One Hour One Life Forums

I was born a Leser. My mom took care of me and loved me, or so I thought, but times were hard and she needed food. Milk lady demanded a trade. “You can have this,” Mother said, and plopped me over to her. “Ok,” New Mommy said, and gave me pants.

I spent most of my life milkweed farming with grandma and building a cart to run away in, understandably. Later, I returned with with a child of my own. Apparently, they had gotten married. Yes, Mother and the Milk Maid.

Ma apologized for the trading me, but I couldn’t be mad. Both were nice moms and I had a funny story for my kid. I never did properly run away.

Town got...murder-y, so I spent my remaining days helping my nephew build a house on the edge of town, quiet and peaceful-like. (Thanks for the shovel, smithee!)

In case you missed my last words, Nephew, “It was nice building with you.”

(P.S. Mommas Leser, I found the entire situation hilarious.)

Before you think I'm just complaining, I really do have a constructive point of discussion (promise!), so please bear with me. I've been playing a week and half or so and I really like the game. I've spent a lot of time on it. But that learning curve. Oof. It's ridiculous.

I firmly believe a person should not have to STUDY extensively BEFORE being able to even really play the game. I had to stop, and not login in until I'd memorized a bunch of stuff. Not fun. So much time spent outside the game as requirement, not supplement? Also not fun. Even then guides are not as complete, detailed, or accessible as they should be.

I have easy access (90% outside the game) on how to CRAFT ITEMS but not HOW TO PLAY THE GAME. All the unwritten rules...

All of this comes down to communication. As I understand it, the idea was for players to teach other players. This doesn't seem to be really happening (at least not effectively). It's about using as few words as possible, as quickly as possible, if at all. So we all sound like cavemen. Mostly I just end up spawning in a village where my little potato head is thrown in a berry patch with nary but a "GL." (Smart moms give me a tour at least. Smarter moms ASK first.)

Once I'm older, I still wind up overwhelmed and confused and bored and frustrated because very few take the time to even minimally help me, teach me, or guide me, or give me a run down of what the situation is so I can just get to helping. I ask but the response is 9/10 something unhelpful. I keep learning basic things long after I should have learned them. Teaching someone, really teaching them, is very draining on food resources, precious time, and requires the dreaded use of words. Most learning is just watching and guessing, in a not-fun way, maybe a few caveman words thrown in. I don't need eloquent speeches, just...more than almost nothing.

And it's not just teaching/learning. It's knowing where to put things, what not to touch, etc. Short-term and long-term planning and organizing, creation of art, laws, customs, passing down traditions, tales, ideas, etc. are all crippled because the way the game is set up discourages talking. Talking just takes way too long and too many things interfere and old people die soon. Plus stopping to talk can annoy people because it means you're not working and therefore a resource sponge. And it's weird that we have paper before basic etched symbols, much less before developing effective oral transmission. (Also, can has clay tablets?)

** Something needs to be done about communication, among players and, I think, in the game itself. **

Poetry is a great vehicle for passing down plans, rules, customs, fun, and culture. It's a very important part of civilization. Imagine the work songs! Whether using rules of alliteration, meter, or rhyming, or all of that, it would be creative and fun and purposeful. I thought of changing lyrics of nursery rhymes, Disney songs, jingles, etc. But I can't get the rhyming right and it's never ever succinct enough to be worth it for the system we have while still being effective enough communication. I can't copy and paste. I can't do anything while talking. The character limit is severe. What to do?

Maybe a little higher character limit as an adult? Or adjust the transition a bit? I like that babies and tots can only say 1 then 2 then 3 letters, but I never quite use my adult characters' already limited speech ability to its potential because the game has conditioned me to go (super short) word by word. I can say "important" but it'll cost me. And it still takes too long to *stop ENTER type a few words ENTER wait ENTER finish sentence hopefully? ENTER wait.* Rinse and repeat. ...I don't know.

I do know I really wish I could use speech-to-text in this game. It would make a big difference to be able to talk while I work with minimal stoppage. I feel like there is potential we can't explore because of the communication problems. (I want call and response singing, or a choir at the end of constructing a monument or something.) Maybe our super great grandchildren will actually get beyond medieval villages.

Any ideas? Suggestions? Also, does anyone even know what the character limit is for different life stages? Do spaces count? 

Sorry if this has been discussed before. Clearly, it's still an issue IMO. Also, sorry for the length. And this is my first time posting, so uh, correct me if I'm wrong.