Just make them grow in the middle only... Problem solved.
I have litteraly no idea what does this means.
Timed events would make sense and would make the world alive.
I guess no one would complain if timed events would mean "different story" rather than only "missing content".
The world ... yes, sure, absolutely ... but only if
whole world would be actualy alive. :-/
I would love it, honestly ...
In one playthrough i would went East (Goblin Camp) from Blighted Willage ... then, when i would return and went south, i would find Marina Brothers allready dead ... then, when i would return and went Norht, i would find Zhentarim agents allready eaten by Gnolls, and only remains of Gith encounter with Flaming Fist ...
In another one i would went either to South or Norht ... and presuming it would take me simmilar amount of long rest, i would find Druid Groove under siege when i would return there, bcs Minthara allready get the information she wanted from the prisoner.
Another example ...
In one playthrough i would went straight to Druid Groove ... and i would find Aradin and his group running from the goblins (just as we do now).
In another one, i would go explore the crypt and it would take me longer (lets say i used 3 Long rests there for example ... not sure why would i, but lets say i did) ... when i would get to the Grove, i would find only bodies.
(It would be awesome, if Game would also roll some random number generator for who of Aradins group would survive, if you ask me. :P )
That is what i imagine when someone say "make the World alive" ...
Everything is happening in its time, and its up to us wich way we will pick and what adventure we will experience ... but we would never be able to see everything in single gameplay.
To imagine that in one gameplay i would be unable to expose Kagha as Shadow druid bcs "i explored the world around, therefore it took me too long, and the quest limit expired" ...
And in another one i would be totally able, bcs "i first explored whole world around and THEN i speak to Kagha, wich started the timer" ...
And yet in both cases Halsin was patiently waiting in his cage, while goblin kids was also patiently waiting to throw their stones ... bcs that is something completely unrelated to *THIS* timer, and therefore not affected by it ... that is just odd. :-/
Just because something is immediately convenient to the player it doesn’t necessarily make for a better game in the long run.
In fact it’s often the opposite. Dealing with the restrictions of the hand you’ve been served is precisely what makes some scenarios engaging.
Same thing goes other way around ...
That is why games usualy contain Dificiulty settings in the final release.
- you want restrictions to have engaging scenarios ... you have them.
- you want to be imune to damage ... you have it.
