Pathfinder DMing question

[jjcrpntr]

Ok lords of the playground I come to you for advice.
I've been running pathfinder for about a year now. I'm not the best dm admittedly but I think I'm far from the worst. Right now I'm running in to an issue that I would like your advice on.

Issue: Keeping time during exploration.

So the current campaign we're in has led my players into a dungeon like area (and there will likely be several later). I've been having the party roll initiative and move in that order to do the exploration. Problem is the 6 second round thing. As players can move 60-80 feet and probably explore the entire level in 10 rounds baring combat (sometimes they are cautious and stop early at corners). The problem I'm having is in reality there's no way a group of explorers would be running around exploring an area at that kind of speed. Even with combat (say an additional 7-10 rounds) we're talking a fight and the exploration of an entire area in roughly 120seconds in game.

So how do you guys handle this?

My idea is such, during regular exploration each round is actually 30minutes. This is to show them taking their time being careful as they are in an area where they know there are lots of hostile things around. Problem with this is then during combat my players tend to be the type of "if I can get there and hit I'm just going to explore the next wing" which gets me back in the frame of them exploring during the 6second combat round.

Reason this is an issue is two fold. One it always has bothered me that they could theoretically explore an entire floor of a dungeon that is massive in size in just under a few minutes). Secondly when there are fights we're ending up with the fighter types beat up and wanting to rest and our casters saying "dude I still have spells and we've only been up for 5 minutes!".

Thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks and happy new years!

PS: These issues are as result of me not knowing how to deal with this our other campaign was entirely done in open areas. My players are pretty cool and I do not think they are the problem.

[Winds of Nagual]

Traps. That should slow them down. Also I interpret move speed is a brisk jog. If they want to explore the dungeon in a few minutes, overlook the chest, the fine tapestry, the statue whose eyes follow, etc.

[Psyren]

Couple of things:

- "Rounds" and "Initiative" are constructs that only exist in combat. If they are exploring outside of it there's no need to track time with such granularity. You can even have everybody roll perception and simply tell you what direction they're searching in to see who finds what first, and then just say "{X} time passes as the group moves from the entrance to {these squares}."

- Your speed estimation (60-80ft.) appears to assume they are double-moving every round. But that's not how exploration works, even in combat - "Intentionally searching for stimulus is a move action." So they should be moving 30-40 while searching, and much, much slower than that if they are taking 20.

- If your fighter types are beat up and wanting to rest, don't your players have any healing? It's pretty odd to have the casters being the ones urging the group not to stop :smalltongue:

- Finally, remember that squares don't have to represent 5ft. If you want a particular room (one where there won't be a combat) to be much larger, you can have each square be 10 or even 30 ft and require a whole action to search.