Honestly, I wouldn’t expect full simulation-heavy NPC schedules even in the next Divinity: Original Sin 2 successor. Larian clearly prioritizes reactive quests, cinematic presentation, voice acting, and encounter design over systemic world simulation.
I do agree though that day/night cycles and NPC routines add a huge amount of immersion. Even older RPGs with much smaller budgets managed to create worlds that felt more “alive” moment to moment. In Baldur's Gate 3, the world feels reactive narratively, but not necessarily simulated.
That said, I think Larian’s strength is player choice and encounter freedom, not sandbox simulation. If they ever try combining both at full scale, the game would probably take 15 years to make
