History Main / ThereAreNoTents

* ''VideoGame/GrandiaII'' partly averted this where the characters will set up a campsite when on a long journey, however they're scripted events that happen maybe three times. So it plays the trope straight most of the time. This originated in the first ''Grandia'' game, where the party would oftentimes have excursions over large landmasses and would set up camp.

* The majority of mods for all three ''VideoGame/{{STALKER}}'' games include a sleeping bag for the player to sleep because otherwise time is slow to pass and night in the Zone is even more dangerous than the day. Though you do have to have good sense in where you camp because otherwise, a mutant will pay you a nighttime visit...

* Another Exception: In ''VideoGame/UltimaIV'' and ''[[VideoGame/UltimaV V]]'' one could pitch camp in hostile territory, but you had to risk monster attack. Having a guard stay awake meant they didn't get any healing. Having everyone asleep during a monster attack resulted in very bad odds.

* ''VideoGame/MountAndBlade'' averts this full stop, giving you the option to set up camp (and pack up and leave) anywhere and anytime on the world map. While camping, you can still engage in some minor actions, like trying to persuade captured prisoners to join your party, or reading the books you bought to boost your skills or attributes. Also setting up a camp restores the health for all heroes and the player if they are injured.
** The only downside is, that unlike cities, villages and castles. Your camp won't protect you from the wandering hordes of bandits or hostile lords [[labelnote:note]](if they're passing by and bump into you)[[/labelnote]] or if you are unlucky enough a passing campaign (a group of lords following a marshall). Time goes faster while you are in a camp so that gives you less time to react to incoming threats.

* Averted with a tip towards realism in ''VideoGame/DarkestDungeon''. Dungeons longer than the default Short give you bundles of firewood (the longer the dungeon, the more bundles you receive). Using these in any room causes the heroes to camp. Healing depends on how much food you're willing to expend (the more the heroes get to eat, the better their recovery), and additional effects are available depending on what Camping Skills you use; the use of the skills is limited by time periods, since the heroes can only afford to spend so long fooling about before they have to rest. Unless specific skills are used, there's a percentage chance that the heroes will be ambushed when they wake up, forcing you into combat. [[spoiler:If you take a Shieldbearer, you ''will'' have to fight.]]

* ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'' averts this, using a campsite as the main savehouse for the player that can be set up anywhere. Marston doesn't use a tent on-screen at all, as he idles crouched next to the fire and when told to let time pass (i.e. sleep), Marston just curls up into a ball and closes his eyes, presumably relaxing a bit further before going to sleep either in a bivy, or a proper tent if the player purchases the campsite upgrade.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG'' plays this one pretty straight, having "?" blocks with a mushroom (which fully heals the team) throughout the game's dungeons, oftentimes right before a boss. The trope is also taken to the extreme in one area, having an inn (along with item and armor shops) IN THE MIDDLE OF A FREAKING VOLCANO.
** Said inn also shows you that AdamSmithHatesYourGuts; the owner's prices are the second highest in the game.
** Comfort doesn't seem to be necessary to heal damage and restore [[{{Mana}} star power]]. In the same volcano inn, there are no beds (Mario wakes up laying face-down on a pile of crates in the corner).

* ''VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey III: The Drowned City'' introduced the concept of camping in the Labyrinth to the series; all you need is a campground and a Tent. Farmers can also learn Camp Mastery to buff up the benefits from sleeping, and an early SideQuest involves looking for clues about what happened to a cautious Guild at the campsites.

A form of RestingRecovery, where additional restrictions are placed on where you can use that mechanic. Well on its way to being a DeadHorseTrope, as recent [=RPGs=] tend to offer characters more [[AntiFrustrationFeatures options to deal with resource shortage]] and often have faster-paced plots where taking off days at a time wouldn't be appropriate for the hero. Back in the day, however, it used to be a commonly used pacing mechanism, forcing the party to level up and get gear until they can survive a [[MarathonLevel lengthy sequence between being able to recover]]. This mechanic can be used without involving inns or rest time at all, if the game has save points which trigger the same effect instantaneously.

* ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryI''. The Hero is only human, and while he can stay up for 24 hours without a problem, by the second consecutive night, he would be in danger of just passing out. Unless he gets a night's rest at one of the safe points scattered about the valley, he would just fall to the ground and fall asleep, which quickly resulted in death from Night Gaunt.[[labelnote:*]]Unseen and unfought enemies that specifically existed only to kill a player who tries to sleep anywhere.[[/labelnote]] Later games gave him a permanent room at the Inn, which was either free or forced a weekly charge on him, but the dangers of sleeping in the wilderness were still extreme. The only exception is ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryIII'', in which it is possible to sleep anywhere in the savannah or jungle as long as you build a campfire, which is actually required for one plot important occurrance.

* Averted with ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' ...sort of. You get "Tent" items which heal the party. However, each world's adventure is presented as a non-stop series of events that would only take a day or less, and Sora and the party have a space ship and hub world where they can rest their heads. The "tent" items seem to be a hold-over from the Final Fantasy series.

** In ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'', Mario is at one point shipwrecked, along with part of the ship's crew. When the crew construct a makeshift tent, they then charge him for using it. This is actually made insulting by the fact that Mario was charged with leading the ship as captain, and everyone still refers to him as such and has him solve all the problems while shipwrecked.

* ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' is another game which does not allow you to use a tent in the field, instead replacing it with a "cooking" feature which allows you to make and eat food to heal your party. It can be very helpful, but there is never any [[BottomlessBladder biological necessity]] to do so. Raine also has her "Personal" skill, which drops the cost of her healing spells to 1 when the party is standing on a [[SavePoint Memory Circle]].

** In ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireII'', it's partially subverted. You cannot pitch a tent, but you can, in at least one point, rest outside. It's like an in, but you don't have to pay. Partially justified in the fact that when roaming a field full of monsters, manipulating time, become a dragon, and probably magic exposure helps the need to not sleep, and the outside encounter is somebody inviting you to rest with him, meaning it's most likely safe.

* ''VideoGame/GrandiaII'' partly averted this where the characters will set up a camp site when on a long journey, however they're scripted events that happen maybe three times. So it plays the trope straight most of the time. This originated in the first ''Grandia'' game, where the party would oftentimes have excursions over large landmasses and would set up camp.

** Comfort doesn't seem to be necessary to heal damage and restore [[{{Mana}} star power]]. In the same volcano inn there are no beds (Mario wakes up laying face-down on a pile of crates in the corner).

* The majority of mods for all three ''VideoGame/{{STALKER}}'' games include a sleeping bag for the player to sleep, because otherwise time is slow to pass and night in the Zone is even more dangerous than the day. Though you do have to have good sense in where you camp, because otherwise a mutant will pay you a nighttime visit...

* ''[[VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2 Storm of Zehir]]'' allows your party to rest for the night anytime in the wilderness (complete with tent icon),at the risk of being disturbed by wandering monsters.

* ''VideoGame/{{Wasteland}}'' actually had a bizarre version of this--resting would cure any and all hit point damage, and the best place to rest was in the middle of the hottest you-take-damage-if-you-don't-have-a-canteen part of the desert, since no-one would attack you there. The second best place was a temple built on and to nuclear physics.

* This is a major plot and gameplay point in ''VideoGame/ADanceWithRogues''. Finding a safe place to rest is a rare and relieving occasion for the Princess, since there is only a handful of them throughout the entire module: her room at "The Bear Pit", her own house, a couple other inns in Part 2, and about one safe room (which you have to find first) per major dungeon. In one memorable case, a dungeon room is not flagged as safe until the Princess reverse-picks the lock on its door (i.e. locks it) from the inside. [[spoiler:Occasionally, the mod lifts its restriction on the base game's RestingRecovery mechanic [[SuspiciousVideoGameGenerosity in otherwise unremarkable places]]--which usually indicates that you will have to use your [[PlotCoupon Rod of Resurrection]] (which recharges upon rest) soon.]]
* Averted in VideoGame/PathfinderKingmaker, where the party can rest outside of combat and assign each member of the party a task such as foraging for food, cooking, standing guard, or even hiding the camp. Additionally, every character has a special ability which can affect your campsite in some way. You can even rest in dungeons, but only if you packed in provisions. You may be attacked while resting, and hiding the camp reduces the odds of it happening.

* ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'' averts this, using a campsite as the main savehouse for the player that can be set up anywhere.Marston doesn't use a tent on-screen at all, as he idles crouched next to the fire and when told to let time pass (i.e. sleep), Marston just curls up into a ball and closes his eyes, presumably relaxing a bit further before going to sleep either in a bivy, or a proper tent if the player purchases the camp site upgrade.