Game Description

You rarely get an urgent quest, and even if you did you could easily do several, so long as you don't advance time in Kingdom management (which is often by 2 weeks). I could've reloaded but I already built a bunch of buildings and didn't want to do it over. Granted time advancement in Kingdom management is not well implemented and makes it not mesh well with the rest of the game.

That's the kind of thing that bothers me. Especially if multiple quests have countdowns.

Not to me. Whether you play slow or fast those timers affect you the same. And I never really noticed a problem except when I ignored an urgent quest and advanced the clock instead.

When I was younger I didn't mind timers as much because my main goal was to beat the game and if that means beating the clock then ok, whatever it takes. It was a challenge I had to overcome and I did it in the most efficient way, which usually meant never experiencing a good chunk of the game because it was not necessary /e.g. some side stuff/ or efficient /wild magic? just drop a web and a fireball/.Nowadays this is not a main priority anymore, I finish the game either to see how the story plays out /if I don't already know/ or else to experience it again or to bring some closure to my character's adventure.So yeah, pretty much the opposite approach but at the same time very similar in the reinvigorating part.

Those timers are just as bad.

I believe the Kingmaker timers have nothing to do with how fast you play, but only with time that elapses while you character travels or rests or the clock is advanced in kingdom management mode dependent on how long in game days a task takes.

Yeah, I'm honestly the opposite. When I was younger, I hated timers of any kind.But these days, I feel like they add a certain sense of excitement and make the whole adventure seem more organic, even if they're cosmetic. In general, it's like I've unshackled myself from some rigid correct way of playing, and now I don't loot everything, use consumables as soon as I get them, and sometimes when presented with a side quest, I just say - nah.And I have to say - this new approach has really invigorated my enthusiasm for games. But to each their own, as they say.

Thanks for elaborating. I don't mean to start an argument, just to state my case: I know timers are there to create a sense of urgency, and that's exactly it - I don't want any urgency in my playthrough. Like you said, no one's getting any younger, I'd add that no one's getting any less tired. My job is mentally demanding and deadlines are tight, so what rare moments I don't spend devoted to that or to my family, I'd like to spend doing stuff as slowly as humanly possible. When I play a CRPG, I like to wander around, talk to everyone, do any side stuff I find interesting, read in-game books and flavour texts, drink in inns to get rumours, try out obscure or non-essential spells and abilities, come up with new ways to kill the enemies I know and love, etc. Stick a timer to that /no matter how lax/ and the whole thing turns into the last bullet point on today's to do list.

There are "soft" timers, so-to speak. Like, you have a certain amount of time to prepare for some events (like a horde-defense quest), and depending on what you do, those will be easier or harder. And afterwards you get to explore without hassle.Later on, you're technically on the clock due to crusade morale - you have to keep winning crusade battles in order not to lose it. But without ever rushing, the thing never moved out of the green for me. And I'm honestly not even sure what the penalties are for low morale. I don't think you just lose the game outright.Then again, I never mentioned timers because they were such a non-factor both here and in Kingmaker, I couldn't imagine a scenario where they would become relevant. So, I guess your mileage may vary. I feel they're beyond generous and are there purely for flavor, so it's hard for me to say whether they would affect you more or less here than in Kingmaker.

The choices you could make in 2 were fantastic. I made in that game my second favourite character ever (after the Amazon from D2), just a screamer who could only use Force Scream and hand to hand combat, and force speed and buffs like that, but nothing that required what I would consider mental balance. Outside of combat, whatever, in combat, crazy. So fun.