Time Management

Time management for roleplaying games is always tricky; it becomes even more complicated when you have people from all over the world (in theory) who lead different life-styles (midnight shifts, stay at home mom/dad, on call,  swings, etc.). Eventually, you will not be able to perfectly accomodate everyone without compromising the integrity of the story. To prevent this problem Forever Unrest has developed a time management system inadvance.

Real World Time vs. Storyline Time
A forum based game should not feel like a second job for its players. They should not have to feel like they have to 'clock-in' every day to check to see if a huge step has been made in a storyline. To pace the story's progression a direct correllation has been made between real world time and in-game time. This correllation extends only to the beginning and ending of in-game days.

Every 7 real world days a single in-game day passes. This transition occurs in the real world on Thursday at 5pm. The in-game transition is at nightfall (sun down). This staggerring of time allows casual players to play once a week and still be up to speed with the game while preventing the more enthusiastic from gaining a disproportionate advantage.

Scenes
An in-game day is broken into a maximum of 24 scenes (one for each hour). Any of the following could constitute a scene: Any number of other activities could require the use of a scene if they are not incorporated into another scene. For example, a conversation could erupt into combat. These two activities would constitute a single scene. A player could be performing a downtime action (such as a phone call) while driving to another city (assuming this trip is an hour or less). The player could eat a meal and be enjoying some polite conversation. Combining two items into a single scene can be objected to by a storyteller.
 * An in-person conversation
 * Eating a meal (this includes vampiric feeding)
 * An hour of travel time (a travel time guide will be available soon!)
 * Bathing/changing clothes
 * Performing a 'downtime' action
 * A combat scene
 * Meditation
 * Any activity that specifically states that it takes a scene

Timing and Pacing
The number of scenes that a player participates in are not normally tracked unless the player seems to be in a lot of scenes. The player should also keep in mind that their character requires rest. Most mortals do fine on eight hours of sleep while vampires only need abide by the number of daylight hours that they are subject to the day sleep. Failure to get enough rest may result in penalties for the character in the following days.

A player that only uses 12 of their 24 scenes, theoretically leaving 12  scenes available for rest, may not actually have time for rest if all of their 12 scenes begin at the start of every even numbered hour throughout the day. Becareful to note the scene's starting time before you join it. Not only can you not be two places at once, you may be cutting in on your rest.

The start time for scenes are important. Every scene must start close to the beginning of the hour in which it is occurring. While this does not mean that ever scene has to start right at the bell, but it is assumed that the scene is taking place during that hour and that hour alone. If a scene begins at 9:50, it is assumed that it is over by 10:00 otherwise the scene will be assumed to have been held during the 10 o'clock time slot.

Location, location, location...
Scenes happen at a location. Period. Everybody is somewhere. While in some cases the location may not seem important all scenes should be attached to a location. This location may be while driving, in your home/haven, some unspecified back alley or a similarly non-discript location. When setting up a scene be certain to select a location for the scene as it is often the location that decides what board the scene will take place in on forum.

Once you have decided what location you intend to have a scene at, you need to decide what time. It is polite to try to avoid interrupting other scenes that are in progress, but sometimes this is unavoidable. If you are about to walk in on an existing scene you should provide sufficient warning to the other players currently involved in the scene. Generally this is done by posting in the scene some kind of warning that people are approaching. If there is a problem alert a storyteller immediately.

Phoning it in
Phone conversations present an interesting problem when determining the location of the scene. For this purpose there is a phone call board. When starting a phone call scene begin the post with the start time of the call and the location of the initial caller. When a call recipient picks up, they must note their location in the initial post. Locations do not need to be stationary. It is possible to be on the phone while travelling. It is also possible that your character does not know where they are. In the event that the player does not know where they are it is the job of the storyteller to post whatever clues seem pertinent, particularly to the person at the other end of the line.

The location does not need to be too specific. A player can state that they are at their haven, but is not required to provide any other information regarding where their haven is. Likewise, callers in transit do not need to specify their route. Players that are stationary and in a public (or semi-public) venue should be clear about their location at that venue as well as any changes in their location as they occur. For example, a vampire in Elysium should be clear about what part of Elysium they are in as well as any changes in their location during the phone calle (i.e. leaving the main room of Elysium to go to a back office or running out the front door of Elysium in a panic.)  If the player is already involved in a scene at their current location then the player should  quote their side of the phone conversation in their location's posts. Again, time and location are important to track.

Inevitable Paradox
Eventually players will make a mistake and two scenes will be happening at the same place at the same time and it will go unnoticed until the two scenes are critical to the flow of the game. If the players notice this situation first it is in their best interest to resolve it as neatly as possible and to then inform a storyteller of the correction. If the problem is discovered by a storyteller then both scenes will be frozen until the paradox is resolved. This could result in something as simple as changing the time or location of the later event or the complete elimination of the scene entirely.