The game starts long before any of us are even aware. Character selection is predetermined. Class, archetype, gender, faction. All chosen before we even open our eyes. And the difficulty? That’s set to hardcore mode. Some of us start privileged. Others less fortunate. None of us asked to play, but all of us have to.
Once you're born, you enter a sort of sandbox mode. If you're lucky, you get a guide or two to help you improve your mobility and communication skills. These guides could be parents, grandparents, older siblings, or any nearby player willing to mentor you on your path. In sandbox mode, you learn by bumping into things, crawling, babbling, breaking stuff. It's chaotic, but that’s how you build your base stats.
Between ages 4–15, the tutorial begins. Fundamental skills are learned at lower levels.
Ages 4–8 might teach you how to tie your shoes or play well with other players.
Ages 9–12 could teach emotional regulation, basic logic, and early crafting skills like cooking and cleaning.
From age 13 onward, the skill tree expands.
Just when you start to feel like you’ve mastered the controls, the game shifts. Tempo rises. Quests get harder.
By ages 16–18, you're in full game mode now. It gets super real, super fast. By the end of the tutorial, you were a big fish in a small stream. Now you're in the sea with giants, and it can feel overwhelming. You're expected to choose a path, to finalize your player stats in preparation for your long-term campaign.
But the game isn’t locked. I’ll explain why in future posts.
It can still be fun. Still an enjoyable experience. Will it all be sunshine and loot drops? Highly doubtful. But the bad days don’t have to make the game any less worth playing.
Next time: When we’ll choose your character. Choose Your Character
Until then, Keep levelling up.
📊 Stat Boosts This Quest
Reflection: +20 XP (Perspective)
Connection: +10 XP (Empathy)
🆕 Ability Unlocked: A new way to look at growing up
📸 Instagram: @this.life.is.a.game