Is the only way in helping them take over Goodsprings? They don't give me any other chance beside helping them "take over the town".

have you tried wearing their armor? I am vilified by them and when I put on their armor I was able to get in the door, of course they made it known that they hated me.

If you help Goodsprings defend against the Powder Gangers, but don't personally kill any of them you'll only be Shunned by the Powder Gangers and you can still get in.

I personally just shoot the doorman in the face and systematically take out each prison wing. :gun:

You could have just not done the Goodsprings quest. You don't have to help them take over. It's not a mandatory quest.

Thanks you guys. I'll give 'em a try. I went up to the door in Powder Ganger clothes, but it said "requires key"... from some other stuff people have posted, I guess there's a quest line-- I managed to miss it on the 1st 80 hour playthrough.

I usually just shoot my way in even at level 7-8. Powder Gangers are weak.

Did you try talking to the guy standing at the door? or did you by any chance kill him? He is the one you need to talk to to get in.

Well, to start, this works better if you're with companions, and are at a high enough level, and if you don't care to be friends with the Powder Gangers. At all.

Here's what I did (do I need the spoiler tags?)

1. Shoot Davison or Dawes or whoever guards the door in the face.
2. Wait.
3. Kill the others that come out.
4. Steal the keys off of Dawes or whoever guards the door to the visitor center.
5. Now, this is where the companions/high level comes in. When you walk into the visitor center, you're likely to be attacked by 5-6 guys who happen to be in there. Unless you know how to deal with such numbers, you're screwed.
6. Finally, go ahead and romp through the prison. It's actually a lot easier than storming that initial room.

However, if you do not wish to kill them, or want to complete their missions, then as somebody else mentioned, don't kill the Powder Gangers in the Battle of Goodsprings, or ally with them against Rusty or whatever his name is. You could also wear a Powder Ganger uniform, but I'm not sure if that'll fool the guys in the prison.

Response to number 5.

Lay mines by the door and leading toward the gates...enter room..get aggro..leave room.
They will follow you out and die...just crouch by the pile of junk when you first enter the gate way...and kill them as they come out the door.
Between the mines and your shooting ?

Don't forget that there is a quest involving that prison and the NCR. it doesn't mean that you have to do that quest, you don't just have to go in guns a blazing.

BTW: First time I went into that prison I was playing on Normal with only leather armor, and NO companions. I did not die, they simply are not that tough. the ones out side can be sniped pretty easily if you choose to do it that way, but like I said earlier, there is a quest involved here that is more rewarding than going it alone.

Twice, on two different characters, after I spoke with Dawes and refusing to pay the caps, I've brushed up tight to the door where he guards outside,

I get into sneak and wait for hidden then I steal the key and then enter hidden. I've been able to walk in with no hostile ganger and was able to do missions for Eddie I think even read dialogue telling me they heard Dawes let me in (I tend to speed through that part).

Also, this was without taking the earlier mission with either Cobb or Ringo and either having neutral or no status with the Powder Gangers.

You don't have to do this right there and then. I skipped a head to Primm. Then over to the prision. Did some stuff for Eddie, then betrayed him, cleaned house with the NCR. Looted the place, went back to Goodsprings and took care of business there.
After all this still got rep as merciful thug with the powder gangers, hehe..

Huh! A quest you say? I'll have to reload a save and leave the inmates alive, then.

Figured out what went wrong the 1st time-- the gate-keeper came out and attacked me, and I must have missed the key when I looted his body.

This time I went quietly up to the gate in PGanger guard armor, and paid him the 100. Then Veronica snaps and drops him, surprising the hell out of me. So we go in, and all is calm. I stroll over to the admin building and go inside. I start toward the doctor to have a chat and Veronica trots up the stairs and beats 4 or 5 guys to death in about 5 seconds. Sheesh. It's a little bit hard to act casual with her around.

Well, she did say she really likes to punch things.

Eddie quest line is rewarded by sweet 300 points of experience and you get chance to either side with Powder Gangers, stay neutral or help NCR deal with Powder Gangers at the end. If you do this quest as high level character, it might not be worth it but at the beginning of the game when you are say level 3-4 its nice experience boost.

You however have to stay at reasonable relations with Powder Gangers. If you get yourself vilified, you will not be able to talk to Eddie. Just don't blast at any PG you meet and you will be fine. You can even side with Goodsprings at the beginning and still be able to get in to prison just fine.

You don't need a disguise. Either kill Powder Gangers with silenced weapons unseen (no rep loss there) - or don't kill them at all sneak past their camps and talk to the guard bribing him. When you arrive at the prison, everyone should be neutral.

Also remember that he will see through your disguise so after bribing him you should remove it to not get attacked for false clothing right away.

It's worth doing that quest early because that dude in Primm who you organize the attack with will occassionally try to run to McCarran through Scorpion Gulch (migration bug I guess) meaning his certain death and getting stuck in the quest.

In my experience you don't have to approach prison guard in disguise. He will not shot you, just start dialogue as soon as you get close.