Time limit.

[Sleepyz]

I thought time limit started when activate thing.. I was just driving in 2nd zone and looks like it was closing and left me no time to get rdy. I didn't make it out and lost 39mins. Wish i had refunded this :(

[Melalo]

Lost stuff can be recovered from your Ghost if you pick the same destination.

When route planning, look at the right upper corner, you'll see the clock symbol. It means how much time you have until the storm arrives, each picked up anchor reduces the timer, so if you're not sure in your capabilites, get anchors only when you have done everything you wanted in the area you're in.

[lyravega]

There's a storm alert...

[Dubmaster]

thats what happened to me in first few hours, i didnt know what to do when storm was coming so i went to red gates lol and died there

[[Heretic]Rivga]

Originally posted by Sleepyz:

I thought time limit started when activate thing.. I was just driving in 2nd zone and looks like it was closing and left me no time to get rdy. I didn't make it out and lost 39mins. Wish i had refunded this :(

Lol learn to play the game, get in, get the most important items and get out.
If you are strip mining the zone you are comically not playing the game as itbis intended.

[Sleepyz]

So some zones have storms and some don't? I didnt know i was on a time limit so was taking my sweet time. I'll check options if can turn that stuff off. Hate time limits..

[Nova225]

Originally posted by Sleepyz:

So some zones have storms and some don't? I didnt know i was on a time limit so was taking my sweet time. I'll check options if can turn that stuff off. Hate time limits..

Every zone has a time limit unless it has "Perpetual Stability" as its modifier, which means the storm won't approach until you open a gateway. Otherwise every zone will have a time limit.

[Techbane #FreeHK]

The time limit is what's indicated by the white bar next to the clock icon in the top right of the trip planner. Not only do most zones have a time limit, they have a highly variable time limit, including no countdown (the storm starts closing in the moment you enter the area).

[Anachronomalous]

Sometimes I wonder if I should at least start a guide on this. I don't understand how people have this much trouble with this aspect of the game considering the game foreshadows storms and also gives you options to mess with them in the menu, but whatever.

Unless the zone in question is marked with "Perpetual Stability" then yes, you have a time limit from when you enter the area. As Techbane above noted, the clock should give you a rough estimate of how long you have vs. other areas; if it reads "low" then do not plan on spending much time in the zone.
The timer is meant to give you a sense of urgency precisely so you don't spend an hour and a half farming resources in one area.

The game gives off multiple warnings when the time limit is up and the zone starts to collapse:

1. You'll hear a mechanical noise followed by air-raid sirens. There are two variants: three higher-pitched sirens repeated, and a longer lower-pitched siren. Either one is a sign that you should start wrapping up business. Air raid sirens IRL are used to denote really bad things (hence the name) so this ought to be your actual cue to leave; the devs made them loud on purpose so you cannot miss them and they are heard universally in the environment.
   
2. The minimap in your car will start displaying a yellow ring as it closes in around the area. This is the lesser-damaging of the storms, but ideally you don't want to stick around in it.
   
3. As the storm progresses the minimap console will display different messages alerting you to how screwed you are ("Storm Warning" --> "Storm Incoming" --> "DRIVE"). If it gets to "DRIVE" on anything other than a player-initiated gateway exit, you have probably screwed up big time.
   
4. At some point, the yellow storm will be followed by a red storm (usually looks like a squiggly-lined circle). You should be getting out before the red circle starts catching up to you because the radiation from the red storm is extremely damaging to both the car and the player.

Nota bene: if the environment is marked with the "Swift Storm" instability, do not plan on stopping for resources. Drive on through as swiftly as you can or make your way to an exit as soon as possible.

[Xander Darke]

I would say post this up as the actual Guide itself, well written and straight to the point!