We Haven't The Time To Argue About Time!

[Greengiant]

So, our group is getting frustrated with the way time is being kept in-game, adding up rounds, minutes, hours, etc, and we all come up with different times of day we're currently at, so the duty has been put upon me, the DM, to find a good way of keeping time.

So, any ideas? How do you do it? Is there any computer programs that help? Thanks in advance!

[Thajocoth]

What I do is:
An encounter or skill challenge, regardless of number of rounds, is 5 minutes.

A short rest is 5 minutes.

Traveling takes however long I arbitrarily say it takes. (Accounting for distance, speed of the slowest member, and terrain, I give an estimate. My estimates are usually: 5 minutes, an hour, x hours, a day, or x days.)

Waiting takes as long as the group says they wait.

For doing stuff in a town, like finding someone who knows somethong, or a shopkeeper, or an inn, or whatever else, I generally have the length of time dependent on their Streetwise check.

Interacting with NPCs... Usually 5 minutes, but if there's a larger group of people, they're not really willing to cooperate or the party has any other reason to spend a longer time with them, I might multiply that 5 by something.

Any more precise than that, and you might as well be in an initiative order at all times.

[Kurald Galain]

Considering accurate watches haven't been invented yet (in whatever fantasy world I happen to be DM'ing at the time) it's not an issue any more.

[Greengiant]

Considering accurate watches haven't been invented yet (in whatever fantasy world I happen to be DM'ing at the time) it's not an issue any more.

So your solution is that there is no problem? lol. I just want something to keep almost exact time, also, I can see people having problems with, it's dawn, it's high noon, it's three bells past noon, etc. Some people have different times in their heads of when dusk, night, and dawn are. Easier this way. Plus, they do have accurate clocks in the city my players are in right now.

[Tyrmatt]

So your solution is that there is no problem? lol. I just want something to keep almost exact time, also, I can see people having problems with, it's dawn, it's high noon, it's three bells past noon, etc. Some people have different times in their heads of when dusk, night, and dawn are. Easier this way. Plus, they do have accurate clocks in the city my players are in right now.

Whilst walking through the market the PC's bump into a tiny man with a shock of white hair, wild eyes, tiny piece-nez spectacles and carrying a handful of tiny crystals. The man is an artificer who needs specific materials to bring his secret project to fruition and if the PC's can retrieve some from the caverns/underground/mountain/dungeon over yonder hill he'll provide them with a suitable reward...
Yes, this man has created your worlds very first quartz watches for the PC's.

[Greengiant]

Whilst walking through the market the PC's bump into a tiny man with a shock of white hair, wild eyes, tiny piece-nez spectacles and carrying a handful of tiny crystals. The man is an artificer who needs specific materials to bring his secret project to fruition and if the PC's can retrieve some from the caverns/underground/mountain/dungeon over yonder hill he'll provide them with a suitable reward...
Yes, this man has created your worlds very first quartz watches for the PC's.

That would be a super awesome idea, but I'm already using the exact storyline to introduce gunpowder into our game, almost the exact same guy, crazy white hair, etc, wants the PC's to get a large amount of sulfur, for the gunpowder.

Maybe I'll use the same guy .

What I'm really interested is a program, for example, that would keep the time, and I could just press a button, saying, "add one round" or "add one hour" or whatnot. Keep it exact.

[LibraryOgre]

Go to a teacher's supply store. Get one of those paper clocks they use to teach kids to tell time. Set it up so folks can see it, and advance it as necessary. If you really want to spend some dough, find one with gears, so you can set it accurately.

[Thajocoth]

Probably not, but it'd be easy to code. Any of your players a coder?

[Greengiant]

Probably not, but it'd be easy to code. Any of your players a coder?

Ahhh, no, dang. Does sound easy though.

Go to a teacher's supply store. Get one of those paper clocks they use to teach kids to tell time. Set it up so folks can see it, and advance it as necessary. If you really want to spend some dough, find one with gears, so you can set it accurately.

Sounds like a pretty good idea. I do have a clock that needs a battery and doesn't have one, I could just turn that. But I dunno.

[lsfreak]

Would something like http://www.scottseverance.us/html/time_calculator.htm or http://www.onlineconversion.com/adva...calculator.htm work?

[Greengiant]

Would something like http://www.scottseverance.us/html/time_calculator.htm or http://www.onlineconversion.com/adva...calculator.htm work?

Actually, that's pretty good! I would never have thought to search for a time calculator. +1 Internet to you.

[magellan]

Do you have paper?

If yes: put the following on a piece of paper:

Day
Hours
Minute

When 10 minutes pass you make a mark next to minute. when you have 6 minute marks cross them out and add one to hour. etc...

I mean seriously, think about it:

You want a computer program that adds a mark to a list whenever you push a button??? You think find mouse on desk, find window on desktop, find button. push. Would be faster or more convinient than "make a tick with the pencil you are gnawing on rignt now the top of your notes"?

