To be honest, the torch inside the room seems out of place. Based on the logic you spoke about, who would put an ad-hoc version of a flaming mace in a prisoners cell?

To be honest, why would they bother leaving Any light for the prisoners? They're there to stay there, not have light to style their hair by. Let them sit in the dark!

Torches throw off a ton of smoke, are very hot, and generally are over bright and will blind you more than they will help you see. (This is why you hold a torch BEHIND and ABOVE you, not thrusting it toward whatever you're trying to see... Because then you'll be staring at a big ball of fire while whatever you're trying to see jumps out and attacks you)

You have ruled out a lot of things, which makes escaping pretty hard. The only ways I've seen someone escape from prison are; a weakness in the structure, outside help, magic or attacking guard walking past. Oh and of course getting a dog to help, ala monkey island

I would find it totally unrealistic to make a lockpick from grinding stones. Has this been done in a film/another game?

However, what about if you could find some rat bones under your bed that could be used for lock picking. Move bed, search area, find bones, pick correct combination of bones to pick lock.

From what I've read I also don't think you have mentioned how the pow gets fed and where he, er, does his business if you know what I mean. This info could maybe help in coming up with more suggestions.

I would make a pickpocket minigame where the guard is patrooling outside the cell. Every time he passes you have a small window of opportunity where you can snatch the keys from his pocket. If you fail you get some punishment like a beating or something.

Another way is to start a fire by poking the torch so that hey or something catches fire. In the smoke and chaos that takes place when the guards are trying to put out the fire - you manage to escape.

A third way is to talk to your fellow prisoner. You agree on that he should push the guard at your cell, where you grab him and take his key.

Perhaps the prisoner has some slippery porridge that can be pored out on the ground. As the guard falls you manage to grab the keys.

There is a rat in the cell which you train to pick up the keys. (overly complicated, but could be a cool minigame if done right)

The cell is located at street level and a "friend" is dropping a lockpick through the window.

There is a war going on outside, and a projectile is smashing a hole into the wall.

There is a sewer pouring out from the cell. Urine has rusted the iron bars protecting it. You manage to smash them open and crawl through the tunnel.

And the classic: A visitor is giving you a tool inside a cake, which you use to break out!

getting the key from pickpocketing doesn't sound too good for me. after all you're in and the guard is out the cell. having him walk close a cell door while the prisoner is just by, and actually get pickpocketed would really make him deserving of a cruel death

a pickpocket action would have to occur when the guard was in the cell or close proximity to the prisoner and bars.

perhaps two prisoners arrange a distraction that brings a guard within pickpocket distance of the bars. this kind of stuff is done in movies and tv all the time.

two great reference movies who's inspiration i see in this tread's ideas are "the great escape" starring steve McQueen, and "escape from alcatraz" starring clint eastwood.

think in terms of techniques, not technology, and it should translate well to a medieval setting.

also look to Zorro, The Cisco Kid, and Errol Flynn movies for creative ways to escape things.

almost everything mentioned here i can recall having seen in some movie or tv show as some point.

4. it's not really ruled out, I just don't want a really obvious and unrealistic access to lockpick materials, which is why cells are pretty much empty. I know grinding rocks to create a lockpick sounds too forced/unrealistic, but that's the best I could come up with at first. what about using a rock to grind a rat/meal bone to create a lockpick?

ever tried to pick a medieval cast iron lock with a chicken bone? <g>. probably not happening. in the real world, you'd get some metal (somehow), then spend days/weeks/months grinding your key or pick.

indeed these may be combined together, but since I want different options and there's only so many reasonably ways you can escape a prison cell, I'd rather not waste options by making one out of two.

what you do is use those that can be combined to expand the list of options. so if you can escape by means A, or means B, or by means C followed by A, don't just give then C followed by A, give them both A, and C followed by A as options. combo = greater variety, not less. OTOH, these combos may not exist. in the example above, why do C then A if you can just do A?

so you'd need escape by means A, or means B, or means C followed by D kind of thing. whether any C followed by D kind of things exist? thats another question. if so fine, implement them if it makes sense,. if not, that's life, there are only so many options, and you just live with it. if it turns out the options are too few, you probably don't have sufficient mass as far as "topic" and limitations goes (escaping from prison cell) to make an interesting game, and you'll want to figure out what's lacking. this can happen. its happened to me. turned out ok, added another dimension of gameplay, and it turned into my biggest hit ever (free tv press on the evening news prime time in the nations capital ! )

Maybe it's a prison for people with severe agoraphobia. Outside the cell is a big hallway. The cell itself isn't even locked (locks are rationed, due to the war and all), but it is made a prison by the delusional fear felt by the people in the cells when they enter the large hall. The escape method then is to construct a helmet out of your food bowl so as to make yourself feel as though you're still enclosed, and pass through the hall to the door leading to a slender hallway while blinded by your helmet. The slender hallway leads to the remaining of the tight labyrinth where you and your people normally live.

How about goading other prisoners into starting a riot? Or make a break for it en-route to being executed?

Any type of grinding within a cell is going to be rapidly tedious. What if you plan your escape over a period of time, while going about prison routine such as meals, courtyard time etc. (Although I doubt medieval prisoners would have such luxuries).

thanks for all the comments guys, I've compiled a list of possible actions and branches out of them and it will serve as possible options to escape my prison cell. I still have to figure out the best way to code the interactions for a couple of them but I'll get to it

now if I can just find some free time I'll finish the game's trailer :)