FAQs
Containment - Frequently Asked Questions
🎮 GAME BASICS
Q: What is Containment?
A: Containment is a fast-paced action-strategy game where you must capture escaped prisoners by drawing containment loops around them while protecting innocent civilians. The game features two distinct modes with progressively challenging rounds.
Q: What are the two game modes?
A:
Inside Mode - A confined arena with breakable borders and damageable walls. Prisoners move in pinball-style physics with perfect bounces.
Outside Mode - A larger outdoor environment with more space to maneuver. Features a safe zone where civilians can be rescued.
Q: How do I win a round?
A: Success requirements vary by mode:
Inside: Capture all prisoners before time runs out
Outside: Save the minimum required number of civilians (increases each round) AND capture prisoners before time expires
Q: What causes a Game Over?
A: You'll lose if:
Time runs out before meeting objectives
All civilians are eliminated (Outside mode)
You fail to save the minimum required civilians (Outside mode)
It becomes mathematically impossible to meet the rescue requirement
✏️ DRAWING & CONTROLS
Q: How do I capture prisoners?
A: Draw a closed loop (lasso) around one or more prisoners. The loop automatically snaps closed when your finger comes near the starting point (within ~40-60 pixels). Once closed, any prisoners inside are captured instantly.
Q: What are barrier chains?
A: Open lines you can draw that act as temporary walls. Unlike containment loops, these don't close and remain on the field to block prisoner movement. They're useful for corralling prisoners or protecting areas.
Q: Can I draw while enemies are moving?
A: Yes! The game continues in real-time while you draw. This creates intense moments where you need to predict prisoner movements and draw quickly.
Q: Why won't my loop close sometimes?
A: Loops won't close if:
Your finger isn't near enough to the starting point
You haven't drawn enough of the loop yet (minimum path length required)
The loop is too small or irregular
Q: What's the swirl gesture?
A: In Inside mode, drawing a circular swirl motion (3+ rotations) can trigger special effects. This is an advanced technique for certain situations.
👥 CHARACTERS & ENEMIES
Q: What's the difference between prisoners and civilians?
A:
Prisoners (Red): Your targets. You must capture them by drawing loops around them
Civilians (Blue): Innocents you must protect. They're eliminated if captured with prisoners or hit by prisoners
Q: What are SpikeHeads?
A: Special prisoners that appear starting in Round 2. They're:
~18% larger than normal prisoners
Faster and more aggressive
Visually distinct (check for their spiky appearance)
Scored the same as regular prisoners but more dangerous
Q: What are RamHeads?
A: Elite prisoners introduced in Round 5 that can:
Break through containment loops if they hit them twice
Break open barrier chains
Appear as orange squares
Move ~25% larger and faster than SpikeHeads
Cannot be captured by containment loops (only die when civilians are destroyed with them)
Q: Why did my containment loop disappear?
A: RamHeads can destroy closed loops by hitting them multiple times in quick succession. You'll need to redraw or use abilities to manage them.
⚡ ABILITIES & POWER-UPS
Q: What abilities are available?
A: Four core abilities that cost coins to use:
Tornado - Pulls all prisoners toward the center for 4 seconds, making them easier to capture
Wall Builder/Repair - Restores damaged borders or builds temporary walls
Slow Time - Reduces prisoner speed by 70% for 5 seconds (they move at 30% normal speed)
Speed Up (Outside mode) - Boosts civilian movement speed toward the safe zone
Q: How do I get coins to buy abilities?
A: Earn coins by:
Achieving Perfect Rounds (+5 coins) - Complete a round with zero civilian casualties
Inside mode also awards +1 coin for perfect rounds
Q: When should I use Tornado?
A: Best used when:
Prisoners are scattered across the arena
You need to group them quickly for a mass capture
You're running low on time
Setting up a combo capture
Q: What's the best way to use Slow Time?
A: Ideal situations:
When overwhelmed by fast-moving enemies
During the final seconds of a round
When protecting civilians from nearby prisoners
When you need precision time to draw complex loops
🎯 SCORING & PROGRESSION
Q: How is my score calculated?
A: Points are awarded for:
+100 points per prisoner captured (Inside mode)
+50 points per civilian saved (Outside mode)
+250 points when a civilian enters the safe zone (Outside mode)
Time Bonus: Remaining seconds × 10 at round completion
Combo Bonus: Extra points for capturing multiple prisoners in one loop
Q: What's a combo?
A: Capturing 2 or more prisoners in a single containment loop. The game displays a multiplier (2X, 3X, etc.) and awards bonus points. Combos are tracked per round.
Q: Do I lose my score if I Game Over?
A: Your high score and highest round reached are always saved. When you continue after a Game Over, you start the next round but your cumulative score resets to 0 (this prevents score farming).
Q: What's a Perfect Round?
A: A round where zero civilians are killed AND at least some are saved. Perfect rounds award 5 coins (1 coin in Inside mode) as a special bonus.
Q: How does progression work?
A:
Each mode tracks progress independently
Your current round, highest round, and cumulative score are saved
Difficulty increases each round (more prisoners, faster movement, new enemy types)
Round completion times are tracked for leaderboards
🌀 SPECIAL MECHANICS
Q: What's the purple border?
