History Main / NPCScheduling

** Oblivion's precursor ''TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'' had [=NPCs=] stand around in one place at all times (or, occasionally, wander in a fixed area) but a [[GameMod third party mod]] did create rudimentary NPC scheduling within cities.

* ''{{Arcanum}}'' - Partial example: salespersons walk into a back room at night to sleep, but stand completely still at their sales desk all day long.

* ''{{Chulip}}'' - the people you have to kiss (yeah, it's a WidgetSeries) either wander about in town, are home, or aren't anywhere you can find them at all depending on the time of day.
* ''DeadlyPremonition'' has every single named story character follow a routine, which even changes depending on what's currently going on in the story. They even change their routine depending on the weather.

** Taken [[UpToEleven to the logical extreme]] in ''PokemonBlackAndWhite'', where the stadiums in Nimbasa town open and close at varying times across the day to prepare for and hold sporting matches, [=NPCs=] that only show up on the weekends or weekdays, Swarming Pokemon that change each day, and the changing seasons of the world (which change at the end of each month of real time), which will cause certain [=NPCs=] and areas to become available or be made unavailable depending on the season and the weather. Certain pokemon are only catchable in the Winter, while a man who trades (the only) Munchlax in the game shows up in the summer, as well as TheCameo by Cynthia occurring then.

** Oblivion's [[TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind precursor]] had [=NPCs=] stand around in one place at all times (or, occasionally, wander in a fixed area) but a [[GameMod third party mod]] did create rudimentary NPC scheduling within cities.

** Oblivion's [[TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind precursor]] had NPCs stand around in one place at all times (or, occasionally, wander in a fixed area) but a [[GameMod third party mod]] did create rudimentary NPC scheduling within cities.

** [[TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]] continued the trend. Interestingly, while [[TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]] had most NPCs standing in place twenty-four hours a day (or wandering a very limited area), a third-party [[GameMod mod]] did add a rudimentary schedule system for city-bound NPCs.

* Along with Oblivion (from the same company), very well done in ''{{Fallout}} 3''. Stand around a town long enough, you'll see people doing chores, going to eat, sleeping, etc.

* ''DarkCloud'' - There doesn't seem to be any set schedule, but aside from the shopkeeper all of the {{NPC}}s will wander about the town. You'll also get slightly different rewards from some of the residents at different times of day.

* In ''AnimalCrossing'', animal villagers wander about town in real time according to the system clock. Mostly this sets whether the villagers are in their houses, outside, visiting each other or you (if you invite them over), or if they are sleeping. How much time they spend indoors or outside as well as sleep and waking times are also set by villager's personalities.
* ''BeyondGoodAndEvil'' has, oddly, NPC scheduling for the children on the Lighthouse island. They do different things based on the InGamePlot, that change as the story progresses. It isn't really useful for anything, though, and is probably a WhatCouldHaveBeen remnant.

* ''FinalFantasyXI'' dabbled in this; in Lower Jeuno, there were a series of streetlights that needed to be lit every night, and if no player started the quest to do it, an NPC would spawn and walk down the street lighting the lamps. There were also shops that would be closed on certain days of the week and be restocked at particular times--although for some reason, they'd still hang around at their shop counter to tell you the shop was closed.

* ''PokemonGoldAndSilver'' (and ''Crystal'') have lots of {{NPC}}s that only make appearance on certain days of the week. There's even a set of 7 gift-giving {{NPC}}s that each appears only one day of the week.

* The [=NPCs=] of ''{{Gothic}}'' operated on a realistic schedule, and also judged player actions based upon the time. Standing just inside a shop door during the day was fine. Doing the same at night was considered suspicious behavior.

* This is a major part of the HarvestMoon franchise. In some games in the series you can even follow characters as they move between various locations following their daily routine, which may be different depending on the day of the week, date, season, weather, or plot events.

* ''DeadlyPremonition'' has every single named story character follow a routine, which even changes depending on what's currently going on in the story. They even change their routine depending on the weather.
* The [=NPCs=] of ''{{Gothic}}'' operated on a realistic schedule, and also judged player actions based upon the time. Standing just inside a shop door during the day was fine. Doing the same at night was considered suspicious behavior.

* Several of the ''DragonQuest'' games had this, particularly the later ones (#8 comes to mind).

* In ''AnimalCrossing'', animal villagers wander about town in real time according to the system clock. Mostly this sets whether the villagers are in their houses, outside, visiting each other or you (if you invite them over), or if they are sleeping. How much time they spend indoors or outside as well as sleep and waking times are set by villager's personality's and the time.

* In ''AnimalCrossing'', animal villagers wander about in real time according to the system clock, carrying out their lives, visiting friends, and so on. It's very complex.

* In ''AnimalCrossing'', animal villagers wander about in real time according to the system clock.

** Taken [[UpToEleven to the logical extreme]] in ''PokemonBlackAndWhite'', where the stadiums in Nimbasa town open and close at varying times across the day to prepare for and hold sporting matches, NPCs that only show up on the weekends or weekdays, Swarming Pokemon that change each day, and the changing seasons of the world (which change at the end of each month of real time), which will cause certain NPCs and areas to become available or be made unavailable depending on the season and the weather. Certain pokemon are only catchable in the Winter, while a man who trades (the only) Munchlax in the game shows up in the summer, as well as TheCameo by Cynthia occurring then.

* All of the NPCs in {{Infocom}}'s ''Deadline'' (published back in 1982) had schedules; [[TrialAndErrorGameplay figuring these out]] so that the PC could be in the right place at the right time to gather evidence was a big part of the challenge.

* ''{{Pokemon}} Gold, Silver, and Crystal'' have lots of {{NPC}}s that only make appearance on certain days of the week. There's even a set of 7 gift-giving {{NPC}}s that each appears only one day of the week.

* ''{{Shenmue}}'' - one of the oldest examples if not the UrExample (needs elaboration)

* ''DarkCloud'' - There doesn't seem to be any set schedule, but aside from the shopkeeper all of the {{NPC}}s will wander about the town.

* This was one of the selling points of ''LureOfTheTemptress''.
* Possibly the ultimate example is ''TheLastExpress'', where every character, event, and the entire rest of the game runs on a strict schedule. The SaveScumming feature is even based around winding a clock back, mirroring the titular train's scheduled route along the stops of the Orient Express.

* ''RadiataStories'' had this as one of its main gimmicks. (Another was the fact that like 50% of those NPCs were {{Optional Party Member}}s.)