Why the 80s?.....

[Ummon]

Post-modernism essentially means post-WWII culture in general, with an emphasis in arts and sciences, that began to culminate in the sixties. While this spilled over into American pop-culture, I don't think post-modernism reached a sort of zenith in it until the 80s.

The result were the music, the ideas, the fashion.....and relevant to here the video games that were produced. Not just that they were produced, but the kinds of concepts many of them portrayed were a mix of old ideas with new, essentially fantastic, themes that transcended a simple re-packaging of fairytales, so to speak.

This is why the golden age of video games is significant. After this, while hardware became more sophisticated, and graphics capabilities expanded,  game concept development contracted. (Many, perhaps the majority, of those too young to remember or appreciate the golden age were conditioned, by the advent of graphics, such that they were incapable of seeing this.)

Then, of course, the quest to emulate reality blurred the distinction between game type, and continues to.

And I can totally see a virtual arcade, lifesize, in some people's futures.

[shardian]

You're like a K7000 medium res chassis:

Technically the same as all the other normal chassis, but with a whole bunch of wire hacks, and strange add-on pieces.

[Felsir]

It is called nostalgia.

The 80s was when computers were mature enough to turn an idea into a program. Look at like LEGO bricks; at one point the bricks were available in 2 sizes and 2 colors. It was interesting to see what people were able to make here. Then bricks were available in color and abstract shapes turned into recognisable objects. Someone combined the bricks into a car someone else created a spaceship.
Likewise in computers in the 80. This resulted in lots of brand new ideas: the first driving game, first scrolling shmups, first beat-m-ups, first RPG etc.

Then more advanced bricks came available (think LEGO Technic)- someone made a car that could steer, but there were people that said "hey, nice but we've seen a LEGO car before".  In the 90s those game ideas propelled into the 3D realm. But there were hardly any "first ...". Even if something was seemingly unique, if could be derived to a shooter-while-driving-car or beat-em-up-with-RPG-elements.

Thus the 80s becomes a magical era because it was the time when we saw a lot of things 'for the first time'.

Like fashion in the 80s... hum yes it was really outgoing and all but I'm not going to wear my hair like that ever again... some stuff should remain in the realm of happy-memories.

[RayB]

I call ---That which is odiferous and causeth plants to grow--- on your whole unsupported claim Ummon. If you make a statement, it has to be supported by citations, otherwise it's merely opinion and easily dismissed.

Every medium ever has repackaged existing media and themes. Movies repurposed established literary archtypes and themes. Even those books before that borrowed and were influences by stories passed on orally. Music popular or not, repurposes the same themes (love, heartbreak, betrayal, daily life, fantasy, etc, etc). Disney built its empire off Grimm Brothers fairy tales. And those surely were not 100% original either. Video games... while I suppose into the 80's video games evolved into doing the same, it was by no means all that original. The damsel in distress theme: As ancient as time. Sci fi themes: Check the copyright date of Metropolis. etc... 

I also must call ---That which is odiferous and causeth plants to grow--- on "game development contracted". It did not. There have been plenty of new ideas and improvements to previous ideas. You're trolling. And I took the bait. OK, you know what, actually I will give you credit where due. Some great genres and gameplay mechanics WERE invented in the 80's, so thank the Lord Miyamoto, but I take issue with saying game development contracted. It did and it didn't. Maybe the initial move to 3D was a but anemic in new mechanics, but to say that of the whole of game design since then to now is quite disingenuous.

Look, the 80's sucked. There I've said it. The art, fashion, film aesthetics, architecture... it all sucked donkey balls. But to be a little more civil, you can see influences in all that that borrowed heavily from even pre-WWII art deco styles and art movements, but attempted to make it "new" but giving it all the gaudiest of colors: neon.  (Seriously... neon?! :). That's how out of ideas everybody was.

For fashion, it was like designers took the American "moral majority"'s message, and amplified it x100 giving us the most awful, unattractive nerdly styles imaginable. Maybe this helped women gain equality in the workplace? Make them manly or nerdy looking with sharp shoulder pads that'll slice your eye open if you get too close? I dunno. I look back and can't find anything attractive about it, not even in a "strong executive" type of look.

I was watching this movie last night... OMG what a horrible waste of film:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/solarbabies/

[Dartful Dodger]

I don't know what any of that meant, but I then that was the core of the 80s.  Everybody was making up off the wall nonsense and then pretended to be smart because no one understood them.

It was like the tailor for the emperor's new robe.  At first everyone agreed because no one wanted to say they didn't get it, until the 90s people started to understand it was really nothing, but again no one wanted to be call it out until 2000, that's when everything crashed.

The 80s just look better because people in the 90s didn't care enough to either expand the nonsense or change it.

As far as gaming and technology is concerned there is another thread about mechanical (pre-video) games, not to mention pinball and the like.  Things get better, the old games eventually become forgotten. The games of the 80s are our past, so we cling to it, but in 30 years no one will think twice about them.

[Ginsu Victim]

Even in the 80s, we knew this was a bad idea...

[RayB]

If you make a statement, it has to be supported by citations, otherwise it's merely opinion and easily dismissed.

[citation needed]

 

[Zero_Hour]

The 80's - Cocaine is a hell of a drug.

