Time is a Game System, a measurement of how long something lasts or takes. It is a mechanic that affects various things, including but not limited to:
- lighting
- music
- the availability of certain NPCs
- duration of character Talents
- Quest objectives
- Domains
- Time Trial Challenges
When the game is not paused, time passes at the rate of one in-game minute per real-world second.
Day/Night Cycle[]
The day/night cycle is used to determine the availability of NPCs, music, and quest objectives. Dawn, midday, dusk, and midnight occur at 06:00, 12:00, 18:00, and 24:00/00:00, respectively, each phase of a day lasts six minutes, the daylight and nightlight hours last twelve minutes each, and the cycle repeats itself every 24 minutes. However, daytime is defined as 06:00 – 19:00, while nighttime is defined as 19:01 – 05:59.
The player can quickly advance time via the Time option in the Paimon Menu. The player must select a time of day at least half an hour after the current time and cannot advance more than 2 days at a time. Time can be advanced in both single player mode and Co-Op Mode by the host for all players in the world. This can be done to clear up bad weather, bring back unavailable NPCs, and adjust lighting. Certain quests also forcefully sets the time of day without opening the menu.
The day/night cycle is not visible from underground locations like The Chasm: Underground Mines or Enkanomiya, but will still affect certain things such as fish availability. It is also not visible from certain above-ground locations like Seirai Island or Version 2.8 of the Golden Apple Archipelago or during rain, lightning, or snowstorms.
Pausing Time[]
In single player mode, time is paused while the Paimon Menu is open and while accessing anything available through the Paimon Menu (Inventory, Events screen, etc.), even if accessed via a keybind or the UI icon while playing, except for Photo Mode.
Some timers will continue to tick while the game is paused. These timers include but are not limited to:
- Gadget cooldowns (Excl. Wind-Powered Wind Generator)
- The timer in Food Delivery
- The timer that keeps track of how long players take to complete a Domain
- Clocks that track Bounties
- The hidden timer that determines when the cutscene in the Plane of Euthymia plays[Is this still true? 3.0 patch notes says it was adjusted]
- The cooldown on certain enemy skills
Other timers remain paused while the game is paused. These timers include but are not limited to:
- Elemental Skill cooldowns
- Revival and stamina food consumption cooldowns
- The depletion of the fullness gauge
- The time limit players have to complete the current objective in a Domain
Time cannot be paused in Co-Op Mode, even if all players pause together at the same time.
Trivia[]
- One of the Loading Screen tips titled "Time" states "Time flies by when contemplating life, the universe, and everything...". This is a reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a comedy science fiction trilogy written by Douglas Adams, where an enormous supercomputer tries to find the "Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything", and it ends up providing the answer 42. The number 42 and the phrase "Life, the universe, and everything" have attained cult status on the Internet.
Change History[]
- Can now skip more than 1 day (max 2 days) in Paimon Menu.
- Enemy skill cooldowns are now paused while the game is paused. Previously, enemy skill cooldowns continued to run even while the game was paused.
- Time mechanics were released.
