Why Time Matters in Where Winds Meet
Where Winds Meet isn’t just about combat and exploration—it’s about understanding the rhythm of the world. The game uses an ancient Chinese hour system based on moon phases, and certain activities simply won’t happen unless you’re present at the right time. Whether it’s speaking to an NPC who only emerges at dusk, activating a solar puzzle at noon, or progressing through a time-locked encounter, the clock is as important as your sword.
The good news? You don’t have to wait around in real-time for hours to pass. The game has a clever feature that lets you manipulate the time of day to your advantage. This guide walks you through everything you need to know about changing time in Where Winds Meet.
How to Change Time of Day: Step-by-Step
Changing the time of day is straightforward once you know where to look:
1. Open the Game Menu
- PC: Press ESC
- Controller: Press Start
2. Look for the Clock Icon
- On the right side of the menu, you’ll see a scrolling list of options
- Find and select the Clock Icon
3. Select Your Desired Hour
- A large clock will appear in the center of your screen
- Use the scrolling menu to browse through the available hours
- Select your target time and confirm
That’s it! You’ll instantly shift to the new time of day without any loading screens or transitions.
Understanding the Chinese Hour System
Where Winds Meet uses the traditional Chinese timekeeping system, where each “hour” actually represents a two-hour interval in real time. Here’s the complete breakdown:
| Hour Name | Time Range | Icon Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Zi | 23:00 – 1:00 | Rat |
| Chou | 1:00 – 3:00 | Ox |
| Yin | 3:00 – 5:00 | Tiger |
| Mao | 5:00 – 7:00 | Rabbit |
| Chen | 7:00 – 9:00 | Dragon |
| Si | 9:00 – 11:00 | Snake |
| Wu | 11:00 – 13:00 | Horse |
| Wei | 13:00 – 15:00 | Goat |
| Shen | 15:00 – 17:00 | Monkey |
| You | 17:00 – 19:00 | Rooster |
| Xu | 19:00 – 21:00 | Dog |
| Hai | 21:00 – 23:00 | Pig |
Each hour is marked by its Pinyin name and paired with a corresponding zodiac animal. Once you understand this system, navigating time-locked content becomes much easier.
Real-World Examples: When Time Matters
Time isn’t just a mechanical system—it affects gameplay in meaningful ways. Here are some real encounters and quests where you’ll need to adjust the clock:
The Man in the Well Encounter This encounter requires you to return during the Zi Hour (late night, 23:00 – 1:00). The mysterious figure only appears in the darkness, so daytime visits won’t help you progress.
Halo Peak Tower Solar Puzzle This environmental puzzle must be activated during the Wu Hour (11:00 – 13:00), when the sun reaches its zenith. The puzzle is designed around the position of the sun at noon, making this timing crucial for solving it.
March of the Dead Quest To progress further in this quest, you need to return during the Mao Hour (5:00 – 7:00), likely tying into the quest’s thematic elements around dawn.
Twisted Destiny Quest As explored in our Twisted Destiny quest walkthrough, you’ll need to change to the Zi Hour to complete investigation objectives at the General’s Shrine.
Time-Sensitive Mechanics Beyond Quests
The time system affects more than just quest progression. Several other gameplay elements respond to the time of day:
NPC Availability Certain NPCs only appear during specific hours. If you’re trying to complete affection questlines or gather information from a particular character, you might need to adjust the time to find them.
Animal Activity Patterns Wildlife behaves differently throughout the day. For example, horses are more active and easier to find during midday hours (around the Wu hour) compared to nighttime. If you’re hunting for specific animals or trying to tame a mount, timing matters.
Environmental Changes Some areas of the world transform based on the time of day, affecting visibility, atmosphere, and what activities are available.
Important Limitations to Know
While the time-change feature is incredibly useful, it does have constraints:
Solo Mode Only The Hour Change feature exclusively works in Solo Mode. If you’re playing in Multiplayer or Online cooperative modes, you’re locked into the current time of day. You can change the time before entering cooperative play, but once you’re in a multiplayer session, the clock is fixed.
Time Only Moves Forward You can only advance time forward. If you’ve already passed an hour and need to return to it, you’ll have to wait until the next in-game day for that hour to come around again. There’s no rewinding the clock, so plan accordingly.
Multiplayer Session Workaround If you’re hosting a cooperative session, you can adjust the time before inviting other players to your world. This allows you to trigger time-sensitive quests and encounters together, as long as everyone joins your session with the correct time already set.
Pro Tips for Time Management
Plan Your Route Before changing time, think about what you need to accomplish. If multiple time-locked activities are available at different hours, plot out an efficient path rather than jumping around randomly.
Check Quest Requirements First Always read quest objectives carefully. They’ll often tell you exactly which hour you need. Don’t waste time guessing—let the game guide you.
Use Time for Exploration While you’re adjusting time anyway, take advantage of different hours to explore. Some areas feel completely different at night versus noon, and you might discover hidden details based on lighting and NPC presence.
Remember the Zodiac Animals If you find the Pinyin names confusing, use the zodiac animals as memory anchors. “Oh, I need the Rabbit hour” is often easier to remember than “Mao.”
Related Guides
For more on Where Winds Meet’s quest system and progression:
- Twisted Destiny Quest Walkthrough
- Best Ways to Get Exploration Points
- All Sects: How to Join Guide
- How to Break Through Level Caps
Final Thoughts
The time-change mechanic is one of Where Winds Meet’s most elegant design choices. Rather than forcing you to sit around waiting, it respects your time while maintaining the immersion of a living, breathing world where things happen at specific moments. Once you master the Chinese hour system and understand which activities require which times, you’ll find progression becomes much smoother. The world opens up when you learn to move through it on your own schedule.
Where to Play Where Winds Meet
Ready to master the art of time manipulation? Where Winds Meet is available on:
- Official Website – Official game information and updates
- Steam – Play on PC
- PlayStation – Available on PS5
- Wikipedia – Game overview and details
Need more Where Winds Meet guidance? Explore our complete guide collection for walkthroughs, tips, and strategies for every system in the game.