[Ummon]

The 80's - Cocaine is a hell of a drug.

I guess. There's actual medicinal purposes for it. And if one isn't addiction-inclined, it's a much better high than alcohol. Now crystal, that is pretty intense.


RayB: Essentially, there was a kind of leap in culture that was available because of many things, including technological emergence/development. This leaping has been continuing since then, but partly because it's based in the original (80s) phenomenon, it's mis-guided and diluted.

These statements are neutral, but are open to...interpretation.

I don't need to cite anything, for any such sources could be saying the exact same thing, and what would be different?  I also don't have to expound on it. If the audience thinks there's something to it, they can do the research (which includes personal emotional) for themselves.

Also, find me an example of pac-man in ancient lore.....

[saint]

Also, find me an example of pac-man in ancient lore.....

[Gavica]

i liked 80s

[Epyx]

What you don't need citations for is what the 80s meant to you as a person. For me it was my coming of age decade, the decade I went to high school, got my first computer, car, girl, console, job etc etc

For me it will always have a place in my nostalgic memories...more than anything its comforting to have that moment in time frozen in your memories cause it scares the living crap out of me that the 80s ended 19 years ago!!!!

Where did the bloody time go?!

[danny_galaga]

It was a time when i wanted chicks. But couldn't get 'em 

[Ummon]

....thanks saint. (Heh-heh-heh.)

[Blanka]

The glory days of one piece spandex in video clips and fitness video's 

[protokatie]

The glory days of one piece spandex in video clips and fitness video's 

Problem: Half of those wearing the spandex where guys... 

[Blanka]

Problem: Half of those wearing the spandex where guys... 

Fortunately I missed that half. Guess it helped I never liked (glam)rock.

[Ummon]

Problem: Half of those wearing the spandex where guys... 

Fortunately I missed that half. Guess it helped I never liked (glam)rock.

I never liked it, either - but I went straight from country and classical to thrash metal. While I'd heard heavy metal bands (my younger brother was way into them), I essentially skipped Priest and Maiden, etc.

HM was the first half of the 80s. Thrash really became mature with Metallica's Ride the Lightning in '84 and then the genre took off. (Then you had winky grunge in the early 90s - as well as Pantera, Sepultura, and mature death metal.)

Of course, in the early-to-mid 80s there was lots of great:

- rock: Halen, Journey, Loverboy, Foreigner, Huey Lewis and the News, 38 Special, Def Leppard, and more.....

- pop/alt/new wave: Phil Collins, The Police, Missing Persons, Thompson Twins, Blondie (she was really a mix all those), The Cars, The Fixx, Berlin, Asia, Simple Minds, etc....

- country: Alabama, Dan Seals, John Conlee (arguably the 'saddest voice in country music'), George Strait, Don Williams, Steve Wariner, etc...

[RayB]

The 80's:



'nuff said!

[Xiaou2]

 The 80s Rocked The Casbah! 

[Ummon]

 The 80s Rocked The Casbah! 

I bet old-school 'punks' still would stomp you for mentioning that.

The 80's:



'nuff said!

Dude, you're just highlighting one decade....

[Ginsu Victim]

Dude, you're just highlighting one decade....

When I think bad video dating services, I immediately think of the 80s.

Thanks for that vid, Ray. My wife and I cracked up.

[Ummon]

Dude, you're just highlighting one decade....

When I think bad video dating services, I immediately think of the 80s.

Thanks for that vid, Ray. My wife and I cracked up.

The thing is, that's when it really emerged, and then dissipated in the 90s, largely due to the internet. I wasn't talking about video dating in my post.

[Ginsu Victim]

Ok, then you'll have to explain, because that's what I see.

Edited to be a little nicer. There's no call for me being a jerk.

[Ummon]

Ok, then you'll have to explain, because that's what I see.

Edited to be a little nicer. There's no call for me being a jerk.

The goofiness of the average guy.

[patrickl]

Lol the freak (who's pretending to be a philosopher) calling an "average guy" goofy.

That sounds pretty 80's

[Ginsu Victim]

Ok, then you'll have to explain, because that's what I see.

Edited to be a little nicer. There's no call for me being a jerk.

The goofiness of the average guy.

I disagree. Even their attitudes are very 80s.

[Ummon]

Lol the freak (who's pretending to be a philosopher) calling an "average guy" goofy.

That sounds pretty 80's

I am a polybiblios.

Ok, then you'll have to explain, because that's what I see.

Edited to be a little nicer. There's no call for me being a jerk.

The goofiness of the average guy.

I disagree. Even their attitudes are very 80s.

Of course they were. There are corresponding attitudes to each era. Guys are still pretty goofy. For example, while American Pie was funny, there was a certain truth to it. Culture is a wonky authority.

[LLUncoolJ]

It was a time when i wanted chicks. But couldn't get 'em 

You missed out on chicks actually having bush. I got in on the tail end of that. Now thats nostalgia.

[Ummon]

It was a time when i wanted chicks. But couldn't get 'em  

You missed out on chicks actually having bush.

Sounds as if you're implying that's a bad thing.

[rackoon]

Its all about the 80's San Francisco punk sene