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[Graham.]

I think there are some hand-held dating sims in Japan that function on a real clock that are respected. I don't know off-hand though.

[Paul Eres]

I guess I just prefer to control my games, and not the other way around. It just seems so sinister that some company makes a game that dictates how I spend my time.

In real life, you have to wait for things. If I wanted to wait for things, I'd play real life. Since I'd rather be having fun flying space ships and shit, I play games instead, and I don't like to wait there too.

games where this feature happens don't have to be set up in a way that controls the player's time, although that's often how they are set up (for terrible monetary reasons). the idea can be used for other more nobler purposes besides the usual use of it, though

for example, imagine if it weren't based on "real time" but on an in-game clock that the player is expected to be able to adjust, as in opera omnia. opera omnia did this on a small scale (it let you move the timeline back and forth, change stuff in the past, and affect the future by moving the timeline back up), but the same idea could probably work on a much larger scale; you could have something ecologically complex (like sim earth or spore tried to be) but with an adjustable timeline, where you can go back in time and see what life would be like if dolphins evolved intelligence instead of people, or what would have happened if the dinosaurs never went extinct, etc.

[VortexCortex]

I have never seen anyone reputable praise the type of games we're talking about, not ever. I'd love for you to name some.

So, I'm not anyone...

Blanket statements like yours are nearly always false.  Eg: Don't blame the gun for killing people.  Ergo, Don't blame the mechanic for ruining the game.  Besides, I'm not sure anyone really knows exactly what game we're talking about, OP's game hasn't been made yet.

I'm talking about games with time based mechanics that limit gameplay.  Which games have you played with the mechanics that you didn't like?  I'd love for you to list them.

I've already mentioned some of the games.  Have you played them?  Or will you ignore anything I post if it doesn't align with your preconceived notions?  You've yet to back your claims with anything but more opinion.

Crossroads of the Four Elements
Legend of the Red Dragon
Brave Fencer Musashi
Tradewars / Trade Wars 2002
Sim City
Sim Earth

All very popular games that have loyal followings, and three of them are text based, yet still being played because of the devout following.  Google is your friend, if you want to learn more and don't want to take my word for it.

I can list more, but I'm getting the feeling it's not really worth my time responding...

[Core Xii]

Blanket statements like yours are nearly always false.  Eg: Don't blame the gun for killing people.  Ergo, Don't blame the mechanic for ruining the game.

I wasn't. I argued that the mechanic itself, in its abstract form, sucks. I've only mentioned one game, Animal Crossing, and I even wrote "incidentally" in that sentence. If I understood you correctly, to claim that I'm making a blanket statement that "because all games I've observed had this mechanic and they sucked, therefore the mechanic itself must suck too", is blatantly false.

Asking for evidence to support your claim, which is that the mechanic doesn't suck, is also not a blanket statement; it's a request to strengthen your position.

I'm talking about games with time based mechanics that limit gameplay.  Which games have you played with the mechanics that you didn't like?  I'd love for you to list them.

I don't even remember, besides Animal Crossing; some crappy browser-based games probably. I don't see how that's relevant though, as per the above. It's a bit strange that you accuse me of making a blanket statement, then ask me to continue making it.

I've already mentioned some of the games.  Have you played them?  Or will you ignore anything I post if it doesn't align with your preconceived notions?  You've yet to back your claims with anything but more opinion.

If you read back to what you wrote, you mentioned a couple games as being flexible. I requested that you name games that have been successful, as per your claim that "many games have already embraced such designs quite successfully". Flexibility does not imply success. It is only now that you list games that are allegedly popular (which is still not quite the same as being successful):

Crossroads of the Four Elements
Legend of the Red Dragon
Brave Fencer Musashi
Tradewars / Trade Wars 2002
Sim City
Sim Earth

Sim City and Sim Earth are not games that have the discussed mechanic. They both allow you to control time, to run their respective simulations as fast as possible. Of all the other games listed above, there's barely any mention on the whole of the Internet, other than in historical context. Perhaps you could direct me to a source backing your claims of popularity and success?

[VortexCortex]

It is only now that you list games that are allegedly popular (which is still not quite the same as being successful):

Crossroads of the Four Elements
Legend of the Red Dragon
Brave Fencer Musashi
Tradewars / Trade Wars 2002
Sim City
Sim Earth

Sim City and Sim Earth are not games that have the discussed mechanic. They both allow you to control time, to run their respective simulations as fast as possible. Of all the other games listed above, there's barely any mention on the whole of the Internet, other than in historical context. Perhaps you could direct me to a source backing your claims of popularity and success?

First off, running the Sim games forward removes your ability to control things to a finite degree, and is not the only way to play them.  For instance, I play Sim City by leaving it on a PC that's always on and running the game.  At this point in the game I only interact with it from time to time, the passage of time is linked to reality, and I must check in occasionally to prevent disaster.  I put it to you that emulating such an experience can be very enjoyable.

You only reinforce your blanket statement with opinion of one game and that crappy games are crappy, failing to consider if it's the mechanic itself or just the crappy game.  You're entitled to your opinion, but having a closed mind and thinking that none could use the mechanic itself to positive effect (in a way that doesn't suck) is exceedingly arrogant.  It's downright foolish to think this way.

Since you can't seem to effectively use search engines, I'll give you a crutch before I cut my losses (I think closed minds aren't worth interacting with, but I give everyone a chance).

