Short and Long Rests and the Adventure Clock

One of the things I rather like about 4e and 5e is the formalisation of rests, and especially the introduction of a 'short' rest as well as the pre-existing overnight (or 'long') rest. Of course, I'd be inclined to go one further and introduce an 'extended' rest for between adventures, but that's another topic for another day.

One of the things I don't particularly like about 4e and 5e, though, is that these rests are basically nothing events: the players say they're going to rest, the party applies the effects of the rest, and the DM says, "an hour later..." and on you go.

Having said that, I think the issue there is really more about adventure design rather than game design as such: basically, I think each adventure (or each part of an adventure for something like "Out of the Abyss") should really apply some thought to two things: under what conditions are the PCs able to take a rest of the various sorts, and what are the consequences?

I think this really should be an adventure design issue because not all adventures are created equal - in some cases, taking a short rest may simply be a matter of slumping down and waiting, while others may result in changes to guard rotations or a call for reinforcements, or something.

I'm also inclined to think that most adventures (though not all) should have some sort of "adventure clock" defined - if the PCs do nothing to stop it, what happens and when? So perhaps Day One sees the bad guys take the captured princess back to their Death Star, on Day Three they blow up Alderaan, on Day Five they break the princess's will, and on Day Seven they blow up Yavin IV (game over).

In effect, then, this gives something like:

Short Rest
Prerequisites: Party must find a safe place to wait undisturbed for 1 hour.
Consequences: The party's incursion is detected, if it has not been previously, and the alarm raised. All opponents are on heightened alertness (advantage on perception checks to avoid surprise) until the adventure clock advances.

Long Rest
Prerequisites: The party must find a safe place to rest undisturbed for 8 hours. The party must have, and must consume, 1 day of rations and water. The party must have access to tents and bedrolls, or similar, and must be able to sleep.
Consequences: Advance the adventure clock. Opponents return to normal levels of alertness. However, the following reinforcements arrive...

Obviously, it's all a bit vague at the moment, but that's my basic thinking on that one...