In previous games user made potions had a tendency to last longer, while pre-existing ones bought or found tended to be shorter duration or instant for health/magicka restoration.
Potion effects didn't last long regardless though - under a minute generally in game time though depending on effect. Most of the time you'd take them right before entering combat, or during combat due to consumption being instant - however they got to be very potent, regaining more health per second than most NPCs could hope to damage through.

I'm wondering if TES fans here would prefer long lasting potions that you consumed before going out into the wild, that lasted for hours, but weren't as potent. This would include bought/found potions. I can see a number on pros for this -

-Would be very good for non-magic using characters to have a slow but long lasting health regain instead of "potion chugging"
-Would also be less tedious - you'd go through less total potions and not need to micro-manage so often to keep a steady supply
-It'd save the trouble of worrying about whether potion use needs an (interrupt-able)animation when done in combat.
-Potions wouldn't be as much of a crutch - usable to save yourself instantly when about to die.
-It'd be less overpowered - in my personal opinion potions made by PCs with high level alchemy got to be a bit on the absurd side.

I think there should be diminishing returns on one variable when you increase the other. If you make it longer duration you can't pack as much potency. If you make it more potent, it won't last as long. The rate at which diminishing returns kicks in would be influenced by your actual alchemy skill. Thus, alchemy masters would be able to make potent potions that were longer lasting or long lasting potions that were more potent than their lower level counterparts.

I was going to suggest something like this to make potions different then magic. Make potions last a long time (About one to two quests), but they are expensive and weigh more. You also can only be affected by one at a time.

several times I meet myself near to HP=0 , and the only i have to use are those bizarre potions that cure a small quanty of health but they remain more seconds(made by me) .

Long effects like this would be an interesting avenue to explore. I'd rather have the option to choose in game while I am mixing a potion whether or not the potion would have:

- smaller effects, immediate impact, smaller container

- huge effect spread out over long time, heavy container

Or choose somewhere in between... :drool:

I like instant stuph, it allows you to do speedier recovery.

That's great for health / mana / stamina, but what if the potion is to fortify an attribute?