Security Level

"When the prison Security Level reaches 5 stars, the prison goes into LOCKDOWN. During a set amount of time any prisoners outside their cells will be found and punished!"

In The Escapists 2, security level denotes the prison's state of readiness. There are five security levels, each represented by yellow stars. Normal prison life is represented by zero stars, while the maximum (5 stars) triggers a prison lockdown. Security level can be raised or lowered depending on certain circumstances.

The security level can be raised or lowered by half-increments or full stars. During a change in security level, the stars will flash twice to reflect the new level.

If you miss a routine (excluding free time and lights out) the security level will increase by half a star.

In versus mode, there is no security level and no lockdown, though a stolen key will still send the dogs out to retrieve it from the Inmate who stole it.

Level 0 (Nothing)
No readiness - normal prison life. At the end of a day, if no other events have occurred, the security level is lowered by 2 stars. This occurs even during a lockdown.

Level 1 (Low)
Low state of readiness. This is the second-lowest state of readiness and corresponds to a slight increase in guards. It is denoted by one star. Often times, 2 to 3 guards will be sent out to patrol to supplement the guards who have already been deployed. Escape is still easy at this security level.

This level can be obtained by missing two parts of the routine (except for Roll Call) in singleplayer, or one part of the routine (except Roll Call) in multiplayer.

Level 2 (Low-Medium)
Low to medium state of readiness. At this level, dogs are deployed for the first time. Often times, 2 to 3 dogs are deployed, and the dogs will always accompany the guards on patrol. Dogs can sniff out contraband during an escape, which makes an escape moderately hard.

This level can be obtained by missing three routines in singleplayer, and two routines in multiplayer. It is denoted by 2 stars.

Level 3 (Medium)
Medium state of readiness, denoted by 3 stars. At this level, extra guards are deployed. Often times, 3 to 4 extra guards are sent to patrol around the prison and extend the patrol route of guards originally patrolling. The combination of dogs and a large number of guards make escape very hard, but not impossible.

This level can be obtained by damaging the prison (chipping or digging) but avoiding being sighted by the guards. If a guard finds damage but cannot link the source to it (i.e. didn't see you do it), the 3-star level will be obtained.

The level can also be obtained by missing four routines in singleplayer, and three routines in multiplayer. It is denoted by 3 stars.

Level 4 (High)
High state of readiness, denoted by 4 stars. At this level, extra dogs are deployed to support the extra guard reinforcements from the third security level. This usually corresponds to 3 to 4 extra dogs accompanying the extra guards deployed during security level 3. Escape at this level is nearly impossible given the large amount of dogs and guards patrolling the prison.

Level 5 (Maximum) Lockdown
'''Note: This information is for lockdowns in The Escapists 2. See Lockdown for TE1 information.'''

Maximum state of readiness, denoted by 5 stars. Regardless of the case, lockdown immediately occurs as soon as the security level hits 5. Dogs and extra guards are immediately deployed and on active patrol, while SWAT guards are released. During a lockdown, the dogs patrol by themselves. Escape at this level is impossible given the large amount of guards, SWAT guards, and dogs (it is, however, possible to set off a lockdown a few seconds before you finish your escape. That said, it is virtually impossible to begin and complete an escape at this level).

Most lockdowns occur during failed escape attempts. The things that can trigger a lockdown are:


 * Missing multiple routines (singleplayer/multiplayer).
 * Failing to attend Roll Call
 * Being caught out of your cell at Lights Out (the guard sees you directly, or finds your cell empty.)
 * Digging, cutting, or chipping spotted by a guard
 * Prison damage
 * Being caught by the spotlights that switch on at 1 AM
 * Stealing a guard key but failing to return it to the guard.

In many prisons, the security level will revert to zero or three at the end of a lockdown. Lockdowns can only be ended if:


 * The player is caught, knocked out, and sent to solitary
 * The stolen key is found
 * The lockdown is called off (usually after an hour).

The exception is in Versus Mode, when lockdown will not occur. Instead, the prison will play 5-star music. The player can be put in solitary if their HP is zero.

Factors that affect security level

 * Escape attempts
 * Damage to the prison
 * Missing guard keys (during Lockdown)
 * Missing routines.
 * Soil, fences, wall blocks and vent covers being seen by a guard