Both long and short rest mechanics (including cutscenes & dialogue) in BG3 need to be changed to fix the BG3 resting system; making changes to only one will likely do little. if anything, to help.
- Increase the # of short rests per long rest. There's no reason it should be limited to 2, especially because:
- Hit Dice are a natural limit to # of short rests. Since you only get back half with a LR, this naturally encourages players to LR when they have ~1/4 their hit die left
- Untie cutscenes from LRs, at least the ones that don't require night-time. This includes allowing dialogue while traveling in the world and/or during SRs, not just at base camp.
- Change the ability to freely LR anywhere, anytime, an ~unlimited # of times. This can be done using one or all of the following: change the food system, restrict ability to LR in certain locations, and/or have the game react to the # of times you LR (ideally, NOT by causing sudden and permanent loss of content. Changes to content and/or non-permanent effects--e.g., companion disapproval--are reasonable effects imo)
- Make the cutscene where the party initially finds out that the ceremorphosis ISN'T progressing as normal unavoidable and happen before the grove. This directly tells the player that the tadpole situation isn't actually as urgent as previously communicated.
After all or most of that is done, then limits on # of SRs needed before a LR is available or SR limits themselves can be discussed. But honestly, at that point those changes won't really be needed.
I also would probably miss a lot of content if long rests have a lot of the story, because I try and do well in fights and conserve resources. It's strange because the better you are at the game, the less you'll need to long rest, and the more content you miss, and that's backwards.
I can agree with the sentiment that short rests should be tied to hit dice - although you should not be forced to spend them if you don't need to - and/or no more than 3 permitted per long rest. It generally feels like it's a reasonable idea to limit long rests to after 3 short rests. If that framework was put into place, it would force Larian to take a look at what story beats should go into long rests, and whether they can put some of those long-rest only scenes elsewhere, such as in areas between combat encounters.
That's not a great notification because the result is what you have currently. I've literally LR'd and run through Moonhaven - not even a single fight - and I had a character tell me they're tired and it's been a long day. Not even 5 minutes of adventure, and not a single fight, and the game is telling me to End Day already.
That is why a long time ago I suggested that SR should also allow for dialogues at camp. An SR is supposed to be an hour or more of resting, repairing armor, etc. So, why not transition to camp for SR as well and allow dialogues? Or, better yet, just allow dialogues while you're traveling on the road together? Why do they have to take place at camp?
Tying some of the long rest scenes into short rests is kinda interesting as well.
