Delay Syntax Guide

Encounters supports powerful time-based delay syntax that allows you to schedule messages to appear at specific times of day, not just after a certain duration.

Overview

There are two types of delays in Encounters:

1. Relative Delays - Wait a specific amount of time (e.g., #delay:10s, #delay:5m)
2. Absolute Time Delays - Wait until a specific time of day (e.g., #delay:08:00, #delay:14:30)

Relative Delays

Relative delays wait for a specific duration before showing the message.

Syntax

Message text #delay:Xs

Time Units

• s - seconds (e.g., #delay:10s)
• m - minutes (e.g., #delay:5m)
• h - hours (e.g., #delay:2h)

Examples

Let me think about this. #delay:5s
I need to check something. #delay:2m
I'll get back to you later. #delay:1h

Absolute Time Delays

Absolute time delays schedule messages to appear at a specific time of day. This is incredibly powerful for creating realistic, time-based narratives.

Syntax

Message text #delay:HH:MM

Where:

• HH is the hour (00-23, 24-hour format)
• MM is the minute (00-59)

How It Works

When you use an absolute time delay like #delay:08:00, the message will be scheduled to appear at the next occurrence of 8:00 AM.

Important: These delays are cumulative with any previous delays in the conversation.

Example from Sample Story

Here's a real example from mum.ink:

== mum_time_to_think_response ==
I understand. This is a lot to process. #delay:2s #typing:3s
I'm going to try to get some rest, but I probably won't sleep. #delay:4s
I'll message you first thing in the morning at 8am and we can figure out what to do next. #delay:4s
Good morning. I couldn't sleep at all last night. Have you learned anything new about Sarah? #delay:08:00 #typing:4s
Hello? #delay:1m
-> END

What happens:

1. First message appears after 2s delay + 3s typing
2. Second message appears 4s after that
3. Third message appears 4s after that
4. Fourth message is scheduled for the next 8:00 AM (not 8 seconds!)
5. Fifth message appears 1 minute after the 8:00 AM message

Time-Based Storytelling

Absolute time delays enable realistic time-based narratives:

// Evening conversation
I'm heading to bed now. See you tomorrow! #delay:5s
// Next morning
Good morning! Did you sleep well? #delay:09:00 #typing:2s

// Lunch time follow-up
Hey, want to grab lunch? #delay:12:30 #typing:3s

// Evening check-in
How was your day? #delay:18:00 #typing:2s

Combining with Relative Delays

You can mix absolute and relative delays in the same conversation:

I need to think about this overnight. #delay:3s
Talk to you in the morning. #delay:2s
Good morning! I've made my decision. #delay:08:00 #typing:4s
Let me explain... #delay:5s #typing:3s

Best Practices

When to Use Relative Delays

Use relative delays for:

• Short pauses in conversation (1-10 seconds)
• Typing simulation (combined with #typing:)
• Activity duration (minutes to hours)
• Immediate story pacing

Wait... #delay:2s
Let me check that. #delay:5s #typing:3s
I'm driving over there now. #delay:15m

When to Use Absolute Time Delays

Use absolute time delays for:

• Morning/evening transitions ("Good morning", "Goodnight")
• Scheduled events (meetings, appointments)
• Realistic daily rhythms (breakfast, lunch, dinner times)
• Multi-day narratives

// Character goes to sleep
I'm exhausted. Going to bed. #delay:5s
// Next morning
Morning! Ready for today? #delay:07:00 #typing:2s

// Lunch meeting
I'm at the restaurant now. #delay:12:00 #typing:3s

// Evening update
Just got home from work. #delay:17:30 #typing:2s

Creating Realistic Time Flow

Combine both types for the most realistic experience:

== evening_conversation ==
I'm going to investigate this tomorrow morning. #delay:3s
I'll let you know what I find. #delay:2s
-> END

== morning_update ==
I'm at the location now. #delay:08:30 #typing:3s
You won't believe what I'm seeing... #delay:5s #typing:4s
-> reveal_discovery

Common Patterns

Daily Check-ins

Good morning! #delay:08:00 #typing:2s
How's your afternoon going? #delay:14:00 #typing:2s
Evening! Any updates? #delay:19:00 #typing:2s

Overnight Gaps

I need to sleep on this. Talk tomorrow. #delay:3s
// Next day
Hey, I've been thinking about what you said. #delay:09:00 #typing:3s

Scheduled Events

I have a meeting at 2pm. I'll update you after. #delay:5s
Just finished the meeting. Here's what happened... #delay:14:00 #typing:4s

Building Suspense with Time

I'm going to the police station now. #delay:3s
This might take a while... #delay:5s
// Hours later
Finally done talking to the detective. #delay:16:00 #typing:3s
You need to hear this. #delay:4s #typing:3s

Important Notes

Cumulative Nature

Absolute time delays are cumulative - they add to any previous delays in the message sequence. If a message is already scheduled for 10:00 AM and the next message has #delay:14:00, it will appear at 2:00 PM (the next occurrence of 14:00 after 10:00 AM).

Next Occurrence

If it's currently 3:00 PM and you schedule a message for #delay:08:00, it will appear at 8:00 AM the next day, not immediately.

Time Zones

All times are based on the player's local device time.

Testing

During development, you can enable the debug menu to:

• Disable message delays entirely
• See scheduled message times
• Test time-based narratives quickly

See Debug Menu for more information.

Combining with Other Tags

Absolute time delays work with all other tags:

Good morning! #delay:08:00 #typing:2s #image:sunrise.jpg
Check this out! #delay:12:30 #typing:3s #link:https://example.com
Evening update #delay:18:00 #typing:2s #unlockNote:daily-log

Troubleshooting

Message not appearing at the expected time?

• Check that you're using 24-hour format (00-23)
• Verify the time hasn't already passed today
• Remember delays are cumulative with previous messages

Want to test without waiting?

• Enable "Disable Message Delays" in the debug menu
• Messages will appear instantly for testing

Need messages to appear at specific times across days?

• Use absolute time delays for each day's messages
• Structure your story with clear day/night transitions

Next Steps

• Learn about all available tags: Tag Reference Card
• Understand the debug menu: Debug Menu
• See timing in action: Ink Scripting Guide