I've found that having someone you can rely on for RPing together adds much to the game. Even if it's for something as simple as (in my case) RP the games of two kittens. Were it not for it, I think I'd be greeeeeeeeatly bored with this game.
Oh, and I agree with the game design sucking. I've seen a lot of starving kittens in the little time I've been IG. But nevertheless, my second character is just twenty positions from being born!