[LibraryOgre]

Sounds like a pretty good idea. I do have a clock that needs a battery and doesn't have one, I could just turn that. But I dunno.

The advantage of the paper clocks is that they're designed to be set by hand... don't have to worry about stripping gears or fiddling with dials.

[Shpadoinkle]

It's 3:14 PM.

It is always 3:14 PM.

DM: Okay, you find (random loot) on the monster's body and start back on your way. After a while-
Player: How long a while?
DM: It's 3:14 PM now. After a while you get to the city of Hargleflargle.
(PCs split up to do shopping or whatever and reconvene later)
PC: So what's the time of day now?
DM: It's 3:14 PM.

Seriously, is the time of day THAT big a deal for your group?

[Greengiant]

It's 3:14 PM.

It is always 3:14 PM.

DM: Okay, you find (random loot) on the monster's body and start back on your way. After a while-
Player: How long a while?
DM: It's 3:14 PM now. After a while you get to the city of Hargleflargle.
(PCs split up to do shopping or whatever and reconvene later)
PC: So what's the time of day now?
DM: It's 3:14 PM.

Seriously, is the time of day THAT big a deal for your group?

Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't sure if this thread was about if the time of day being important to my group. I'm pretty sure it was asking about other people's different ways of managing time, and recording it.

If you really want to know, it's because I have an unruly group, and having a definite, undisputed, constant reliable time to go by greatly reduces arguments about it.

Thanks for your suggestion though, if I wanted an unrealistic world, I would surely follow it.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't sure if this thread was about if the time of day being important to my group. I'm pretty sure it was asking about other people's different ways of managing time, and recording it.

I don't keep track of daily time aside from "dawn, noon, dusk" for the reasons Kurald Galain cited - medieval societies don't have (or need) exact timekeeping. Occasionally I'll put a Water Clock somewhere (it's almost an inside-joke with my players) to show someone of great wealth. I do keep a precise calendar - mainly to help me schedule events that will happen in the future, but also to track the changing seasons and holy days.

I am constantly amused that the DM I play with insists on having precise time, in-game. Like "we'll meet at the town gate at 3:14 PM to leave on the adventure." I've taken to noting - in character - that I am checking my wristwatch whenever such a situation comes up

But if you must keep exact time, Mark Hall's "paper clock" is ideal. You can even make one of your own.

Now, if your problem is an unruly group, the best way to get them moving is to announce that time has passed. "One hour has passed" or "it is now noon" is a fine way to get them back on track if they are bickering for extended periods. At worst, a couple of days standing at the town center arguing about treasure splitting should calm 'em down

[Greengiant]

I am constantly amused that the DM I play with insists on having precise time, in-game. Like "we'll meet at the town gate at 3:14 PM to leave on the adventure." I've taken to noting - in character - that I am checking my wristwatch whenever such a situation comes up [/URL]

Well, I'm going to have a quest where the characters have to assassinate a noble that has his breakfast exactly at 8:12 each morning, and his tea at exactly 8:12 each evening, part of an obsessive habit, and a bit to brag about his fancy water clock.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Well, I'm going to have a quest where the characters have to assassinate a noble that has his breakfast exactly at 8:12 each morning, and his tea at exactly 8:12 each evening, part of an obsessive habit, and a bit to brag about his fancy water clock.

Do the PCs have access to fancy water clocks too?

[golentan]

Personally, when time is an issue, I set out with "Tell me everything your character wants to do in the time limit. Then I'll tell you what you actually have time for. Don't worry about details."

It keeps the plot moving, and prevents ridiculousness with time dilation.

[Reinboom]

I have this issue more with Hourly spellcasters.
Even having had cases where "this armor is on for the last 5 minutes!", and similar.

With these, I tend to keep "time dice", a d12, a d6, and a d4. d12 is 5 minute intervals. d6 is 1 hour intervals. d4 is one quarter day intervals.
For days, I keep a log as a DM along the lines of:
D__1: Campaign start.
D__2: Travel
D__3: Meet important NPC x with quest y
D__4: Killed important NPC x after quest loot... party gets jailed for stupid behavior.
etc.

[Dervag]

I agree with the "loose timekeeping" group. For most purposes, keeping track of hours matters (give or take about an hour). Keeping track of minutes doesn't matter because the PCs simply don't spend enough time doing things that take an interval measured in minutes. Keeping track of seconds is laughable.

Minutes only matter if there is some specific event that is going to happen soon: once the alarm gong rings in the castle, it will take fifteen minutes for the cavalry to return. Or something like that.

[bosssmiley]

Old Edition timekeeping sheet: minutes, turns, hours. 24 hours/side. pdf link

Use it to work out when light sources will burn out, when long duration spells will expire, etc.

Turns were 10 minute periods used in old editions for thumbnailing stuff like block movement, *thoroughly* searching a room, fighting a skirmish (and tidying up after same), etc. They're the origin of the 10 minutes/lvl spell duration in 3E, and of the 'short rest' in 4E.