived because the first survivor that I rescued decided to leave once she could walk. I thought imprisonment was the ONLY way to get recruits, and it made me imagine that my colonies were actually crazy cults that grew only by brainwashing people.

I read that on harsh climates the chance of a rescued pawn joining you is higher, so I started just rescuing people on the Extreme Desert and Sea-Ice challenges. Everybody voluntarily joined!

I have since then just tried rescuing people I want to keep (imprison/release those I do not), and haven't had any failures. If somebody does decline my hospitality, I can always arrest them to see if they might "reconsider" my offer.

b0rsuk · February 23, 2017, 04:17:43 PM

It might depend on their mood and how you treat them.

In previous game I got escape pods in late game where I already had an excellent grand sculpture in hospital + sterile tiles + heater + hospital beds + vitals monitor. The hospital was at least very impressive and guests were fed fine meals. Two people in a row joined me, and they joined pretty quickly, before they were halfway healed (herbal medicine with good doctor).

Dorian · February 23, 2017, 06:08:14 PM

Well, I'll keep throwin them in prison I guess. Seems to work best. Thanks for the input guys!

Beider · February 24, 2017, 04:41:57 AM

A followup question on this.

Most useless people who crashland I just leave there to die, however I tend to rescue family members of people in the colony just to avoid the mood debuff then let them wander off. The problem is that they often join which can be annoying if they got bad traits. Does anyone know of a way to prevent people from joining the colony? I really wish there was a way to kick new recruits that forcefully join out of the colony.

b0rsuk · February 24, 2017, 08:27:28 AM

Quote from: Beider on February 24, 2017, 04:41:57 AM
A followup question on this.

Most useless people who crashland I just leave there to die, however I tend to rescue family members of people in the colony just to avoid the mood debuff then let them wander off. The problem is that they often join which can be annoying if they got bad traits. Does anyone know of a way to prevent people from joining the colony? I really wish there was a way to kick new recruits that forcefully join out of the colony.

How good is your cell ? Have you tried a sleeping spot (after treating their wounds), in darkness, in cold, raw food and no furniture ? You could also make it crowded.

RemingtonRyder · February 24, 2017, 09:10:16 AM

Imprisoning and then recruiting is a lot of work for the warden and puts a strain on your food supply. If they decide to break out they could hurt a lot of colonists on their way out.

So there's a case for just rescuing someone, healing them, and if they don't join then that's that.

SpaceDorf · February 24, 2017, 09:31:03 AM

For me rescue or imprison is the question of how bad I want the spacer.

Prison for those I dont want

Rescue for the undecided

Rescue and maybe Prison for those I want.

Limdood · February 24, 2017, 10:19:23 AM

Quote from: Beider on February 24, 2017, 04:41:57 AM
A followup question on this.

Most useless people who crashland I just leave there to die, however I tend to rescue family members of people in the colony just to avoid the mood debuff then let them wander off. The problem is that they often join which can be annoying if they got bad traits. Does anyone know of a way to prevent people from joining the colony? I really wish there was a way to kick new recruits that forcefully join out of the colony.

So you want the crashed spacer to live, but not join? easy enough:

capture right away (don't rescue, you WILL need to capture for this to work and you don't want them fighting back), then heal them, then set them to be released (prisoner tab) once they can walk and will survive a trip off the map.

in recap:
1) capture
2) heal in prison
3) release prisoner

they will then walk off the map.

Dorian · February 24, 2017, 11:09:47 AM

I have 2 types of prisons that I'll keep using now.
1) The holes; dirt floors, dark, only 4 tiles for space other than the bed. These are for raiders who have to pay their dues, and then I can decide if I let them die, or recruit.
2) "Club Fed"/White-collar prison; Nice large room, big bed, nice floors, well lit, temperature controlled, nice table and chairs, art and a chess board. These are for my captured crash-landers that I ~~rescue~~ capture. I heal them up here and I find they recruit fairly easily, I assume because they're happy other than being a prisoner.

b0rsuk · February 24, 2017, 02:32:11 PM

Okay, the way you treat them doesn't seem to have much effect. Family relations don't seem to have much effect either. Father of one of my colonists left, and he was in good relation. Then Mie, Ninja joined, but the hospital was 'dull', she was treated with herbal medicine, by a poor doctor (4) and fed simple meals.