A common trope in video games is the passage of time, including day and night cycles. Depending on the game, this can either be an attempt at realism or a way to introduce other features (including a night-based variant of the Underground Monkey). The result is one or more of the following: Of course, the time cycle seldom seems to affect the actual plot of the game (except in the case of a Timed Mission); events tend to happen at the appointed place no matter how long it takes for you to get there. Contrast Take Your Time. NPC Scheduling is a subtrope.