In-Game Clock

[Sapient6]

I wonder if FD could introduce an feature whereby all the in-game clocks and timers could be given the same offset?

They can. Computers track time in a completely different format, ED is already converting that to UTC in multiple locations. How difficult it would be for them to introduce an option here would depend entirely upon how diligent FDev have been about code reuse.

 

[Bartizan]

I disagree. WoW had a clock that showed server time by default but could be changed to local time, and scheduling events was never problematic ("raid starts at 9pm server time" == "everyone shows up").

You kind of defeated your own argument there.

 

[mono]

Been down this road

Maybe the devs could/should give us a toggle to have the clock on/off, then it's problem solved. I do a lot of exploring and don't particularly want UTC displayed in the top right corner.

 

[YinYin]

Now the only question remaining is - what in game purpose could a second time have?

I mean unless you are stuck inside a hmd you surely have other time sources beside your in game display?

And your local time really is only relevant to you outside of the game. So it's not really something the game needs to offer - like many other software tasks that will simply never be addressed by elite.

I disagree. WoW had a clock that showed server time by default but could be changed to local time, and scheduling events was never problematic ("raid starts at 9pm server time" == "everyone shows up").

Of course, if you keep both.

 

[Deleted member 115407]

Now the only question remaining is - what in game purpose could a second time have?

I mean unless you are stuck inside a hmd you surely have other time sources beside your in game display?

And your local time really is only relevant to you outside of the game. So it's not really something the game needs to offer - like many other software tasks that will simply never be addressed by elite.



Of course, if you keep both.

If it's immersion we're talking about, it's far less immersive for me to look at the coffee pot next to my computer desk, than it is for me to just look at my HUD.

 

[Sapient6]

So, about that watch in Skyrim your character has? My most recent game not Elite is Fallout 4. Can't make my damn pip-boy change to my time zone.

Neither of these games feature an in-game clock that runs in real time, so there are very good technical reasons not to have such a feature (e.g. what happens to the time when you load a saved game?).

Games that have in-game clocks that run in real time, like Elite does, typically do allow users to switch the display to the local time. Technically it's an incredibly easy thing to do because displaying the time in any real-world format is already running that conversion. The code is already written, all they have to do is give us the option. Players that are asking for this are just asking for more options, not swaths of new code and weeks of developer time.

Honestly, I'd be just as happy with an option to turn the display of the time off.

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You kind of defeated your own argument there.

If you say so.

 

[Cmdr Eran Mintor]

Do some math. Alt tab. Look at your phone. Look at a clock. Look outside. Get up for a walk. Seriously just do some math it's not hard. You're smart I'm sure.

 

[Jack Schitt]

They can. Computers track time in a completely different format, ED is already converting that to UTC in multiple locations. How difficult it would be for them to introduce an option here would depend entirely upon how diligent FDev have been about code reuse.

Well yeah, I know technically they can. It was more a question of willingness. Bad wording on my part, I agree.

 

[Sapient6]

Do some math. Alt tab. Look at your phone. Look at a clock. Look outside. Get up for a walk. Seriously just do some math it's not hard. You're smart I'm sure.

I'm sitting right there in front of a machine that is not only capable of doing that math in an automated fashion, but already contains and is running the code that is doing that math. You should turn off your computer and play Elite with pen and paper and do the math yourself. It's not hard. You're smart I'm sure.

 

[YinYin]

If it's immersion we're talking about, it's far less immersive for me to look at the coffee pot next to my computer desk, than it is for me to just look at my HUD.

No, that wasn't the point. Just wondering if there could be further reasons for the feature to enhance the game itself. Because as it stands nothing would really give this a very high priority.

 

[Deleted member 115407]

So, for now I will concede. I suppose I am stuck with your silly English clock, but don't expect me to like it.

 

[Sapient6]

Well yeah, I know technically they can. It was more a question of willingness. Bad wording on my part, I agree.

Ah yes, that's a much better question, and much harder to answer. Where does the mule go when there are hundreds of leads all being pulled in opposite directions?

 

[Deleted member 115407]

Ah yes, that's a much better question, and much harder to answer. Where does the mule go when there are hundreds of leads all being pulled in opposite directions?

Yes, and if it's a choice between a clock and more important things, then I choose the latter.

 

[Reverend TZW]

Would all this with the clock and setting local time zones put an end to Mission Critical Updates that say, 'Oh by the way, we need that stuff you're hauling quicker. You now have 0hrs 0mins to deliver and collect this fat bonus'?

Because that's what I'd like to see before anything else is introduced.......the things that don't work properly getting fixed.

Just sayin'.

 

[Pumabear8]

So, for now I will concede. I suppose I am stuck with your silly English clock, but don't expect me to like it.

I recommend MSI Afterburner and RivaTuner, I use it normally to monitor my graphics card in game, but will also display system time, I've got mine in top left corner with color matching the hud.

 

[Deleted member 115407]

I recommend MSI Afterburner and RivaTuner, I use it normally to monitor my graphics card in game, but will also display system time, I've got mine in top left corner with color matching the hud.

Thanks man, I'll check them out. As someone suggested earlier, I'm sure there are some simple overlay clocks out there I can check out as well.

 

[shadragon]

One solid reason to keep GMT as the only reference is the log files. Imagine a dev trying to suss an issue using log files from multiple players who all have their own time zones set. Even more than a few seconds of time discrepancy between them can screw you up.

Another is Wings. "I'll meet you there at one o'clock guys." "Huh, that was an hour ago." "No, it's not for another two and a half hours."

The clock is a game clock. It relates to missions and game time.

 

[DaveB]

They can. Computers track time in a completely different format, ED is already converting that to UTC in multiple locations. How difficult it would be for them to introduce an option here would depend entirely upon how diligent FDev have been about code reuse.

Well, probably not. They are likely using the standard C library call to return a date/time struct in UTC. There's no percentage in recoding the built in function that handles converting decimal "seconds since epoch" to a zoned date/time. Given that the "seconds since epoch" way computers count time natively is exactly equivalent by simple arithmetic to the Julian day numbers used by astronomers and those calculating such things as orbital mechanics, I'd say if we were to have an "alternative" time display in ED, make it that one and try and find a name other than "star date" for it that Paramount won't try and sue over

 

[Ironwolf]

Problem solved if we all have a random clock that is not from our time zone.

 

[racer1]

So, for now I will concede. I suppose I am stuck with your silly English clock, but don't expect me to like it.

You know it's not English time, it is UTC. England is currently UTC +1.

Would you really FD spent resources on allowing you to change the clock and making all mission times relative to it or fix some bugs that actually affect game play?