The Price of Trust

"Money has taken wildly different forms throughout history — shells, gold coins, digital data. How did this happen? Why do we trust these ever-changing forms, when their worth can rise and fall (and even rise again)?" ― Information Tab

The Price of Trust
Exploration Stats
Episode	5
Theme	Money
First Start	October 5th, 2022 (beta) November 23rd, 2022 (production)
Chronology
Previous	Life After Apocalypse
Next	A Coevolution Love Story

The Price of Trust is a limited time event which mainly focuses on Money. Like the Tech Tree of Life, this one features generators that produce currency per second. Unlike other events in Season 1, this event is the first one that features multiple different currencies.

Story

Opening

"Humans spend their lives accumulating things, fragments of metal, pieces of paper, bits of data. Why are these objects so treasured?"

Ending

"It appears that Money can be anything, a shell, a knotted rope, a plastic card, though these objects are worth nothing, our collective trust makes them precious."

Objectives & Rewards

The requirements that have to be completed in order to get all rewards.

Explore Money (10 Requirements)

1. Collect Metallurgy → Augmentations Console2
2. Collect Cowrie Shells → Trust in Community Badge
3. Collect 1.00 T Shells → Augmentations Console3
4. Collect Negotiable Instruments →: Augmentations Console5
5. Collect 100 Coins → Augmentations Console7
6. Collect Fiat Money →Trust in Institutions Badge
7. Collect Payment Cards → Augmentations Console8
8. Collect 30 Electronic Money, Blockchain → Augmentations Console10
9. Collect 20 Future Money → Augmentations Console15
10. Collect One world, One currency?, Decentralized Utopia?, Post-scarcity Society? → Trust in Technology Badge

Badges

This exploration holds some rewards already mentioned above. The main ones being these three badges: Bronze: Trust in Community, Silver: Trust in Institutions and Gold: Trust in Technology which have an effect on all other evolutionary branches, speeding up every simulation by 1%, and also speeding up production in future The Price of Trust simulations by 5, 10 and 15% respectively.

Trust in Community

"Sharing is caring -- at a foundational level, we must be able to trust our community to deal with us fairly. If we can't trust out neighbors, how can we trust strangers?"

Trust in Institutions

"As populations grow beyond a size that allows for one-to-one trust, governments and banks regulate money. Now we can trade with strangers hundreds of miles away and trust that the money is worth the same."

Trust in Technology

"Technology's advancement has empowered more people to participate directly in economic exchanges. As financial instruments become more accessible, we no longer need to rely on intermediaries to control our money, so long as we can trust in the technology itself."

Generators & In-Game Descriptions

The Price of Trust event features five generators, each of which produce their own unique currency (except Future).

Generators

Icon	Name	Currency	Description	First Cost	Cost Growth	Base Production	Requirements
	Commodity Currency	Shells	Specialised societies required a "medium of exchange," trusted and accepted across society as payment for goods and services. While the oldest currencies used cattle, cloth, tools and other common, useful objects, over time, these evolved into symbolic forms and pure accounting units.	25	7%	1 Shell/sec	Specializing
	Coins	Coins	With the sixth and seventh centuries BCE, rulers began minting coins. Standardized and produced at volume, coins were a uniform currency, accepted as legal tender throughout their domains.	1.00B Shells	9%	1 Coin/sec	Metallurgy
	Paper Money	Notes	Lighter and more easily transportable than metal-based coinage, paper money has become the default currency of the modern world.	1.00B Coins	11%	1 Note/sec	Negotiable Instruments
	Electronic Money	Credits	As the world went electronic, financial systems followed. Aided by rudimentary computer networks, Wall Street brokers could execute trades over the phone, no face-to-face interaction required, while banks could treat money as numbers linked to an account more than physical coins or bills.	1.00B Notes	13%	1 Card/sec	Fiat Money
	Future Money	Cryptocurrency	In the twenty-first century, computer networks are getting faster and more interconnected. With the internet, laymen can access markets as never before, even as specialists employ artifical intelligence to make financial decisions. In a digital world, money is increasingly rendered in ones and zeros.	1.00 Credits	15%	100,000 Cards/sec	Mobile Payment

