Majora's Mask
A Zelda adventure where the moon falls and time resets every three in-game days.
Where Majora's Mask comes up1 episode or test
- 1Three days beginAbout an hour of real time
- 2Simulation runsFixed span, not endless schedules
- 3Moon crashesHard end after three in-game days
- 4Time resetsLoops back to the start
From Mark Brown, Game Maker's Toolkit
What was said about Majora's Mask
Majora's Mask ends its simulation with a moon crash after three days. The moon falls after three in-game days, about an hour of real time at default speed, and time then loops back to the start. Game Maker's Toolkit calls it perhaps the quintessential clockwork game.
Mark Brown's point is that clockwork games need a fixed end because developers can't simulate schedules forever and some story events can't be missed. Looping time back to the start, as in Groundhog Day, is the most common answer. He lists Outer Wilds (supernova after 22 minutes) and Dead Rising (helicopter returns after 72 in-game hours) as other games that set an end point. Quote: "time can't exactly go on forever".
Clockwork Games and Time Loops
Called perhaps the quintessential clockwork game. The moon crashes after three in-game days, which is about an hour of real time at default speed.
Majora's Mask ends its simulation with a moon crash after three days. The moon falls after three in-game days, about an hour of real time at default speed, and time then loops back to the start. Game Maker's Toolkit calls it perhaps the quintessential clockwork game.
Mark Brown's point is that clockwork games need a fixed end because developers can't simulate schedules forever and some story events can't be missed. Looping time back to the start, as in Groundhog Day, is the most common answer. He lists Outer Wilds (supernova after 22 minutes) and Dead Rising (helicopter returns after 72 in-game hours) as other games that set an end point. Quote: "time can't exactly go on forever".
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