ccs
41st lv DM
Not sure if you (and your players) actually consider this a problem. If you do, the optional resting rules are an option to consider.
Clearly my players do not consider this a problem....
Me (as the DM)? Not really. I'm perfectly fine with the bad guys maybe succeeding, killing off NPCs, etc. I just find it a strange way to go about adventures where it's pretty obvious there's time constraints.
Have you tried imposing some actual in game time limits, as opposed to implied ones? ie; So and so is to be hanged at high noon, or this will happen at the solar eclipse. Have you tried giving real numbers of things happening rather than % chances ie; BBEG "We will sacrifice one virgin ever day ..." or consequences to the party (less resources).
If the party knowing exactly how much sands left in the proverbial timer fits the story, then they'll know that up front. Otherwise, no. They will not be told. I'm OK with them resting to the point of failure.
Also, are those things imperative to the players/characters in the game, would they rather be doing other things in that world, or doing things a different way. I know that doesn't help much with a strongly narrative game, but maybe the hooks aren't deep enough.
Well, since I was told "We want general dungeon crawling with - some - plot {IE; more reason than just kill/loot, but not super-heavy PF AP style plot}, & then these are the hooks that they chose to follow up on.... I presume that's imperitive to them.
It's a sandbox game set on the Greyhawk map. At any time they could point to some random place & say "We want to explore here". Or, "I want to go on x type of adventure". OK, then that's what I'll prep. Or they can follow up on random bits they find during play.