Regarding time and timed-quests - again no need to look further than BG2. There were VERY few timed quests and the time budget was usually very benevolent. What we get now is basically no indication of time passing and at the same time MISSING/LOSING STUFF & NPCS WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT because of rest.
Getting a quest with clear indication that it is time-sensitive and very benevolent time-budget SOMETIMES is fine. Finding e.g. Nadira's or Mirkon's dead body before ever meeting them because you decided to have a rest after entering a certain location REALLY sucks. You can't even argue it's realistic because the timer is usually triggered by you entering some location for the first time, though the events leading to those NPCs' death have nothing to do with you.
