Timekeeping

Keeping the time in RPG game, especially in PBP type is the most difficult task. PBP system involves Collaborative Writing between the PCs. As the story advances and the PCs are increased it will be require more careful management including in time.

The Time
The time concept in the game follows the real world concept. There is 60 seconds in one minutes, 60 minutes in one hour, and 24 hours in one day. For calendar system, we use the Gregorian calendar, which the game starts at January 1, 2018.

However, the Game’s time flow will be different with the Real Time Flow.

The Concept of Timeline
In the system, the GM will open 3 days at the same time. GM will describe the weather conditions and city events on each day. The PCs then act base on that setting.

Normally, a new day will be opened every 7 days. At the same time, all activities in the oldest opened day should be resolved. GM will decide whether the activities are allowed to be continued or should be cut off.

Suppose that a player suggest a story that requires a massive amount of time. Then the GM can do two alternatives; one is to freeze the time and altered the story so all players may participate or Two, the GM and the player resolve privately by creating a special session (chatting or table top).

Players and GMs must keep in mind that the characters cannot read the future. It means that all characters cannot take advantages of future information knowledge for their own benefit (e.g. If at the day 3 there will be a demonstration that developed into unpredicted riot, PCs cannot evacuate their family without logic reason). GMs have rights to alter the story to keep the realism.

Moving one game day for every 7 real time days will be very slow paced. So the time will also be moved if all activities in that day have been resolved. The days will be also skipped if there is no activity in those days. The rule for determining whether there are activities or not in a day should be supported by PC Agenda System

PC Agenda System
All PCs are required to have an agenda for at least 1 week in advance. Analogue to our life that not all days are memorable, you don’t have to put PCs activities in all 7 days. Just add activities which are considered to be vital for the story.

Bear in mind that you may modify the activities in the agenda anytime (i.e. adding new activities or cancelling activities). The purpose of the agenda is to help the GM for advancing the Game Time

If the agenda demand to have two or more activities in one day, it is possible. However make sure to avoid the condition which the PCs and NPCs appear in two places at the same time.

To keep the GMs’ load low, we recommend you to plan at most 4 activities in 1 week. Later if you have finished your activities and there are still enough times, you can create a new one.

If the activities are continuous (i.e. activity #2 depend on the result of activity #1), then don’t open simultaneous threads for those activities. You will never know the end result of the previous activity so it is unclear whether activity #2 will be going as planned or not.