This is not about sandbox or different outcomes... And absolutely not about returning for rewards in the same area...
This is all about the feeling you're part of a real world that isn't player-centric.
This is about RP.
BG was player-centric to an EXTREME level. You alone among your companions were unique; you were destined to literally become a *god*. So that's neither here no there. The long rest nighttime camping is likewise RP as it simulates the passage of time in a roundabout more controlled manner. The many areas in darkness can indirectly hide the lack of nighttime during play outside; you get a balanced diet of light and dark conditions. Different perspectives I guess.
BG had N/D and you have to sleep... I don't understand why you're talking about Fallout 4. This is not a reference to me.
You didn't *have* to sleep. Nothing compelled you to do so. You did it to regain spells and because the passage of time really didn't matter in almost all cases beyond vaguely remembering some quests being time sensitive.
No point in "returning" ? I'll answer, but maybe you should add "staying"...
What about quests, main or side you come to give back to someone ?
What about the cities of Baldur's Gate and Atkhatla you explore for hours ?
Hence my use of "almost any area", Baldur's Gate city being an obvious exception and a hub where you returned repeatedly. I really hate such hubs with a vengeance; as they towards way too much talk (filling up the quest log with so many quests that each individual quest is diminished by the sheer amount) and too little action. Baldur's Gate city was pretty well balanced though.
Without D/N you only see the environment at 11AM, everytime, whatever you're doing.
Maybe you don't care, that's ok but please, don't tell me it's not immersion breaking... And don't tell me Larian's worlds are consistant when time is something that doesn't exist (exept through illusions to use your own word -> DrunkPunk just give another exemple of illusion down... the "7" days)
I actually would prefer d/n cycles too. Our disagreement is on the importance of a visual implementation, and I also see some nuance and issues with it that you seem to be in the dark about. See what I did there? Hurr hurr.
1. As previously mentioned, spellcasters in D&D are somewhat balanced by limited spell slots, but nevertheless universally seen as OP. A d/n cycle would forgo of this balancing mechanic. How long real-time to emulate a cycle? 30 min? Your party could be topped up on health and spells at all times. This is admittedly counteracted by increased combat-focus of cRPGs. But again, Larian is already buffing the most powerful spellcaster, the Wizard, to have two full fillings of spell slots through Arcane Recovery.
2. A free d/n cycle mechanic would almost certainly work against any story driven time constraints. Like most pressing issue; the tadpoles being a ticking bomb in your party's heads. Normal ceremorphosis (the time it takes the tadpoles to devour the host's brain) time is one week. The video with Raphael, the devil, hints at the player becoming so desperate as to return begging to do a deal with the devil. The assumption is passage of time, cause you can refrain to use your tadpole powers throughout the game like I refrained from using my slayer-form in the original series.
3. A game with *proper* d/n cycle would force Larian to delve into Bethesda sandboxy style of world-building (games that are not story-driven). It would be immersion breaking for creatures to stay in one place and never rest for instance. Not implementing the typical d/n can be seen as *helpful* immersion here as real-time now equals game-time in a way it never is or can be with d/n cycles, thus forgoing the need for complex AI behaviour.
Don't get me wrong, I like Larian's games but here we're not talking about DoS... We're talking about the legendary Baldur's Gate.
You're from Belgium. You *have* to like their games or they would throw french, pardon, *belgian* frittes with mayo at you on the street lol. I have high expectations for BG3 too. But with BG3 I quickly realized many people have such unrealistic expectations they are setting the game up for failure in their own minds. BG was the game that revived a dying RPG-genre and I loved it dearly at the time. Playing through the Enhanced Edition helped to keep things better in perspective; no doubt it was great for it's time, but most of the emotion it invokes to this day is centered around rose-tinted nostalgia derived from *who* we as gamer's were when we first played the series. Younger, less jaded and certainly less entitled. Perhaps more so than *what* the game was, how good it was.
EDIT : I could add that their stealth mecanics looks a little bit ridiculous atm... Stay in the shadow of a tree at 11AM and you're not half-stealthy but that's another (immersion breaking) point.
Environmental conditions, including the ones the player creates (like putting out torches or casting darkness spell), and enemy line-of-sight will have an effect on sneaking. Darkvision plays also is accounted for and you can enter turn-based mode for precision movement. But yeah, where as I didn't notice the "ridiculous mechanics" you allude to, I appreciate BG3 is in pre-alpha still. Besides, I don't expect perfection in a *team-based* game not-centered around such mechanics. Again, different perspectives each just as valid - but mine will allow me to appreciate the upcoming game for what it is, not for what I expect it to be.
