Hey,

I am reading the core rulebook at the moment and I cannot find where the concept of time and how to use it is explained. This is the first roleplaying game for me so I don't know how other games deal with this.

So for example in Astrogation it says that an advantage could be used to reduce travel time. How would this work?

Thx

There are a few rules for Astrogation later in the book (currently AFB or I would give the page number). They give a range of time in hours/days/weeks based upon the distance to be traveled.

Hmm...thinking about your question, you seem to have a broader intention in mind.

Are you asking about the units of time in the Star Wars setting?

Are you asking about how time should interact with a role-playing game?

How does time work in EotE?

It's all relative!

Sorry, I'll get my coat.

How does time work in EotE?

It's all relative!

Sorry, I'll get my coat.

Uh, huh. I figured you would have gone with a timey-wimey reference instead.

Are you asking about how time should interact with a role-playing game?

Yes, let's say for example the characters have to travel 72 hours to get somewhere. This certainly cannot mean that the players have to wait 72 hours outside the game. But on the other hand it wouldn't make sense if the GM just says "You start your journey and arrive on..." because in this case the traveled time would only matter storywise if for example their time to deliver runs out. But that is not always the case.

So how does it work or how do you deal with time?

We use our travel time to recover strain via resting, heal wounds, mod gear, etc. Of course, that's assuming you don't run into trouble on the way.

A 72 hr flight would allow for 3 "sleep" periods of 8hrs and 48hrs of other things one would be able to do on their ship, or more resting!

Are you asking about how time should interact with a role-playing game?

Yes, let's say for example the characters have to travel 72 hours to get somewhere. This certainly cannot mean that the players have to wait 72 hours outside the game. But on the other hand it wouldn't make sense if the GM just says "You start your journey and arrive on..." because in this case the traveled time would only matter storywise if for example their time to deliver runs out. But that is not always the case.

So how does it work or how do you deal with time?

In the films and TCW, time passing was usually handled by a screen wipe. However, if the 72 hours is a specific goal that they have to be at X place in Y number of hours, then as a GM, it's up to you to make those 72 hours interesting. They could run into obstacles that could slow them down, or score advantages in astrogation checks that might shave off a bit of time. It really depends on the story you're trying to tell.

But if it is a simple "72 hours later" you simply say, "72 hours later..." If they want to do some things during their downtime, such as modify a weapon or such, the various skill rolls they do are assumed to take place during that travel time.

You really don't want your players to hang around the table and while "are we there yet?"

Uh, huh. I figured you would have gone with a timey-wimey reference instead.

I did think about it.

Uh, huh. I figured you would have gone with a timey-wimey reference instead.

I did think about it.

It would have been much better.

Are you asking about how time should interact with a role-playing game?

Yes, let's say for example the characters have to travel 72 hours to get somewhere. This certainly cannot mean that the players have to wait 72 hours outside the game. But on the other hand it wouldn't make sense if the GM just says "You start your journey and arrive on..." because in this case the traveled time would only matter storywise if for example their time to deliver runs out. But that is not always the case.

So how does it work or how do you deal with time?

There are other good answers here, but here is one you may not have thought of... NPCs.

They player characters do not live in a vacuum (well, maybe on a spaceship). Their enemies are plotting, planning, and executing those plans. They may not always be under the gun, but certain dramatic moments or pending concerns will lead them to feel the passage of time exquisitely. You can also include it as a plot point to make a roll more important. Perhaps something will occur in transit.

But honestly, in a lot of ways... it doesn't really matter that much unless you want it to.

So go ahead and do screen wipes, time jumps, and other film/television techniques to advance the timeline. Just make sure that the players are having fun and it doesn't bog down the game.

We usually handle down time like this by allowing everyone to do things on an individual basis, like noted above ... One guy might want to work on modding or repairing a weapon he picked parts up for at the last stop, another might need the rest for a high number of strain he suffered, others might want to heal wounds or make repairs, some for the fun of it to try and pass time playing a game of pazaak (for a few credits, of course).

Time doesn't matter unless it matters.

If the one and only objective is to fly to Ryloth, then the time it takes to get there doesn't matter. Simply skip the roll and have them arrive with a "scene wipe".

But if they're being tracked, failing an Astrogation roll to lengthen the time it takes to get there means there's someone waiting in ambush. Or if they fail the Astro roll to lengthen the time, then they miss their delivery and they have to go with plan B.

But if all the situation calls for is a mundane trip from point A to point B, then time doesn't matter. If it takes 72 hours, then what you could do is use that time to let players make mods, or sleep and recover strain/wounds, or take care of other tasks.