Step 1 (Our Life: Beginnings & Always)

*This article is about Step 1 from Our Life: Beginnings & Always. For Step 1 from Our Life: Now & Forever, see Step 1 (Our Life: Now & Forever).*

   **Step 1** is the first Step in Our Life: Beginnings & Always right after Cliff and Cove move to Sunset Bird and become the main character's neighbors. It is divided into five free moments and five paid, DLC-exclusive Moments which can be purchased in Itch.io and Steam. The Moments are listed below.

Take note that the dialogue and availability of both events and choices will be heavily influenced by the main character's personality and relationship with the deuteragonist, Cove Holden. Some choices become unavailable the lower their interest level is with him. The player can choose to start any of the Moments in no particular order. However, playing some Moments will slightly add or change the dialogue in others. Once a Moment is viewed, it cannot be replayed again without reloading back to an earlier save.

The characters will remember most of the player's choices from the current Step and will open opportunities or create new dialogue in future Steps accordingly unless reverted. This page will act as a guide of sorts giving some insights for each Moment regarding choices in both the current and future Steps that can only be unlocked through certain conditions and **will contain spoilers**. Proceed with caution.

## Introduction

The player will be given a tutorial as well as the ability to customize the main character. Afterwards, they will meet Cliff, who will offer them a twenty-dollar bill. The player will then be presented three choices regarding the bill. Taking the bill is one of the requirements that grants the player one more choice at the start of Step 3. The player will then meet the deuteragonist, Cove, where they will automatically unlock one of his **CG**. If the main character did not run away from Cliff, they will know his name. Otherwise, Cove introduces himself. Calling him "space cadet" lets the main character call him space cadet again as a choice in the future.

Later on, the player will meet the main character's moms. The main character will also have a choice to recall wanting to marry Cove in a conversation with him during Step 3 if it was chosen. Afterwards, the player will be able to adjust the main character's interest towards Cove and a part of their personality. Note that their interest towards Cove is locked until the end of Step 1 after being chosen and does not go down in Step 2. For example, picking Fondness locks the Indifference option for Step 2. The personality of the main character, however, is adjustable and affects the way they talk and act during certain situations.

After choosing, the next scene will be the following day when Cove visits the main character. Later on, regardless of the player's choices, they will meet Shiloh and Lizzie. After finishing a couple of the remaining scenes, they will be presented with the Moment selection screen for Step 1.

## Shopping

The main character will accompany Cove to the shopping district. While on the way, asking him about his reason for going to the shops will unlock a dialogue option in Step 3's "*Hang*". The duo will then reach the shopping district and will meet a magician. Completing the Moment will give the player a dialogue option related to this magician at Step 2's "*Summerwork*" and a hidden choice at the start of Step 3. The main character will then look at a couple of handmade sea animal keychains. Picking any of the four options will make it available as an option for a customizable feature in Step 3. However, one of the five dialogue choices telling Cove that you do not want him to get it for you will lock out the said option. There are certain dialogue changes when doing Step 1's "*Sandcastle*" prior to "*Shopping*" and telling Cove about the deal with Cliff.

## Grown Up

Cove has been dropped off by his father in the main character's house. Lizzie thinks of a game to play with the player and Cove since all of them are not allowed to go outside. The player will be presented options that let the main character either play with Cove and Lizzie or do something on their own. If they chose to do an activity on their own, there will be a prompt that lets them witness an argument between Cove and Lizzie. Otherwise, the whole Moment will progress with Lizzie being upset and the main character not knowing the reason why before ending.

Choosing to play with them elicits the same outcome with Cove and Lizzie fighting. However, doing so will add a bonus narration for "*Sandcastle*". Both scenarios let the player have the opportunity to tattle her to their moms or keep the argument a secret. Depending on what the player chooses, this will affect Lizzie's dialogue at the start of Step 2. Choosing to either tell the truth or lie to the main character's moms also greatly alters the ending of the Moment.

## Long Day

The Moment starts with Shiloh staying over at the main character's house with just the two of them inside. Once they finish their quest to buy a cold treat, they will meet up with Lizzie and Cove. Choosing to ring the bell reflects on a future Step. Afterwards, all four will go to the hill behind the main character's house. Being indifferent towards Cove will lock out the option to tell him which flower the main character likes. Otherwise, picking any of the options will influence an event in Step 2's "*Soiree*". Not picking a specific flower defaults the main character's favorite flower to white poppy. The children will close their day out after making a detour at the beach and playing there. Playing the Moment automatically unlocks a **CG** for Cove.

## Sandcastle

The day starts with the main character, Cove, and Shiloh hanging out at the shore. They decide to make sand buildings after Shiloh teaches Cove how to make a sand house. The player can then decide what the main character will build which reflects on the background for the scene. Playing "*Grown Up*" first and joining Cove and Lizzie in their grown up roleplay will add a bit to the narration if the player wants to build a mansion. After the interaction between Cove and Shiloh, the former and the main character return to their street. The player can then choose to tell Cove about the twenty-dollar bill agreement. If they told him about it, they will unlock a **CG**. This also locks the player from telling him about it in future Steps; replacing the talk with a unique dialogue instead. Otherwise, they will say goodbye to each other and the Moment will end.

## Fireflies

The Moment begins with Lizzie making plans over dinner to catch fireflies on the hill behind their house. At the same time, Cove visits them to return a screwdriver. He will be invited to catch fireflies with the main character, Lizzie, and Shiloh. Being at least fond of Cove will let the player view a small cut-in **CG**. After catching fireflies, Lizzie and Shiloh will have the race. The player has the choice to let the main character join or not. Since Cove is the referee, Shiloh or the main character wins depending on the main character's interest in him and if they join the race.

