Do you keep strict track of the date in your game world?

[GQuail]

Using the Irony Games calendar tool (at http://www.irony.com/mkcal.html) I put together a calendar for my campaign world a little after starting, chose an appropriate start point and have since marked it as I go. It was originally more about flavour than anything: slipping in references to important deities & histortical figures in day/month n ames, as well as adding in a 13th half-sized month (17 rather than 30/31) which corresponds to the flooding over of the central water resource of the capital of the human Egypt-like locale.

I also use an online blog to record campaign events, so the two help me square up events relative to each other. I can make quick scribbles on calendar mid-game whenever I say "a day passes" and then use them post-game to make sure I've not missed anything. I can also actually write down "deadline dates" which can make it a little easier to visualise how long it'll take do something for the PCs.

It's not usually a huge deal, but it helps sometimes: and it will help more when the pregnant character, a half-elf, finally pops after a year of pregnancy. I've already marked on the next game year's calendar when it will be, and the plan is to cycle forward after the Christmas holidays to close enough to that date.

I;'ve yet to pick birthdays for my PCs. Perhaps this should be encouraged next session . L<

 

[lukelightning]

In my Diamond Throne/Arcana Unearthed campaign I've started using a calendar (found on diamondthrone.com), for the first time in my DMing experience. It's really helped me plan my game.

I've written in various timelines for a few bad guy plots, and kept track of what the party has done; each day I make a note of the highlight of the day (ranging from "killed unicorn" to "recouperated from getting beat up by unicorn" to "rest." Additionally there are certain dates of importance to be aware of, some with game effects (bonus to casting or combat or penalty to saves), most with just RP effects (local celebrations, tax day, etc.)

Also I've written out weather before hand, for about a month. Mostly just precipitation since it is spring, but I might put a heat wave in come summer.

 

[StupidSmurf]

I keep meticulous track of the date. I have weather and lunar phases all planned out for about a month's worth of fantasy time. It's led to some interesting circumstances sometimes!

 

[KB9JMQ]

It is something I always mean to do but in practice never remember to do.

 

[gizmo33]

I keep careful track of days (not so much of turns and hours), and use a campaign-specific calendar (12 months of 28 days, plus inter-calendar days) with custom months, holidays and so on. I've been doing this for about 15 years of real time and about 60 years of campaign time.

While I'm running the game I usually just jot down quick notes about time passing: like "TIME: +10 days". Later on, I record the day/month/year next to those notes.

I'm not sure how important this is to running a campaign though. I can understand why folks would hand-wave it. I keep a calendar mostly for my own amusement. I'm not sure the players really care.

 

[Kid Socrates]

I go back and forth with what I keep track of. On certain PC missions, I keep track of the time, like when they had five days to guard the governor on the train from one city to the next, and had that much time to foil two assassination attempts and deduce who was responsible, and stop it. However, other times I just wing it, because it's a Final Fantasy game, so we make jokes that no matter how often they stay in the inn, the imminent danger is not REALLY imminent until they go to the place and activate the plot.

Not entirely true, but since we're in the midgame, no sense in needlessly rushing them all the time.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Just out of curiosity, those of you who use a game calandar: Do you use a made up one or do you base it on an actual 12 month/365 day year?

I've tried using my own custom calendars; they tend to generate more confusion than it is worth. IMO it is like using a foreign language at the game table. I've dabbled with hybrid systems; conventional months with different week structures but it doesn't really add anything to anyone IMG's gaming pleasure.

Of course, they are currently all confused since they've ventured to the other hemisphere. Wheee, summer in January!

 

[atom crash]

I'm keeping careful track of time IMC. The PCs have about 6 days left to stop the BBEG from launching his Big Bad Plan on the night of the next full moon.

The PCs are well aware of the timing, as they've uncovered various clues that point to that date as having particular significance to the Plan; the players are well aware of the timing because I start each session with a brief recap of what has happened, what day it is and how many days are left before the next full moon.

When this is over, I'll probably fast forward a month or two of campaign time -- and account for how all the surviving PCs have spent it -- in order to start the next story arc.

Edit: I'm using the Greyhawk calendar with the names of the months changed to fit my homebrew world.

 

[the Jester]

Yes, I keep track of the passing of time- how else do we know when the pcs' birthdays come up?

 

[lukelightning]

Do they get a wish if they pass the Trial of the Flaming Cake?

Yes, I keep track of the passing of time- how else do we know when the pcs' birthdays come up?

For month names, the Diamond Throne has good old "Firstmonth, Secondmonth...." etc. Sound "fantasy" but is easy to remember.