EPTI just made a suggestion on the Battle.net forums for a feature I think would solve the real-time clock issue, as well as benefit players who like to use the clock as a benchmark for unit/structure build times.
Edit:
What this addresses - Interview with Dustin Browder
Other discussions about this
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=366628
Battle.net post
http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/6571487641#1
This topic has been brought up several times, however not many suggestions
have been made outside of just changing the clock to be real-time.
I'd like to present an alternative that I believe would
benefit both spectators as well as players.
1-Change the "Game-time Clock" to a "Game-time Counter"
-Instead of having time values, this would just be a whole number that increments every "game-time second"
-Doing mental calculations on the fly becomes much easier with whole numbers.
For example. Adding 220 to a whole number to know when my level 3 melee
upgrade will be ready is a hell of a lot easier than adding 220 to a time
value such as 12:49.
2-Add a real-time clock option as well
-This clock wouldn't be synced with the game outside of pauses.
-Since games can be played at different speeds, any games played at non-faster
speeds would have different time benchmarks, but who cares? The game-time counter will provide consistency across different game speeds.
-Replays would show the real-time clock as it was, depending on the game speed.
(Not sure this would be easy to do, the counter alone would probably be enough)
have been made outside of just changing the clock to be real-time.
I'd like to present an alternative that I believe would
benefit both spectators as well as players.
1-Change the "Game-time Clock" to a "Game-time Counter"
-Instead of having time values, this would just be a whole number that increments every "game-time second"
-Doing mental calculations on the fly becomes much easier with whole numbers.
For example. Adding 220 to a whole number to know when my level 3 melee
upgrade will be ready is a hell of a lot easier than adding 220 to a time
value such as 12:49.
2-Add a real-time clock option as well
-This clock wouldn't be synced with the game outside of pauses.
-Since games can be played at different speeds, any games played at non-faster
speeds would have different time benchmarks, but who cares? The game-time counter will provide consistency across different game speeds.
-Replays would show the real-time clock as it was, depending on the game speed.
(Not sure this would be easy to do, the counter alone would probably be enough)
TL;DR
-Change the in-game clock to a number that increments each game-second.
-Add a real-time clock that simply isn't a function of game-time.
MiniMap clock mockup
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/Alz4P.jpg)
Replay mockup
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/749ls.jpg)
Options menu mockup
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/9cILv.jpg)
Poll: What do you think of the Game-time Counter idea?
I would totally use it! (72)
52%
You're a terrible person for even thinking this was a good idea. (37)
27%
I don't mind the option, but I wouldn't use it. (16)
12%
I'd give it a try, but would probably stick to the game clock. (13)
9%
138 total votes
You're a terrible person for even thinking this was a good idea. (37)
I don't mind the option, but I wouldn't use it. (16)
I'd give it a try, but would probably stick to the game clock. (13)
138 total votes
Your vote: What do you think of the Game-time Counter idea?
(Vote): I would totally use it!
(Vote): I'd give it a try, but would probably stick to the game clock.
(Vote): I don't mind the option, but I wouldn't use it.
(Vote): You're a terrible person for even thinking this was a good idea.