Crossroads or xroads, was played and loved by many, and still is played and loved.  I am a huge fan, and so is the maintainer of the Java port of crossroads, as are the other players of the game that still play via telnet client to this day.  I included it because I believed its cult following met your (re)definition of "successful".

Legend of the Red Dragon

Legend of the Red Dragon (LORD) is a text-based online role-playing video game, released in 1989 by Robinson Technologies. LORD is one of the best known door games.
...
In Gamasutra's essay ... LORD was considered to be a highly playable and memorable game, with colorful text and humor. The Escapist magazine highlighted the way LORD handled sexuality...

TradeWars 2002

TW2002 was named #10 "Ten Greatest PC Games Ever" by PC World in 2009.

Brave Fencer Musashi

Brave Fencer Musashi sold approximately 648,803 copies in Japan during 1998, making it the 17th best-selling game of the year in that region.
...
Metacritic gives Brave Fencer Musashi a score of 81 out of 100

Since you keep redefining what success is (protip: Animal Crossing is a successful game) I'll throw this in even though I didn't want to:
Nearly Every "successful" MMORPG has the mechanic we're talking about.

Using code to emulate the online experience has been proven successful with various games, one being .hack (which I also previously mentioned)

The series has received mixed reviews, but positive sales figures. As of March 2004, sales of the .hack games exceeded 1.73 million, with 780,000 copies sold in Japan. Jeremy Dunham of IGN praised the unique concept of playing an "offline" MMORPG and the lengths gone to preserve the illusion.

The mixed reviews, but positive sales are due to the games huge cult following...

Unfortunately, it seems you've an inability to think beyond your own poor experiences with "Animal Crossing" and "some crappy browser-based games" and have closed your mind to even the possibility that the mechanic could ever be good...

I suggest you open your mind and go level up your gamer exp.

[YellowLime]

I'm going to be an asshole and pretend I'm missing the point, so as to post this.

[Graham.]

Yeah, yeah... Zynga....

[Seiseki]

Yeah, yeah... Zynga....

I realized that a lot of mobile apps and social games abuse this mechanic to no end.
But that doesn't mean you have to troll a legitimate topic.

[Graham.]

Hunh. Who's trolling?

[Seiseki]

Hunh. Who's trolling?

Lol, I totally misunderstood. Saw that you posted earlier in the thread.

Thought you were responding to the first post, and that zynga reference just made me see red, sorry

[Core Xii]

Once again, Sim City does not contain the element that we're talking about. You can not present Sim City as an example, only because you personally play it differently, by some arbitrary rules you invented yourself. Sim City's success is not attributed to its ability to be played in this way (nor is it designed as such, and thank god for that; it would never have been the success it was if it were). Also, forwarding time does not remove any control. You can pause at any time. You can even save and load at will, giving you absolute control at all times. This is false for any game exhibiting the mechanic we're (well, you don't seem to be) discussing. Animal Crossing is an example. While you can hard-reset the game console to effectively "reload", the game is designed to punish you severely for it (Resetti the mole or whatever complains at you for massive pain).

Congratulations. You managed to find the same, few, inadequate sources reinforcing your position as I did and dismissed. Holy crap, PC World thought it was good!? And some people still play some ancient game by telnet?? This is your definition of success - one mention on the whole of the Internet??? MMORPGs... I'm running out of question marks.

Yeah ok, maybe we're having a huge disconnect on the terminology. When I say 'successful', I mean 'revered by experienced game designers around the world'. Not popularity, units sold, or cult following. Think of the Mona Lisa; I'm pretty sure it's considered to be one of the most successful paintings in history. But your average Joe wouldn't appreciate it, it wouldn't sell squat if endlessly copied and there's more than a few cult followers in its wake. (do correct me if I'm wrong - I know nothing of paintings)

I'm tired of you ignoring the point and accusing me of close mindedness and blanket statements. How about you actually try to describe why the mechanic is enjoyable in any way? So far I've gathered "flexible" and "solves technical multiplayer limitations" (no longer valid). Neither's hardly a fanfare in its favor.

[Seiseki]

No one said this was some fantastic game mechanic used by industry veterans.
It has problems, it's an extremely experimental concept and also a bit fuzzy on the details.

But dismissing it completely based on games that exist today is like dismissing turn-based games (like a large portion of AAA devs do currently) or AR games (augmented reality), or other even more obscure formats.

I'm confident that the idea could be turned into something good. I'm not basing that on any game that currently exist (perhaps a tiny bit on animal crossing).
But I'm basing it on joys of gardening, having a pet, nurturing something, having an aquarium.
And if you can't relate to that, well as I said, this isn't a game for you. And you don't seem to be able to think about it in terms that aren't subjective, without references to something that exists here and now.

Imagine if pioneers within some genre, like Markus Persson would have listened to someone like you.
"block games? name any good block game, name any industry veteran fond of block game mechanic)

Not saying that this will turn out to be something as huge as that, or even something good.
Just saying that if we don't explore new things then we might as well get a cubicle job making the next space marine first person shooter for the xbox.

[Core Xii]

I'm convinced we actually agree with each other for the most part, just can't seem to communicate. I concur with everything you just said, except your confidence it could be turned into something good. By all means, explore. My opinion is, rather explore something else.