A: The outer boundary that contains all gameplay. In Inside mode, this border:
Can take damage from prisoner hits
Has segments with health that can break, creating escape routes
Can be repaired using the Wall Builder ability
Bounces prisoners in pinball-style physics
Q: What's the Safe Zone? (Outside Mode)
A: A special area that spawns mid-round where civilians can be rescued. When civilians enter:
They're counted as saved
You earn +250 points immediately
They can no longer be harmed
Progress toward your rescue requirement
Q: How many civilians do I need to save? (Outside Mode)
A: The requirement increases with rounds:
Early rounds: 5 civilians minimum
The exact formula scales with round number
The game displays your progress toward this requirement
If it becomes impossible to meet, the round ends immediately
Q: Can prisoners escape?
A: Yes, in Inside mode:
If border segments break (health reaches 0), prisoners can escape through holes
Escapes prevent perfect round bonuses
The border can be repaired with the Wall Builder ability
Q: What happens if I capture civilians with prisoners?
A: The civilians are destroyed (counted as casualties), and:
You lose potential points
The loop dissolves without capturing anyone
This counts against your perfect round bonus
In Outside mode, this affects your rescue requirement
📊 GAME CENTER & STATS
Q: Does the game support leaderboards?
A: Yes! The game integrates with Game Center for:
Highest scores per mode
Highest rounds reached
Leaderboard comparisons with friends
Achievement tracking
Q: What stats are tracked?
A: The game monitors:
Total score across both modes
Highest round reached per mode
Total playtime per mode
Round completion times (last 50 rounds)
Average round completion time
Perfect rounds achieved
Total prisoners captured
Total civilians saved/lost
Q: Are there achievements?
A: Yes, including:
Grand Master - Score 10,000+ points across both modes
Dual Master - Make progress in both Inside and Outside modes
Endurance Champion - Reach round 50 in any mode
Speed Runner - Complete rounds exceptionally fast
Perfectionist - Complete rounds with zero casualties
⚙️ STRATEGY TIPS
Q: What's the best strategy for beginners?
A:
Start with Inside mode to learn containment mechanics
Practice drawing quick, clean loops
Use barrier chains to corral prisoners before capturing
Save abilities for emergencies
Prioritize civilian safety over aggressive prisoner captures
Q: How do I handle SpikeHeads?
A:
Isolate them from regular prisoners when possible
Use Slow Time to reduce their speed advantage
Draw loops quickly before they escape
Consider Tornado to group them with others
Q: How do I deal with RamHeads?
A:
Remember: They CAN'T be captured by normal loops
Use Tornado to group them, then draw rapidly
Keep barrier chains away from them (they break through)
In emergencies, sacrifice them with civilians (last resort)
Q: When should I use the Advance button? (Outside Mode)
A: Once you've met the minimum rescue requirement, you can:
Complete the round early to maximize time bonus
Avoid risking civilian casualties
Move to the next round faster
The button only appears after meeting requirements
🔧 TECHNICAL & SETTINGS
Q: How do I pause the game?
A: Tap the pause button (typically top corner). Note: In rounds with active gameplay, time continues when unfocused unless explicitly paused.
Q: Can I continue my game from where I left off?
A: Yes! Progress is automatically saved for both modes:
Your current round
Cumulative score (resets to 0 after Game Over)
Highest round reached
Ability inventory
Coin balance
Q: Does the game require internet?
A: Internet is only needed for:
Game Center features (leaderboards, achievements)
Initial authentication
Offline play is fully supported for core gameplay
Q: What happens if I close the app mid-round?
A: The round state is preserved. When you return, you can continue from where you left off (with adjusted time).
💰 ECONOMY & COINS
Q: How do I earn coins?
A: Currently, coins are primarily earned through Perfect Round bonuses:
+5 coins per Perfect Round (Outside mode)
+1 coin per Perfect Round (Inside mode)
Q: What can I spend coins on?
A: Purchase ability charges:
Tornado charges
Wall Builder charges
Slow Time charges
Speed Up charges (Outside mode)
Q: Do coins carry over between modes?
A: Yes! Your coin balance is shared across both Inside and Outside modes.
Q: Can I get refunds on abilities?
A: No, once an ability is activated, the coin is spent regardless of outcome. Use them strategically!
❓ TROUBLESHOOTING
Q: The game is running slowly/lagging
A: Performance is a priority. If you experience issues:
Close background apps
Restart the game
The game is optimized for 60 FPS on modern iOS devices
Q: My containment loop didn't capture prisoners inside it
A: This can happen if:
RamHeads were inside (they can't be captured by loops)
Civilians were mixed in (destroys civilians instead)
The loop wasn't fully closed
There was a visual glitch (rare)
Q: Civilians aren't moving toward the safe zone (Outside Mode)
A: Civilians have intelligent steering but may:
Be blocked by barriers or obstacles
Be fleeing from nearby prisoners
Need the Speed Up ability for faster movement
Take time to pathfind around obstacles
Q: I can't see the Advance button (Outside Mode)
A: The button only appears when:
You've rescued the minimum required civilians
The round is still active (not game over)
You haven't already completed the round
📞 ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
Q: I found a bug or have feedback. Where do I report it?
A: Please provide feedback through:
In-game feedback options
Email support
Q: Will there be updates?
A: The game is actively maintained with focus on:
Performance optimization
Balance adjustments
New features based on player feedback
Bug fixes