Stoneshardhas many deeply-developed RPG systems working in tandem to create an immersive, realistic game world. There are survival needs such as hunger, thirst, and rest, and there are dynamic quests, timed events, and NPC routines. The underlying system that makes all of these other systems work is time. The progression of time inStoneshardis carefully calibrated. So much so, in fact, that when it eventually leaves Early Access,Stoneshardcould end up having one ofthe best day/night cycles in gaming.
Day/Night cycles in games tend to have a few issues with being either over or under-used. Sometimes, they’re unnecessarily complex or opaque. WhileStoneshard’s time system does have a few missing parts, it maintains a steady heartbeat that thumps with just enough urgency to keep the player engaged but not overwhelmed.
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How the Time System in Stoneshard Works
Stonesharduses exact figures to measure the passage of time. Every time the character takes an action (moves, attacks, eats, rests, etc.), time moves forward by one turn. This is opposite tothe way thatMinecrafthandles time, which progresses time in real-world minutes. InStoneshard,every day is 24 hours long (2,880 turns) and consists of four phases: Dawn, Day, Dusk, and Night. Each phase is six hours long. Every hour takes 120 turns to pass. In this way, every turn represents 30 seconds of time in-game.
How to Tell Time in Stoneshard
Players can determine what time it is by the color of the light in outdoor areas. To get the exact time, they’ll need to rest to bring up the Time of Day slider.
Many players have commented on the fact that the game doesn’t have a convenient method for telling the exact time at any given turn. Some say this mystery adds to the immersion, while others have indicated that the character can see the position of the sun in the sky, so they should have some sort of indicator in the UI. Ink Stains Games might make some improvements in this area on the road towards leaving Early Access. If not, it’s likely that modders will once again step up to invent a way to tell timejust as they did inValheim.
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Why Time is Important in Stoneshard
InStoneshard, everything happens according to specific timelines. Quests have deadlines, NPCs have schedules, Hunger and Thirst develop gradually, and so on. The following events occur during each of the four phases of the day:
