"Why do notes and songs captivate people across the world? Spark your creativity by composing your own tunes. Engage with the science of sound, and discover the history behind the music." ― Information Tab
Good Vibrations is a limited time event that focuses on Music. It features generators that produce Music Notes ( ) and Songs ( ). It officially started on November 20th, 2023 (11 am EST) and ended on November 26th, 2023 (10 am EST).
Story[]
Opening[]
"Sound can be found anywhere: in the crashing of a wave, an animal's roar, or the tapping of a foot. However, there is a form of sound I'm still puzzled by. What is it about this noise that captivates humanity?"
Ending[]
"Sound on its own is just that: sound. As humans interact with these vibrations, it can become music. As music becomes more accessible, humans find additional ways to make it their own. Perhaps music will only continue to persist and grow. As long as humanity thrives, music is here to stay."
Badges[]
These are three of the rewards which affects all other trees. They are Waves of Sound, A Melodic Recipe, and A Musical Mix.
Waves of Sound[]
"Sound is a simple vibration, forming waves that move back and forth. How might humans wield this energy?"
A Melodic Recipe[]
"Theory, Innovation, and Instrumentation come together to create what may be the first melody ever composed. This officially marks the beginning of a lifelong relationship between humanity and music."
A Musical Mix[]
"You can now share music from anywhere in the world, to anyone in the world."
Objectives and Rewards[]
Explore Music (11 Requirements)
- Collect Notes (10) (Rewards: 2)
- Collect Processing Sound (1), Harmonics (1) (Rewards: 3)
- Collect Theory (5) (Rewards: Waves of Sound)
- Collect Notation (1) (Rewards: 5)
- Collect Sticks and Rocks (1), Instruments (5) (Rewards: 6)
- Collect Electrophones (1) (Rewards: 7)
- Collect Hurrian Hymn No. 6 (1) (Rewards: A Melodic Recipe)
- Collect Modern Innovations (5), Mic Check (1) (Rewards: 8)
- Collect Radio (1) (Rewards: 9)
- Collect A New World (1), Global Sensations (1) (Rewards: 10)
- Collect Here, There, and Everywhere (1) (Rewards: A Musical Mix)
Generators[]
Name | Description | Cost | Base Production |
---|---|---|---|
Notes | A musical sound is known as a note. With the creation of written symbols, humans have found a way to translate notes into a tangible language. | 25 | 1/sec |
Sound Waves | Vibrations produce waves that transport sound across space. These waves change shape depending on several factors: wavelength, amplitude, and frequency. | 15,000 | 50/sec |
Theory | Every aspect of music relies on a single underlying foundation, informing the choices a musician makes. Thousands of years of theory have accumulated into the music we have today. | 50.00M | 10,000/sec |
Early Innovations | Life in the Paleolithic area was a continuous fight for survival. Even so, early humans were able to find meaning in their surroundings and found time to express themselves through sound. | 20.00B | 1.00M/sec |
Instruments | Humans use many different objects to produce sounds, ranging from bagpipes to kazoos to triangles. Each instrument has its own timbre, so striking the same note on a drum will sound different than playing it on a flute. | 1.00T | 1/sec |
Modern Innovations | A modern society need modern tools. As technology developed, people began producing and receiving music with the new tools available. | 10.00B | 1.00M/sec |
A Brief History | Music has evolved significantly from the days of the Hurrian Hymn. As time passed, reasons for making music changed, as did the people who created music. | 5.00T | 300.00M/sec |
Upgrades[]
No Effect & Notes Efficiency[]
Name | Effeciency | Description | Cost | Requirements |
---|---|---|---|---|
Invisible Force | N/A | How can we break down something we can't see? Sound is an energy undetectable by the human eye, yet it exists all around us. | 20 | N/A |
Vibrations | 100% | Sound is defined in terms of vibrations. When an object is rapidly moving back and forth, air molecues are repeatedly bounced against each other. This can be observed by holding a hand to a speaker playing music. | 100 | x1 Notes |
Receiving Sound | 75% | When vibrating air reach the ear, it causes the eardrum to vibrate, creating the sensation of sound. From there, the sound waves enter the cochlea. | 500 | Vibrations |
Processing Sound | 125% | Tens of thousands of hair cells inside the cochlea receive vibrations and turn them into electrical signals. From here, the signals are carried to the brain, which processes the as sound. | 4,000 | Receiving Sound |
Sound Waves Efficiency[]
Name | Effeciency | Description | Cost | Requirements |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amplitude | 150% | Soundwaves carry energy, measured in decibels: the more energy carried, the louder the sound produced. If a sound's decibel level is too high, it can damage the hair cells in your ears. | 44,000 | x1 Sound Waves |
Wavelength | 150% | Wavelength measure the distance between two high points or between two low points of a wave. This distance is inversely related to frequency, so a higher wavelength creates a lower frequency. | 600,000 | Amplitude |
Frequency | 125% | The number of times a wave repeats affect the sound produced. Waves that repeat more often have a higher pitch, and ones that repeat less have a lower pitch. The frequency you hear most clearly is a note's fundamental. | 2.00M | Wavelength |
Harmonics | 150% | When a note is played, the fundamental frequency is usually not alone. Instead, notes are joined by several sound waves repeating at different waves. The additional frequencies accompanying the note are called harmonics. | 10.00M | Frequency |
Color of A Note | 125% | Timbre represent a sound's specific traits, which musicians refer to as a note's 'color'. These unique qualities are why a note played on a wooden flute will sound different when played on a metal one. | 30.00M | Harmonics |
Vibrato | 75% | By including small variations in pitch, musicians can create a wavering effect in their timbre. Opera singers are famous for their use of vibrato, an innovation that employs vibration to keep their vocal muscles loose. | 50.00M | Harmonics |
Theory Efficiency[]
Name | Effeciency | Description | Cost | Requirements |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pitch | 100% | A note's frequency is directly related to how high or low a note is. When these pitches are arranged in sequencial order, they create a scale. | 150.00M | x1 Theory |
Rhythm | 100% | A consistent timing between notes form the core of a song. These patterns are called rhythmic structures and are one of the main identifiers of a musical style. | 400.00M | x1 Theory |
African Polyrhythm | 100% | Utilized primarily in sub-Saharan African music, polyrhythm employs several seperate rhythms at once to create a unique and complex pattern. | 750.00M | Rhythm |
Notation | 150% | By using representative notes and symbols, music can be written down. This allows it to be preserved while permitting a composer to prescribe how a given song is to be played. | 3.00B | Pitch |
Semitones | 150% | The smallest interval on a western [sic] scale, semitones represent the minimum charge of pitch still recognized as distinct notes to the human ear. On a piano, they can be observed in the distance between each adjacent key. | 60.00B | Notation |
Arabic Maqam | 100% | As a system of scales, modulations, melodic phrases, techniques, and conventions, the maqam is the backbone of much Arab music. Maqams use even smaller intervals than Western music, going as tiny as the quarter tone. | 200.00B | Pitch, African Polyrhythm |
Chinese Shi'er lü | 150% | In ancient China, bamboo pipes were constructed for tuning purposes. When blown, they produced the twelve lü, or fundamental pitches of an octave. These pitches formed the foundations of Chinese music theory. | 450.00B | Arabic Maqam |
Chords | 150% | A chord is formed when three or more notes of different frequency are produced at once. When played sequentially, chords form the harmonic structure of a song. | 900.00B | Semitones |
Octave | 440% | Measuring a distance of twelve semitones, an octave often begins and ends on different pitches of the same note. These two sounds are perceived as identical, due to the second note being double the frequency of the first. | 8.80T | Chords |
Pentatonic Scale | 500% | Containing just five notes per octave, pentatonic scales were developed independently in a variety of early civilizations, such as ancient China and Greece. This suggests they have a univeral appeal. | 50.00T | Chinese Shi'er lü |
Melody | 300% | Shaped by pitch and rhythm, a melody is a series of notes arranged into a musical phrase. This is the part of a song you tend to remember fastest. | 100.00T | Octave, Pentatonic Scale |
Early Innovations Efficiency[]
Name | Efficiency | Description | Cost | Requirements |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sticks and Rocks | 125% | Anthropologists theorize fallen branches and small stones were likely the first items to be used as instrments. Banging these commonly found objects together would create sound, an early precursor to the drum. | 30.00B | x1 Early Innovations |
Bone Flute | 600% | The world's oldest known instrument was constructed from the left thighbone of a cave bear. Discovered in a Slovenian cave, historians believe this flute was made by Neanderthals 60,000 years ago. | 800.00B | Sticks and Rocks |
Write That Down | 300% | Now that humans have been creating songs, how do they ensure that future generations will be able to hear them? | 2.50T | Bone Flute |
Clay Tablets | 500% | The earliest pieces of musical writing were preserved on clay tablets. Notes were carved into these slabs to maintain compositions for future reference. | 30.00T | Write That Down |
Instruments Efficiency[]
Name | Efficiency | Description | Cost | Requirements |
---|---|---|---|---|
What's Next? | 150% | Humans have learnt how to create music for themselves. Where can they go from here? | 800.00T | Hurrian Hymn No. 6 |
Wind | 100% | Whether you're playing a brass or woodwind, both use airflow as the medium for producing sound. You can be vibrating your lips against a mouthpiece or blowing air into a reed, but in each case, that same energy is being transmitted through the instrument's hollow body. | 100 | x1 Instruments |
Voice | 125% | The human body is equipped with its own natural instrument: the voice. Capable of producing sound in a multitude of timbres, it is as much a musical instrment as any physical tool. | 1,500 | x1 Instruments |
Ocarina | 100% | Hey, listen! The ocarina is an iconic globular flute, originating in Italy as a carnival whistle. They are also known as Sweet Potatoes, due to their shape and original orange color. | 8,000 | Wind |
Keyboard | 150% | If an instrument uses keys, buttons, or levers to produce sound, it's a part of the keyboard family. This mean many string, electronic, and percussion instruments overlap with this category. | 150,000 | x1 Instruments |
Percussion | 75% | Striking, shaking, or scraping an object with enough energy can create a powerful sound. Some believe that the earliest music was made this way, as drums could have been crafted with hollow tree trunks and animal skin. | 900,000 | x1 Instruments |
Autotune | 100% | Originally used to correct mistakes in musical recordings, autotune is an electronic tool used to alter pitch. Artists like Cher popularized its ability to distort sound and create distinct vocal effects. | 8.00M | Voice |
Electrophones | 100% | In the early 20th century, a new type of instrument was created to produce sound with weak electric signals. While too weak to be heard on its own, the signal is strengthened when connected to an amplifier. | 15.00M | x1 Instruments |
The King of Instruments | 100% | The organ is an impressive instrment, often found in Christian Cathedrals. [sic] By sending pressurized air through rows of pipes, it produces sound that booms through a give space. | 40.00M | Keyboard |
Xylophone | 100% | Commonly used in the music of Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the xylophone is a set of tuned wooden bars struck with sticks or mallets to create sound. | 90.00M | Percussion |
String | 200% | Some instruments have strings stretched over a hollow chamber. A player plucks, strums, or bows the strings, creating vibrations. The sound bounces against the inside of the body and is amplified outward. | 250.00M | x1 Instruments |
Synthesizer | 250% | The synthesizer is a machine that can electronically produce and alter sounds. Composer Wendy Carlos brought it to the mainstream with her adaptations of classical music, paving the way for modern-day digital production. | 800.00M | Electrophones |
Lyre, Lyre | 250% | The oldest instruments humans have uncovered are the "Lyres of Ur", a group of instrument fragments that date back at least 4,500 years. | 3.00B | String |
Hurrian Hymn No. 6 | 500% | The world's earliest surviving melodic composition was discovered in the ancient Syrian port city of Ugarit. Engraved on a tablet and composed of lyre, it was written around 1400 BCE. | 7.00B | Melody, Lyre, Lyre, Clay Tablets |
Modern Innovations Efficiency[]
Name | Efficiency | Description | Cost | Requirements |
---|---|---|---|---|
Phonograph | 500% | The first popularized recording device inscribed sound into brown wax cylinders. The tubes were't perfect, deteriorating after only a few listens, but they set the tone for preserving music with modern technology. | 200.00B | x1 Modern Innovations |
Mic Check | 100% | The microphone is synonymous with recording all kinds of sound. First invented in 1877, it now acts as our gateway to bringing music into the digital world. | 700.00B | Phonograph |
Listen Up | 200% | The first pair of headphones were allegedly made in a kitchen out of copper wiring, a headband, and cans. Today, the device brings sound to the ears of millions, forging a personal connection between music and listener. | 2.50T | Mic Check |
Radio | 7500% | The invention of radio transformed the experience of music. Translating electromagnetic waves into sound waves, it brought music into the homes and cars of millions. | 150.00T | Listen Up |
Portable Player | 300% | Music has become a travelling companion in inventions such as the transistor radio, the Walkman, and other mobile devices. Your on-the-go life can now have a soundtrack, making music easier to enjoy than ever before. | 2.00Qa | Radio |
Digital Age | 1500% | The first viral-sharing service, Napster, allowed users to easily spread digital audio. Although it shut down after three years, its impact has lived on, with the internet becoming the new medium for sharing music. | 80.00Qa | Portable Player |
Streaming | 500% | Music no longer needs to be downloaded, or even purchased, to be consumed. The streaming services of today allow for easy listening at the press of a button, making music available for anyone with an internet connection. | 400.00Qa | Digital Age |
Here, There, and Everywhere | 100% | From its humble beginnings in bone flutes and clay tablets, music has evolved into an everpresent force. An activity that was once limited to few at a time can now be created by anyone and listened to by everyone. | 1.00Qi | Global Sensations, Streaming |
A Brief History Efficiency[]
Name | Efficiency | Description | Cost | Requirements |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ancient Times | 300% | Ancient cultures used music to honour their gods and values. The Berbers of North Africa used ritual music to ward off evil spirits, in addition to celebrating marriages and other milestones. | 12.00T | x1 A Brief History |
Middle Ages | 100% | Travelling troubadours sang across Europe, recounting tales of historical battles, heroes, and love. Their songs also describe the current events of the day, making them a main source of news in the Medieval world. | 70.00T | Ancient Times |
Classical Clientele | 200% | In the 18th century, composers understood that working under the patronage of a noble family could provide them with security and status. Such connections paved the surest path to international wealth and fame. | 800.00T | Middle Ages |
A New World | 500% | African-American slaves created the Blues from work songs and Christian spirituals. New Orleans musicians then created Jazz by playing drums and improvising. These two generes soon birthed Rock n' Roll. | 7.00Qa | Classical Clientele |
Beyond Borders | 300% | The music of Black Americans had such an impact, it inspired many British rock groups across the sea. As these bands gained popularity back in the United States, it was dubbed the "British Invasion". | 30.00Qa | A New World |
Global Sensations | 200% | In the modern era, anyone can be a music star. Whether you're making hip-hop or K-pop, whether you're being supported by a studio or recording in your bedroom, you can still create music and find an audience. | 150.00Qa | Beyond Borders |
Tech Tree[]
Duration(s)[]
- November 20th, 2023, 11:00 EST - November 26th, 2023, 10:00 EST
Trivia[]
- The event's knowledge tree closely resembles a G clef.
- The Description of Ocarina begins with “Hey, listen!” This is likely a reference to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, where the player’s companion, Navi, always lets you know when she has something to say by saying “Hey, listen!”
- The name "A New World" can also reference the starting music piece that plays when the game is booted up.
Explorations and Events | |
---|---|
Season 1 | James Webb Telescope • Fungi • Philosophy • Mass Extinction • Money • Pollination |
Season 2 | Deep Sea Life • Tea • Music • Human Body • Visual Art • Outbreaks • Cats • Rocks • Cryptids |
Special Events | A Dodo Ghost Hunt • Augmentations Console |