Exodus' Time Dilation Mechanic Was Almost Something Completely Different

Ever since Exodus was first revealed, time dilation has been one of the biggest things separating it from pretty much every other sci-fi RPG out there. The basic idea is that when protagonist Jun Aslan leaves home on certain missions, what might feel like a relatively short trip to him could end up lasting years for everyone he left behind. By the time he returns, people may have gotten older, relationships may have changed, and some of the problems he left behind might have gotten much worse without him there to do anything about them. It's a huge part of how Exodus plans to handle choice and consequence, but apparently, time dilation wasn't always going to work the way it does now.