Video games occasionally have a background musical track that starts out as a fairly simple tune. As the player achieves objectives in the game, the background music gradually becomes more complex by adding/enhancing instrumentals, while still building off of the original tune.

This seems to be extremely common in recent games (see e.g. the tracks here, here, here, here, and here), but much rarer in older games. What was the first game to use this motif? Was the idea adapted from soundtracks in other media that predate video games?

The oldest example I know of is this track from Yoshi's Island (1995), but it's unclear how far back the trend goes before that.

Meta question: why are the books recommended in this sub always so expensive?

Not a criticism, genuinely curious about academic publishing.

Are there still Soviet Technology in space? Like is it possible to find a satellite with a Soviet insignia on it orbiting?

How would a famous psychiatrist like Sigmund Freud or Carl Jung have found patients? Presumably they wouldn't just take any idiot who phoned their office for an appointment, but as far as I know they both still treated patients for much of their careers. How would a person have become one of their patients?

What happened to the table carved with the map of Prussia given to Henry Bolingbroke by the Teutonic Order when he went on crusade in the Baltic?

And do we know how it looked? I think the Order gave them out regularly as part of the 'deluxe Crusader Package' Feasts, Fighting, and Fine map tables

In the early 20th century, telephone operators had to manually connect lines via a switchboard. Were operators employed 24 hours a day to provide this service? Could I call someone at 3 AM, or would no operator pick up?

What is the historical justification for the change from “BC” and “AD” to “BCE” and “CE”? Was there some event that took place in or around the year 0 that would constitute the beginning of the “Common Era”, or is this just nothing more than a push for secularization among historians?

I'm interested in watching a documentary about how people date and connect religious texts to recorded historical events and a wee journey down those roads. Can anyone recommend something for me?

What is the oldest Christmas song or hymn that we would recognize on the radio or in church today? Put another way: is there a popular Christmas song still sung today that, say, a peasant might have heard in a church mass in the Middle Ages, albeit in Latin or some other language?

Why was Namibia given to South Africa, and why was it never fully integrated?

The same question applies to Lesotho and Swaziland. Why were they never annexed by South Africa?

Has gold ALWAYS been more valuable than silver?

What was the largest city the Holy Roman Empire from 1200-1500?

Or more specifically, the largest city north of the alps and west of Prague?

How would soldiers know if a muzzle loading gun was loaded? If there was something wrong with the powder could the bad powder and ball be removed?

I’m having trouble figuring out what the early-to-modern view of Buddhism was from the optics of Hindus throughout India. Does anyone have any reading they would recommend or answer that could she’s some light?

Hi everyone, I just graduated from undergrad in May and I’ve been really missing taking history courses. (It was one of my majors.) I was Hoping for some book recommendations about various time periods or events in history. I’ve recently picked up Ordinary Men by Christopher Browning and One Minute to Midnight by Michael Dobbs. One area that always really interested me was Medieval Europe post the fall of Rome. I’ve really enjoyed learning about Charlemagne and the innovations be brought forward. So I’d really like a suggestion for something about this period, but I’d also be interested in anything about European/American history.

What is the earliest date at which the English sentence "Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure" could have been found written in that exact form?

How would you phrase the same sentence in Old or Middle English?

What’s the most historically accurate movie you know?

Approximately how much oil/fuel was spilled in the oceans due to attacks on shipping (especially oil tankers) in WW2?

Very specific question, but would anyone know whether a Canadian soldier in WWII would have been more likely to use a fountain pen or a ballpoint to write letters? Just randomly curious because my grandma recently showed me some letters written by my great grandpa in WWII.

Where can I read/learn about links between politics & arts in Florence during the 14th century (late gothic - early Renaissance)? I’m especially interested in the representation of itself that the political power gave through works of arts (architecture of public buildings being the main one, including things like plazas & street plans).

I can read both English & French.

I realize this is quite a specialized topic, sorry. Any help appreciated!

I'm hoping to find resources about the histories of art, music, and religion in the US in the 1780s-1790s. What would be good books for me to pick up?

Older movies depict married couples as having two twin beds in their room. Was this just a tv/movie trope or was this an actual trend among WASPs?

What is the earliest recorded instance of anilingus, and where can a reference to it be found?

We’re messengers for an invading army often killed by the hosting party?

Did they actually do anything in operation mongoose? I’ve read about the 33 plans and such but did they actually get to sabotaging anything?

Is there a map I can use during reading Thucydides Peloponnesian Wars?

Have there been any wars fought solely/almost solely through naval forces?

When the matrix was first released, was there any discussion about it as a transgender allegory? I know that in the years since it’s release the directors have come out and described it as such, but I’m wondering if at the time of its release any critics or major groups really viewed it in that way?

In hindsight it seems a little obvious but transgender issues were not nearly in the public consciousness back then as much they are nowadays

Why did the United States during WWII offer citizenship to Filipinos that enlisted into the Navy?

I want to read about medieval ships, preferably during the 14th and 15th centuries. Are there any good sources or books out there about the subject?

What happened to the Firebases after Vietnam?

Looking for information on battle this event occurred in. I can't remember where I heard this and I've been trying to find it to read up on it more. I heard about it in a list of 'dumb moments in history' kind of thing.

Believe it was an Egyptian Pharaoh, and he was leading his army against an enemy army. Between him and the enemy army was mountain with a narrow pass. You could go around mountain on either side or march through the narrow pass, but marching through the narrow pass was considered tactically suicidal.

So enemy army knows no one would go through the pas, so they split their army with half on each side of the mountain with their camp in the middle at the exit of the narrow pass

The Egyptian Pharaoh rejects the advice of all his generals about not marching into narrow pass and takes entire army through it... where they end up in the enemy camp with no resistance and they destroy the enemy army. Thus winning the battle by their leader picking an option no one prepared for it as no one ever would've thought someone would do it.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

How were men recruited for the German-trained divisions of China's National Revolutionary Army?

What exactly did Germany's military advisors do, and what was the extent of their training of the Nationalist army?

Hey, I'm writing a screenplay set during the American Frontier. The story follows two diverging caravans as they travel for the dream of gold and civilisation in california. One of my character's is a romantic, and I was wondering if it was possible if this character could have poems that were publsihed from the east. If so, could a poem called "Are You the New Person Drawn toward me?" that was published in New York in 1860, be avaliable to a frontiersman who hasn't yet made it to the east. Thank you! :)

Budding occultist/spiritualist here. I have multiple questions. Best resources to look at regarding middle eastern pre Abrahamic religious practices? Also books or resources regarding piercings and jewelry (general fashion) around the world?

What is the max range a common archer trained for and equipped with a longbow can aim at a target and be reasonably confident they will hit the target when the arrow is loosed. If there is an easy answer for this somewhere online, I would greatly appreciate a link.

To clarify, I am not asking the max range which the longbow arrow can still kill (that would be the range of volley fire i believe).

I am trying to find out the max range which a longbow archer can "hunt", so they woukd have to be sure their shot would hit.

A German friend told me that Otto von Bismarck never went to classes and just showed up to finals, got a perfect score and won his law degree, is this true?

Which is the largest Museum in the world currently ? Online when I searched it's showing many different answers like Smithsonian , the MET in NY and Louvre .

Anyone know when Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig was first called "Butcher Haig." Was it after the Battle of the Somme? Maybe Passchendaele? Or was it something that someone popularised after WW1