How do you keep track of time in your games?

[Jai Kel]

Chiming in with sort of a "me too" here...

Until just the last few game sessions, we were very laissez faire in that whatever time of day seemed to work was what we used.

However, I just started using the Greyhawk Calendar to keep track of the year and I can't believe how much more fun we're having. Now there is a significance to the days/weeks/months and the divine characters have started to really pay attention in case a holy day is approaching.

I can't see using anything more specific than the calendar, though. There really isn't anything the characters could do to know more than dawn, evening, mid-night, early afternoon, etc.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I use the appropriate calendar for the world/nation in question -- last two campaigns I ran were set in Mystara, which has a specific calendar -- and track days and with all the goodies that go along with it (holidays, festivals, events from the Mystara almanac) but for shorter periods of time, I just go with whatever works best in a narrative sense.

 

[Arnwyn]

One of the reasons I have been asking for time is because my player was taking the time to bury her enemies, friends, taking 20 searching rooms, etc. I wanted to have a sense of realism, plus I always thought it would be cool to be able to have somewhat accurate time.

In regards to my player taking 20, according to the 3.5 rules, to search a 20 x 20 room would take roughly 30 minutes. During this adventure, there were no time constraints, but I want to get into the habit of keeping track of accurate time just in case there are. Plus, I think it would make some spells and abilities more meaningful, mainly the ones that last 1 minute per level.

You'll never get it perfect (nor would you want to, as the time and annoyance of tracking it would far outweigh any benefit you'd get from tracking time), but I see that you've already noted the main things that would take time in-game - so you're already well on your way with appropriately tracking time in your game.

 

[CRGreathouse]

I keep track of long times in terms of founding of cities (233 since Alport's founding) and reigns of kings. I keep track of shorter times in days and months (of the larger moon). I track time within days as watches (1/4 of the night) and hours (1/12 of the day, measured with sundials).

Tracking time in combat rounds is usually done for me by my players. Tracking minutes (when it matters) done with tick marks on paper, or guesses on my part.