Feedback:User/Wazwolf/Day Night Time Cycle

Day Night Time Cycle
User	Wazwolf
Categories	World Mechanics

(feedback in discussion area may lead me to edit this page)

So far, ArenaNet has said they might use an 80 min day and 40 min night cycle (2 hours total per game day). That truly ruins immersion into the game when night will come and go and come again so quickly.

For those that do not know, it is not 24 hours due to the fact quests and story take place during day and night in-game. So 24 hours would limit players that cannot be up at dawn when the Centaur may attack or midnight for that assassination quest, as examples.

A simple suggestion and request is to lengthen the cycle. Many wish for a longer cycle. Differences about how long vary. Personally I would welcome at least 2 hours in day and 2 hours in night so as not to notice how quickly the lighting varies. Though, I would prefer it longer at 4 hours each.

There are pro/con factors for a longer cycle that I am sure ArenaNet is aware.

Pro of Longer Cycle

• Predictability. You can be well aware the times quests will be starting and free to get to them without rush
• The immersion is more stable when not being so conscientiously aware that time is flying by
• Longer quest fights. For example, a quest requires you to "defend all day/or/defend all night" (an epic battle)(2 hours of night battle might be extremely fun)(4 hours though would be insane and entirely too much)
• Casual players can do the whole game as their time allows, yet join the longer epic battles (if even such exist) by matching their free time to that of the game time
• More familiar with players. What is "expected"

Con of Longer Cycle

• Longer times mean possibly waiting for a certain quest to start
• Casual players may be seeing a small window of game time, always getting online after, or offline before a specific quest starts
• Longer quest fights. For example, a quest requires you to "defend all day/or/defend all night" (might not have time)(2 hours may be too much a commitment)

Solution:

Leave a longer cycle, of 2-4 hours day and 2-4 hours night, but come midnight in real time, flip the sequence so it alters every other day.

• (unless there will be "fight all day" or "fight all night" type quests, in which case 2 hours day and 2 hours night is perfect, and 4 hours each is too much)

Take for example a two hour day and two hour night cycle(four hrs total): 6pm to 8pm is daytime. 8pm to 10pm is nighttime. 10pm to 12am is back to daytime. But, instead of becoming nighttime at 12am, it stays daytime until 2am. At 2am it is nighttime as usual for two hours, followed by daytime for two hours, then nighttime, etc. This creates an alternating pattern of night/day. At 4:37pm on a Wednesday, it may be daytime, but the next day Thursday at 4:37pm, it is now nighttime.

Another positive aspect is using that special four hour block of time from 10pm-2am (or 10am-2pm if ArenaNet wants it to happen at noon, or 3pm-7pm, etc) to do events. Events would not be special in the sense that players that cannot play at that time are missing out, but special in that they may just be prolonged. If you happen to be able to play, you play for an extended period doing some ridiculous quest or quests. If you miss it, you just do it during the normal sensible 2 hour blocks. The longer block does not reward anything more, just makes for a possible longer setting, possibly as a overpowered hard-mode in various special areas just for the fun and challenge, without reward. It is something ArenaNet can play with however they choose(if they choose).

Lastly, with an MMO, being friendly toward casual players is great. I completely understand, being a full-time college student myself. Casual play, when able, is a huge asset. But also, if a player cannot do a two hour block at some point in their time (if there even is a two hour block requirement situation)(no fee to play, there is no hurry or wasted time) they really should not be in an RPG MMO and should pick up an FPS MMO instead. They can casually play the rest of the game, but if missing out on a tiny aspect that requires time commitment upsets them, I ask why are they wanting to play this type of game? Gamers play games. Casual ones just do it sporadically, and with as many hours they can once able. If they are a true gamer that is. ;)

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