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Message: <blockquote data-quote="lewpuls" data-source="post: 9749961" data-attributes="member: 30518">[ATTACH=full]416518[/ATTACH]<a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/game-over-checkmate-chess-7103874/" target="_blank">Courtesy of Pixabay.</a>My wife was using her tablet, early in the morning. I wanted to say something to her, but her response was “I only have six minutes to get triple points!” So I shut my mouth, and went to the computer to add this quote to this article. She’s using online software, Duolingo, to learn Spanish, not playing a game. But the software does a good job of adding “gamification” characteristics to the learning to encourage participation. (Another is, do a lesson before noon to get extra points. And you can be demoted!) These experiences with her being “on a timer” led me to think about time-stress in games.<h3>Tick-Tock</h3>Time stress makes it harder to do the right thing at the right time. The more important the situation, the more likely you are to make mistakes when “under the gun.” I’ll call this tactical time stress.A situation where there’s a time limit or deadline by which you must succeed introduces time stress. The comparison is what we can call “decision stress,” the classic of games where the player is “on the horns of a dilemma” and must make a choice amongst several desirable possibilities.It's worth emphasizing the word "stress" here. Stress can be good in games, it induces action. But sometimes it can have negative effects: board game players can experience “analysis paralysis” even without tactical time stress. The stress of choosing a course of action effectively paralyzes a player’s mind (I’ve seen this last 20 minutes!).<h3>Time Stress in Competitive Games</h3>Time limits/stress are usually introduced to a game because too many people are taking too long to do something. There are clock limits in all kinds of athletic competitions, though rarely limits that stress the athlete. For example: in track and field and diving there is often a time limit during which you must make your attempt, whether it’s high jump or hammer throw. But if you can’t make it in time you probably have other serious problems (for example, not showing up).Time matters more in team competitions, where often a clock determines how long the game lasts. The most recent introduction of time limits I can think of is the pitch clock in major league baseball. Again there’s not much stress but the result is that games went back to their old length after slowly getting longer, and longer, and longer.And the Chess clock not only limits normal games to a few hours, but enables speedy games such as blitz chess that are used as match tiebreakers.<h3>Time Stress in Video Games</h3>Time stress is generally typical in video games, especially action games. Many single player video games are essentially athletic, hand eye coordination and movement. That’s why I say that many video games are “athleticware” while tabletop games are frequently what I call “thoughtware.”Shooter video games are all about time stress, unless turn-based. RTS (real time strategy) video games are an epitome of tactical time stress, even though they are quite cerebral compared to many other video games. I remember in the late 90s playing an RTS slowed way down so that I could think a bit, rather than have to perform “200 actions per minute” as in competitive Starcraft.Of course there are many video games that do not include time stress, and there are tabletop games that are all about hand eye coordination and movement. And there’s a class of multiplayer board game where players quickly learn the “generally accepted move in each situation”; in fact some players will get frustrated if you choose to do something other than the generally accepted move.<h3>Time Stress in RPGs</h3>Tabletop RPGs are thoughtware for sure - unless the GM introduces tactical time stress. In my experience, most RPG sessions are usually relaxed, with players (and GM) taking plenty of time to choose their actions, especially when faced with difficult circumstances. But some GMs like to introduce time stress when the pressure is already high, when faced with difficult circumstances. Often, players are expected to concisely express what they will do on their turn. Of course, because humans can be messy, they may be too slow to determine what to do on their turn, change their mind, or attempt a "do over" after their turn has passed. When game masters want the game to move quickly (or get fed up with players not being prepared on their turns), time stress is introduced—you must decide what your character does in 15 seconds (because you were distracted, talking to someone else, or not paying attention)—or you lose your turn. I'm not fond of this. To me, I'm there to play not to race, and being tested for quick-thinking isn't my idea of fun. That said, some RPG sessions are more “kick open the door and charge in” than thoughtware. Depends on who is playing and who is GMing.“Strategic” time stress in RPGs is common. Any time you must succeed in a mission by a deadline you have this form of time stress. “You have five [game] days to find the <special item> and take it to < the special place>.” This can also come up in puzzles within the game. Most puzzles are about thinking rather than athleticism, but there are some puzzles where the player (rather than the character) must reach a goal (that may involve physical dexterity) of some kind within a certain amount of time.Used judiciously, time stress can ratchet up the tension in a game where character time is of the essence and the GM wants players to feel the pressure. When overused, it puts stress on players who may not do well under pressure, particularly those overwhelmed by choices (a fighter in D&D may have less options to consider than a higher level spellcaster, and thus can go quicker on the player's turn).<h3>Don't Stress About It</h3>Ultimately, the presence of time stress in any game—from a video game to a tabletop RPG—is a deliberate design choice. While it can be a necessary tool to keep the game moving and prevent "analysis paralysis" in both sports and gaming, it fundamentally changes the nature of the experience. Time stress transforms a game from a "thoughtware" puzzle, focused on deliberate choices, into an "athleticware" test of reflexes and quick thinking.For some players, especially those drawn to the deep role-playing of a campaign, a clock that pressures them to act can feel like a violation of the game's core purpose. A good game designer and Dungeon Master knows that understanding the role of time stress is key to creating a game that delivers the kind of experience the players are truly looking for. Talk to you players first before the clock starts ticking so they can be prepared for this style of play.Your Turn: If you've used time stress in your tabletop role-playing game, how did it go?<h3></h3></blockquote>

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