The timer is probably narrative only. Actual timers tend to really badly ruin the fun for a broad swath of player audience and this sort of false urgency tends to be a normal thing in RPGs both Western and Japanese. That said, I just wish I could switch party make-up without going to camp every time. But I've gotten to 4th level on 3 rests and I have a friend who last I heard had gotten to 3rd on 1 rest. There doesn't need to be anymore limitation on rest...maybe have an achievement for getting to levels without resting.
Completely agree with timers being horrible. Also agree with being able to switch party members outside of camp.
You know part of what bothers me about the rest mechanic is that it just narratively makes no sense. You are just magically whisked away to a camp and then just magically appear right where you left off.
I think I would be happier with it if they explained this narratively. Like, give the player and item that teleports them to a demiplane where the camp is. Kind of like the place you could teleport to in DOS1 that served as your home base.
Also, don’t force the player to rest to leave camp. Let them go there to just talk to Party, switch characters, put things in storage etc. and they can rest if they want to, but don’t require it.
