Speed and Time Controls in 1 in 8 Billion
This page explains one part of the game. It is an independent copy, not the official site. The life itself starts on this language’s homepage.
30, 60 and 90 minutes
These buttons are the intended time to reach the life expectancy of the life you drew. They are not the character’s lifespan and not a clock that ends the session. The default is About 1 hour. You choose them before Be born. The link here does not switch the homepage to 60 minutes for you.
The three paces
Faster means the years pass sooner. It does not mean the character dies younger. A decision pauses time on every pace.
| Setting | On this copy |
|---|---|
| About 30 min | A faster pace toward the drawn life expectancy. Decisions still pause the clock, so this is not a 30-minute guarantee. |
| About 1 hour | The default. With life expectancy near 80, one year is about 45 seconds before any speed button. It is still not a stopwatch. |
| About 1.5 hours | A slower pace toward the same life expectancy. It does not add years to the character’s life. |
| Control | Key |
|---|---|
| 1× | 1 |
| 2× | 2 |
| 4× | 3 |
| 8× | 4 |
| 12× | 5 |
| 16× | 6 |
| Pause or resume | Space |
The 1× to 16× buttons
While the life runs, the buttons are 1×, 2×, 4×, 8×, 12× and 16×. Changing speed does not redraw the country and does not change the statistics. Choosing a speed also leaves pause and clears the jump to the next decision.
Pause and resume
Pause is in the top bar. Press it again to resume. Space does the same on a desktop, when a life is on screen and you are not in a text field.
Next decision
Next decision moves the life toward the next decision. It is not a button that finishes the whole life or picks an ending.
Keyboard shortcuts
During a life, the number keys 1 through 6 match 1×, 2×, 4×, 8×, 12× and 16×. If a decision is open, those numbers choose the decision’s own buttons instead. If the cursor is in a text field, the keys type. Space pauses only when it is not being used by a button or a field.
On a phone
The speed buttons stay in one row. ⋯ opens the rest, including Auto mode. On a narrow screen, scroll that bar sideways. There is no separate phone rule for the pace you chose before birth.
Different from auto mode
Auto mode lets the game make the choices while you watch. Speed only changes how fast the years pass. The auto mode page explains the switch. This page stays with pace and speed.
If it is too fast or stopped
If nothing moves, check Pause, look for a decision waiting, and check that the tab is in the foreground. If it is too fast, press 1× or Pause. The pace buttons do not change mid-life; set About 30 min, About 1 hour or About 1.5 hours before the next Be born.
Common questions
Speed is playback. The life expectancy still comes from the place and the life table.
Does a higher speed shorten the life?
No. It only shortens how long you wait between years.
Does the 30-minute setting kill the character?
No. It is a faster pace toward the same life expectancy.
How do I reach the next decision?
Press Next decision. It does not skip to the ending.
Can I change 30, 60 or 90 during the life?
Set that before Be born. During the life, use the speed buttons, Pause and Next decision.