what does a normal session look like?

[ghostunderasheet]

For a normal group with a four hour sit down. How many combat encounters would you normally have? And how many separate full sessions would you expect to go with out a combat encounter?

[Jasque]

My group hasn't played that many sessions yet. So far though, Starfinder is working out a lot like Pathfinder for us.

My players like to spend a lot of time on the out of combat RP. So, we generally only have 1 or 2 combats per session. This is exactly how we played Pathfinder.

I'm sure other groups have much different experiences.

There is a free SFS scenario with an expected number of encounters. See the spoiler tag for details.

Spoiler:

Into the Unknown expects the group to have 1 encounter per hour for a 5 hour session. Three of those encounters are normal combat encounters, and the other 2 are starship combat encounters. However, 2 starship encounters per session is probably not the expected norm.

This scenario took my group 2 and 1/2 sessions. Partially because we were learning the rules, and partially because my players are like the dog from the movie Up. (Squirrel!)

[ghostunderasheet]

So one or two combats per three or four sessions (of travel/waiting) is not the norm.

[Jasque]

ghostunderasheet wrote:

So one or two combats per three or four sessions (of travel/waiting) is not the norm.

That isn't the norm, but it doesn't matter. Play the game the way you and your group enjoys.

I have friends who aren't especially eager for combat. They would be happy to play several sessions without a combat encounter. But others like combat, so I make sure I include at least 1 per session.

[JetSetRadio]

In my games, combat takes place at least every other game.

[Castilliano]

There is no normal session.

I don't just mean in the "whatever suits you" way, but also because there will be various "norms" even within a group. Stranded on a wild planet, you'll have fewer starship or social encounters, while in an urban investigation you'll have more social, but often as much combat. If securing mining rights to a stray asteroid you might have a series of starship battles, balancing the scales back.
Hotshot pilots working for the Space Marines are going to experience a different game from freelance hackers working the back alleys & corporate espionage.

That said...
Starfinder Society, which mixes all the sub-genres in a pot, seems to lean toward a starship battle every adventure, so three per level. They seem to throw in a little bit of everything each time, if only to give the player with that role a time to shine. Expect two or more fights, but the social & techie obstacles might range from important to tertiary (adding to your chances elsewhere without actually being necessary).

The AP has fewer starship battles (or at least seems to as a player) with maybe one or two per level. The AP has had a few key RP sections. We blew through those due to outrolling the expected norms, but they could take some time for other parties, with maybe a session without combat. But that doesn't mean we aren't spending time RPing with each other. I can't recall a significant tech obstacle, but we've been aided by having tech skills available.

Frankly, I wouldn't worry about hitting a norm for a homebrew, and if using published materials, expect a balance that's centered around fighting. How much time these sections take will vary by your own fluency with those types of encounters/obstacles.
Cheers.