Upgrades & In-Game Descriptions

No Effect

Name	Efficiency	Description	Cost	Requirements
Hunting and Gathering	N/A	For hundreds of thousands of years, humans lived in roving bands, hunting and foraging for food.	0.0004 Cowrie Shells	N/A
Gifting	Tap gains +0.00004 per tap	In hunter-gatherer communities, gifts were used as a way to strengthen social ties. The oldest known economic system, the gift economy, is particularly viable in small and close-knit groups.	0.0005 Cowrie Shells	Hunting and Gathering
Settling	Tap gains +0.00995 per tap	The discovery of farming created denser, more sedentary societies. Eventually, as populations continued to grow, the earliest towns began to emerge.	0.006 Cowrie Shells	Gifting
Specializing	Tap gains +0.99 per tap	As populations grew, economic roles became specialized. Some people farmed, some worked as artisans, some fought as warriors or even governed. This required new methods of economic exchange.	1 Cowrie Shell	Settling

Commodity Currency Efficiency

Name	Efficiency	Description	Cost	Requirements
Debt	150%	As long as there have been economic exchanges, there has been a concept of debt. If someone injures a neighbour's livestock, or requires a service they can't afford, some later repayment or restitiution is to be expected.	125 Cowrie Shells	Gifting, x1 Commodity Currency
Tally Sticks	100%	Prehistoric humans inscribed numerical records onto sticks or fragments of bone. An effective technique for tracking debt, Tally Sticks [sic] continued to be used through the Middle Ages.	5,000 Cowrie Shells	Debt
Bartering	100%	While hunter-gatherers shared resources among themselves, when facing shortages, they need to trade with other tribes. An alternative to money, barter involves direct trade of goods and services for one another, without an medium of exchange.	20,000 Cowrie Shells	Settling, Tally Sticks
Wampum	150%	Carved from shells, these strings of beads were commonly exchanged as gifts between Native American tribes to establish and commemorate treaties and aggrements.	250,000 Cowrie Shells	Gifting, Bartering
Recordkeeping	150%	Money is a "unit of account", through which the value of goods and services can be appraised (i.e. pricing). With written records in particular, ancient societies were able to compile and access a wide range of information regarding economic production and transactions.	800,000 Cowrie Shells	Tally Sticks, x1 Commodity Currency
Intrinsic Value	100%	Money provides a store of value, resistant to depreciation, which can be saved for future use. When using money, people trust it holds an inherent worth which will be maintained over time.	3.00M Cowrie Shells	Bartering, x1 Commodity Currency
Precious Metals	150%	Simultaneously malleable and durable, not to mention highly scarce, gold and silver have dominated the world's currency for millennia.	9.00M Cowrie Shells	x1 Commodity Currency, Intrinsic Value
Metallurgy	150%	Advances in metalworking have allowed societies to more easily manipulate the purity, weight, and shape of the currencies they use.	40.00M Cowrie Shells	Precious Metals
Cowrie Shells	200%	Imperishable and easily carried in large amounts, cowrie shells made for an ideal medium of exchange. First used in China over 3,000 years ago, they spread across the Indian and Pacific Oceans to places as far apart as Africa and Oceania.	250.00M Cowrie Shells	Intrinsic Value, Metallurgy
Bronze Shells	400%	Facing a shortage of cowries inland, Chinese communities began making artificial replicas of organic shells. These bronze shells became the forerunners to the first Chinese coins.	750.00M Cowrie Shells	Cowrie Shells
Government Mints	200%	While the first currencies emerged on an ad-hoc basis, the minting of coins brought them under State control. By directly producing their own money, governments gained a dependable source of wealth and the ability to manipulate their currencies if required.	40.00B Cowrie Shells	Metallurgy
Shekels	300%	The Sumerians priced according to weight, using silver as balance. At first a unit of measurement, equivalent to 8.4 grams, the silver shekel evolved into one of the first metallic currencies, used across the Ancient Middle East.	600 Coins	Precious Metals, x1 Coins
Rai Stones	10000%	For centuries, the Yapese in Micronesia have used these disc-shaped limestone carvings as currency. In some cases too heavy to be moved, a record of ownership has been maintained within the oral history of each stone.	10.00M Coins	Recordkeeping, Government Mints
Quipu	100000%	Advanced recordkeeping can be achieved in the absense of writing. The Incas used an intricate system of knotted strings to record and transmit a wide range of information.	750 Banknotes	Recordkeeping, x1 Paper Money

Coins Efficiency

Name	Efficiency	Description	Cost	Requirements
Lydian Coinage	75%	The Lydians were one of the first to issue a currency backed by the State. These coins, produced under royal authority, were easier to use than earlier Middle Eastern currencies which required the use of weight and measures.	5,000 Coins	Bronze Shells, x1 Coins
Chinese Coins	100%	Chinese bronze coins were among the earliest in the historical record. With unification under the Qin (221-206 BCE), China moved to a more cetralized, uniform coinage employed across the entire country.	150,000 Coins	Lydian Coinage
Interest	75%	Borrowing money isn't free, not when creditors expect some degrees of profit from their loans. By charging regular payments from their lenders, priced at a percentage of the debt, they are able to generate returns.	400,000 Coins	Recordkeeping, x1 Coins
Usury	100%	A practice associated with predatory lending, where interest rates are set at exceptionally high and unfair levels, usury is condemned by many of the world's religions and outlawed by some governments.	2.00M Coins	Interest
Roman Coinage	100%	First under the Republic and then the Empire, Roman hegemony endured for centuries, spreading its coinage across Western Europe and and the Mediterranean. Even after the Empire's collapse, the coins remained, stilled used well into the Middle Ages.	5.00M Coins	Lydian Coinage, Chinese Coins
Carolingian Coinage	100%	A patron of education and religion, and conquerer of much of Western Europe, Charlemagne shaped the Early Middle Ages. His reforms even extended into currency, as he introduced three new denominations of coinage. [sic] The penny, shilling and pound.	10.00M Coins	Roman Coinage
Negotiable Instruments	150%	Written documents such as Promissory Notes and Bills of Exchange can later be exchanged for monetary payment. Such documents were the forerunners to modern paper currency.	20.00M Coins	x1 Coins, Usury
Banking	200%	Banking's golden age emerged with the Middle Ages and Renaissance. This was a time in which powerful banking dynasties bankrolled rulers, or in the case of the Medicis, became rulers themselves.	80.00M Coins	Usury
Iconography	300%	For millennia, coins have been used to build a shared sense of identity and belonging. Whether it be an owl of Athena or a Roman eagle, the imagery featured on coinage has held profound significance to the cultures that produced them.	300.00M Coins	x1 Coins, Negotiable Instruments
Deposit Lending	150%	The business of banking revolves around depositing and loans. Banks accept deposits, which they then use to supply loans to other parties. This monetary reshuffling is how bankers make their money.	1.00T Coins	Banking, x1 Paper Money
Counterfeiting	700%	As currencies were put into circulation, bad actors attempted to forge them. To combat counterfeiters, societies devised methods to test for fake coins, while governments imposed strict penalties, including execution.	5.00T Coins	Iconography
Credit	1000%	When money has been borrowed or payment deferred, lenders must be able to trust that the debt will be repaid. If this trust is compromised, borrowers can expect to face higher interest rates, unforgiving conditions, and general difficulties finding loans.	300,000 Banknotes	Interest, x1 Paper Money
Piece of Eight	10000%	The pop culture pirate's currency of choice, these silver coins were used across the Spanish Empire and the New World. The first true global currency, it formed the basis for many of the currencies that followed, including the United States dollar.	7M Banknotes	Carolingian Coinage, x1 Paper Money
Taxation	500000%	While levying taxes, governments dictate which currencies are favored and accepted as payment, facilitating the spread or adoption of State-produced coins.	900 Credits	Government Mints

Paper Money Efficiency

Name	Efficiency	Description	Cost	Requirements
Flying Money	100%	Used by merchants under the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), China's flying money was a paper-based negotiable instrument that could be exchanged for coinage. Convenient for use across long distance, flying money was the precursor to the world's first true paper currency.	1,500 Banknotes	Negotiable Instruments, x1 Paper Money
Central Bank	200%	These financial institutions were created to regulate a nation's money supply and oversee its commercial banks and markets. Collaborating with government, they brought much need stability to the national economies now under their control.	20,000 Banknotes	Banking, x1 Paper Money
Gold Standard	300%	Introduced by the British in 1821, under the Gold Standard, a country's paper currency had its value backed by a specific amount of gold. A stable system, it resists both inflation and deflation, as the money produced must be equal to the gold bullion supply.	750,000 Banknotes	Central Bank
Fiat Money	300%	As the world left the Gold Standard, governments were permitted to freely issue money as required. Fiat money is not backed by gold or any commodity, but derives its value from peoples' trust in the issuing government.	3.00M Banknotes	Credit, Gold Standard
Stock Market	200%	First appearing in the 1700's, stock markets allowed companies to sell ownership stakes to the public, entitling investors to a share in the profits. Now electronic instead of paper-based, they remain a primary vehicle through which fortunes are gained and lost.	100.00M Banknotes	x1 Paper Money, Fiat Money
Speculative Bubbles	500%	In seventeenth century Holland, over-speculation in tulips drove pricings to extremes, where the price of one bulb could exceed the value of a house. Inevitably, the market collapsed and tulip prices cratered. A recurring danger of investing, speculation bubbles drive prices beyond sustainability.	400.00M Banknotes	Stock Market
Inflation	2000%	An increase in the money supply means a resultant loss of purchasing power. While this can benefit borrowers, too much inflation can be catastrophic.	300.00B Banknotes	Fiat Money, Deposit Lending
ATM	5000%	Invented in the late 1960's, automated teller machines (ATM) offer increased convenience to bank customers, allowing them to electronically withdraw money without involving a teller. Today, they have become a standard banking feature, proliferating worldwide.	500,000 Credits	Payment Cards
Euro	100000%	Officially entered circulation in 2002, the Euro acts as one currency shared among (at present) 19 seperate European countries. if the world ever adopts a true global currency, the Euro might be remembered as an early precursor.	2.50B Cryptocurrency	Fiat Money

Electronic Money Efficiency

Name	Efficiency	Description	Cost	Requirements
Information Security	100%	With financial records and personal information increasing stored online, companies must remain vigialant to ensure this information remains secure.	10,000 Credits	x1 Electronic Money
Payment Cards	100%	In the twenty-first century, many transaction are performed via credit and debit cards. People no longer need to worry about carrying sufficient cash on hand when there are electronic options.	50,000 Credits	x1 Electronic Money
Online Banking	400%	With advances in computing and the internet age, banks and institution have gone digital. Economic transactions can be carried out from a home computer, offering increased convenience and ease of access.	200,000 Credits	x1 Electric Money
e-commerce	500%	In the internet age, commercial transactions are moving online. Following Amazon's example, even traditional retailers have adopted an electronic model, and many niche merchants operate entirely from behind a computer.	6.00M Credits	ETF, Online Banking
Wire Transfer	150%	A method of electronically transferring funds between one bank accout and another securely, even over long distances.	50.00M Credits	Online Banking, Information Security
Mobile Payment	300%	Smartphones have made economic transactions more convenient than ever before, carried out by a tap or a scan of a QR code. Services such as Alipay and venmo have made plastic optional, as people are making payments on mobile devices.	150.00M Credits	Payment Cards
ETF	200%	Given that investment is inherently uncertain, strategies have emerged to mitigate risk. Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) pool money across an entire sector of the market, buying a wide range of companies without needing to predict winners and losers.	400.00M Cryptocurrency	Stock Market
Bank Run	2500%	When putting money in a bank, people trust it will be protected. Bank runs occur when this trust has been broken, and a significant amount of account-holders attempt to withdraw their money, pushing the bank into failure.	20.00B Cryptocurrency	Inflation
Algorithmic Trading	500%	Today's traders and institution use computer programs to instataneously execute trades, based on market trends and patterns, to maximize gains, minimize losses, and ensure that decisions are timed with optimal precision.	300.00B Cryptocurrency	ETF

Future Money Efficiency

Name	Efficiency	Description	Cost	Requirements
Blockchain	200%	An alternative to traditional databases, blockchains store information on interconnected and immutable blocks of data. Decentralized by design, blockchains are resistant to tampering and fraud, and have been used in a range of applications.	2.00B Cryptocurrency	x1 Future Money
Cryptocurrency	200%	Made possible by blockchain and networking technologies, cryptocurrency is a digital currency whose transactional value derives from what its users mutually agree upon. United to any institiutional authority, it eliminates the need of intermediaries during the exchange of money between two parties. Still, cryptocurrency is not immune to fraud or market bubbles.	100.00B Cryptocurrency	Blockchain
Virtual Currencies	150%	Online systems have established their own mediums of exchange. Warcraft's gold can be used to make purchases in-game, and various Reward Programs can be applied to real-world purchases and discounts.	750.00B Credits/Cryptocurrency	Algorithmic Trading, Mobile Payment
What's next?	200%	As history has shown, nature of money has evolved alongside the societies that have used it. With this history in mind, who can say what radical changes may be in store?	900.00B Cryptocurrency	Virtual Currencies, Cryptocurrency
Unregulated	250%	Lack of regulation can be a strength, but it comes with major risks. Consumers lack governmental protections such as deposit insurance and reserve requirements. Users can be more easily hacked and scammed. There are also environmental concerns with Proof of Work mining.	2.00T Cryptocurrency	Cryptocurrency
One world, One Currency?	200%	Perhaps, through international cooperation, people might one day adopt a shared currency, honored everywhere in the world and regulated by a single entitiy. A global currency would be efficient, easy to use, and predictable, therefore eliminating inflation, recessions, trade barriers, and speculative bubbles.	10.00T Cryptocurrency	What's next?
Decentralized Utopia?	200%	Throughout all of history, the powerful have controlled society, but technology may provide an answer. As cryptocurrencies become accepted, banks will lose their grips on the levers of financial power, as monetary power is diffused across the blockchain. Instead of financial institutions and government regulation determining the worth and value of our money, it will be the people in control.	40.00T Cryptocurrency	What's next?
Post-scarcity Society?	100%	Society has long be marred by inequality, divided between the haves and have-nots. But as production and automation contine to accelerate, perhaps this too will be overcome, creating a world without the traps of money and debt, where people have more time for leisure and the ability to pursue self-actualization.	100.00T Cryptocurrency	What's next?
Darwinium Cube	200%	Darwinium cubes are the most valuable resource in the known universe.	Darwinium1	Virtual Currencies

Tech Tree

Duration(s)

• November 23rd, 2022 ,12:00 PM - November 29th, 2022, 12:00 PM

Trivia

• There is a minigame in the garden tab that rewards you 10 Darwinium.
  • In order to get them, you have to tap on the:
    • Commodity Currency, Coins and Paper Money generators' targets, which launches cowrie shells, coins, and banknotes to the box underneath. This fills the first tree bars on the Darwinium reward box.
    • ATM (Electronic Money generator), which slowly fills a balance bar in the ATM screen. Doing this thrice fills the fourth bar.
    • transaction node (Future Money generator), which increases in nodes until you hit 100 of them, which fills the circle in the top right and allows you to transfer. Doing this thrice fills the final bar. There are always 411 connections in the nodes.
  • Doing this minigame after the reward is given gives you bonus currency (30 seconds of the chosen generator's output per 100 taps of "deposit"), but no more Darwinium.
• This is the first event that has an upgrade (Darwinium Cube) that costs Darwinium. It costs only one and makes the Future Money generator more efficient.
• There are five currencies in this event, the most out of any.
  • The Credits currency turns to the Cryptocurrency currency after unlocking Future Money, presumably due to the fact it can't fit any more.
  • Your production/sec can be accessed by clicking the tab. It turns back if you click it again. This is because of the space problem this event faces.
• The Decentralised Utopia? has the longest description (I currently know of so this can be subject to change) of any upgrades in the game, reaching a staggering 11 lines with 60 words.