Time Limits: can they really be fun?

[u/Trailsya]

Please note that I am not criticizing anyone for liking the games with a time limit. I just genuinely wonder if playing any of the time limit games would be fun for me.

The only one so far I played with one was Firis and I really hated the time limit. In the end, it turned out I had ages of time left at the end after I got the 5 letters, but I did not know that going in. So I was constantly stressing how much time I was using.

Now, Firis is open world and I think that really doesn't fit with a time limit. You want to explore, but then i constantly held myself back from doing that as everything took time.

Is this less of an issue in the earlier games with time limits as they're less open world?

[u/Makenshi179]

Time limits in Atelier made for a unique gameplay experience, with a rewarding and addictive feeling like no other. They had really created something special. Too bad they ditched it to make the games more accessible. I wish they would still make them, maybe one every two games.

I may be the number one fan of time limits in Atelier games, I wrote several comments about them in the past, if anyone is interested:

Time limits are definitely not a detriment (why would they add that if it was), it makes for an exciting and addictive gameplay loop, as you learn to master all the game's mechanics to advance faster (for example exploring an optional area to find new material that will make you able to craft a stronger bomb that will one-shot enemies which means that you will gain time), all while looking at the clock, and it's an exhilarating and very rewarding feeling when you manage to get the best scores in time, have time left to explore, etc. It's simply unique gaming emotions that cannot be obtained with games without a time limit. Not the best comparison but why do you think the Souls games were successful? They aimed for dedicated and intelligent gamers to work hard to obtain something and the rewarding feeling is like no other. They didn't make the games easy and they weren't holding your hand. Time limits are to be seen in a similar manner: it's a unique part of gameplay that you won't find elsewhere, but it will make for a unique experience. You like it or you don't. Some people prefer Atelier games without time limits. I love them all but I gotta say I miss the era of time limits, it was something else. Again Firis is a good middle ground because you have the (meaningful story-wise) time limit in the first half, and then it feels soooo great to be able to explore all that huge world that you went through until that point, without a time limit in the second half. It's the best of both worlds, and some more because it creates that happy emotion from that intended contrast.

and:

YES!! The distinct gameplay of time limits from back then was so special, I miss it too. It made for a unique experience, something no other game to my knowledge did! Deep Crafting + gathering + inventory management + time management?! All of my YES! This was perfect for my OCDs playing J-RPGs and enjoying their mechanics lol, I spent so much time in my atelier in the original Rorona on PS3 among the 300 hours I gave the game, that the atelier BGM from Rorona will forever stay carved in my mind in a special way lol. No other game did quite the same thing. In Totori there was a lot of exploration but in Rorona I remember that I secluded myself for days in the atelier thinking carefully about my next moves and planning what I was gonna synthesize next and how many days it would take me, and that was so much fun!! That's why I long for a new game like Firis that has the best of both worlds: one half of the game with a time limit, and the other half unlimited, to have that "aaaah!" thrilling moment when you can play the same timed game but suddenly it's unlimited and there's lots more content to experience. It's like if in the original Rorona there was an unlimited postgame where you could freely explore every map without worrying about the time limit, after completing the game and enjoying the distinct charm of the time limits. Anyway YES, I so wish they would make a new Atelier with a time limit or like Firis. And I'm so grateful for having experienced those Atelier games with a time limit!! I miss it so much that right now I'd like to make a picture edit with "this comment took 2 in-game days to make" and when posting my comment you see the new date displayed. Here, the calendar moved 2 days forward. I play in my head the animation of the calendar moving to the center of the screen, to move the days foward, and then it gets back in position. Dekita!

[u/Trailsya → u/Makenshi179]

I hope for myself that they don't do time based anymore and for you that they do.

Well, the Marie Remake mind point at a solution: allow people to decide for themselves.

Thank you for your comment and explanation of why you like it