## Library (DLC)

Cliff drives the main character, Cove, Lizzie, and Shiloh to the library for an annual reading program. The player can then choose between playing hide-and-seek with Cove while exploring the library or staying with Lizzie and Shiloh to compete for the quiz.

The hide-and-seek route of the Moment will be divided into three rounds with Cove and the main character alternating between hiding and finding each other. Choosing this route will give answers and hints about the quiz route with Lizzie and Shiloh if the player decides to load a save or start a new playthrough to replay the Moment. The main character wins the first round by looking at all of the options except next to the Peter Pan poster. They win the second round by hiding under the giant piece of fruit or in the fantasy section. They win the third round by looking at all of the options except next to the kid detective poster. Cove's dialogue changes depending on how many rounds the main character has won. The dialogue will be slightly altered by the end of the Moment depending on who wins.

The quiz route of the Moment will let the player answer a total of twelve questions. The correct answers for the quiz are the following:

1. Peach
2. Charlie
3. Her lipstick
4. Grinch
5. Cinderella
6. Wendy
7. Baby Bear
8. The White Rabbit
9. Susan Pevensie
10. Beatrice
11. Solar Eclipse
12. Garden

Getting all twelve correct answers will let the three win the quiz. The dialogue changes if the main character got nine to eleven, six to eight, or five and less correct answers.

## Ghost (DLC)

The main character starts drifting off to sleep only to be interrupted by a scraping noise. The Moment will branch out into two paths: by going to the main character's moms for help or investigating the sound themselves.

Going to their moms for help requires the player to let the main character think it was only their imagination and then talk to their moms when prompted. Pamela will investigate the noise while Noelani helps them sleep. The main character will meet a sleeping Cove by the park the next day.

Otherwise, they will meet with Cove outside both of their houses. Their interaction with him changes depending on how scared the main character is. Afterwards, they will investigate the noise with Cove by checking two out of three locations: the hills, the park, and the beach in no particular order, each with their own set of interactions. The interactions are reduced, however, if the player is indifferent towards Cove. The sound stops after checking two out of the three places and they are forced to go back to their houses or if the player decides to go back after checking one.

## Barbecue (DLC)

The main character's family and the Holdens visit the park. The player can choose to either let the main character play with the other children or stay with the adults. Playing with the children and making the main character fast lets them catch the running girl. Otherwise, another child named Lisa catches her. Staying with the adults will cause Cove to refrain from playing and interact with the main character instead if they are friends. Otherwise, he will continue playing with the other kids.

Eventually, food will be ready. Pamela and Noelani will give different reactions if the main character picks only one, two to seven, or all ingredients for their kebab. The moms will also comment if they only pick meat. Lizzie's reactions to some of the player's dialogue options towards her will also differ depending if they picked chicken for the main character's kebab. If the main character helps pick a spot, there is a random chance for an event to trigger wherein they or Lizzie trips over a rock. Later on, if they are at least fond of Cove, he will bring them a juice box. On the other hand, staying with Cove and Pamela to help bring the drinks allows the player to have the chance to bring a juice box for Lizzie. They can choose to share ice cream with Cove if they are friends with him unless they did not get one. If they chose strawberry, Cove comments about how he already has it but accepts anyway. Finishing the Moment unlocks a hidden choice at the introduction part of Step 3.

## Runaway (DLC)

The scene either begins with the main character meeting Cove if they are friends with him or Lizzie going to the park to tell them that Cove is missing. If they are indifferent towards him, they can choose to tell Pamela where to look or look for him themselves after talking with Lizzie. If they are friends with him, they can either proceed to go to the park to meet up with Lizzie or stay where they were and follow Cove afterwards. Meeting up with Lizzie lets the Moment proceed similar to the indifference route with the exception of having the chance to tell her about seeing Cove beforehand and some dialogue changes.

Following Cove will branch out to three more routes: one where they meet up with Lizzie in the park which also proceeds similar to the above-mentioned scenario, another where they continue following Cove, and lastly where they tell Noelani that he is running away. If they continue following Cove, they have the choice to follow him to the edge of Sunset Bird or go back to their moms. Following him to the edge gives them the chance to convince Cove to go back or stay with him until Pamela finds them. Going back to their house lets the Moment proceed similar to how it would if the main character told one of their moms that Cove was running away, with a few differences in dialogue. The ending dialogue with Cove changes if they fought with him.

## Sleepover (DLC)

Cove stays over the main character's house for a sleepover. Lizzie starts an impromptu race with the main character. Cove will say she did not win because she cheated if he is friends with the main character. Otherwise, he does not answer when asked by her. After dinner, their moms tuck the main character in bed along with Cove. If the main character is at least fond of Cove and is having doubts about their friendship, they can ask him if he thinks they are friends to which he returns the question. Depending on the player's choice, the option will affect some dialogue at the start of Step 2. The player will unlock the **CG** if they decide to read the story to Cove. After a while, the main character will find him still awake. They can choose to either let him go back to his house on his own, try to get him to sleep, accompany him, or let their moms accompany him. The first three options will all lead to Cove going home if the main character is not fond of him.

## Conclusion

The Step ends with the main character and their family by the beach, with Cove being with them if the they are fond of him. They can choose to end the day by going back to their home or staying outside with Cove until called for dinner.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 https://gbpatch.itch.io/our-life-step-1-dlc