this post was submitted on 18 Aug 2023
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Cassette Futurism

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Welcome to Cassette Futurism Lemmy and Mbin Community.

A place to share and discuss Cassette Futurism: media where the technology closely matches the computers and technology of the 70s and 80s.

Whether it's bright colors and geometric shapes, the tendency towards stark plainness, or the the lack of powerful computers and cell phones, Cassette Futurism includes: Cassettes, ROM chips, CRT displays, computers reminiscent of microcomputers like the Commodore 64, freestanding hi-fi systems, small LCD displays, and other analog technologies.

See this blog to know more.


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[–] rgb3x3@beehaw.org 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I always love the idea in Sci-fi that in technology, they've somehow figured out personal digital assistants, but not simple UIs or slim hardware.

Like in Alien where they have all this space technology, but didn't get past using DOS.

[–] NuPNuA@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

TNG era Trek is funny with how right they got some things but how far off they still were.

They got tablets right, but couldn't concieve that they would have enough memory to hold all your documents or that the ship would have a cloud server. So you get scenes of people with stacks of tablets on their deck to look busy or crew members walking reports physically to the captain and handing over the hardware when you'd just do it via email in the real world now.

[–] NataliePortland@lemmy.ca 7 points 2 years ago

Very cool art

[–] NuPNuA@lemm.ee 5 points 2 years ago

Love it, it's so 70/80s sci-fi styled.

[–] rebelsimile@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I really like this title font, anyone know what it is (the serif one)?

[–] Crul@lemm.ee 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Font squirrel shows this list[^1]:

[^1]: I don't know how long that link will work.

  • Adobe® Garamond® Pro Bold
  • Garamond Premier Pro Bold
  • Garamond Classic FS Heavy
  • Minion® Pro Subhead Bold
  • Garvis Pro Bold
  • Tribal Garamond Regular
  • Adobe Arabic Bold
  • Sina Nova Extra Bold
  • Ines Bold
  • Arno Pro Subhead Bold
  • Argos Bold
  • NCT Granite DEMO Bold
  • Crimson Text Bold
  • Brigade Bold
  • Acta ExtraBold
  • Garamond Modern FS Bold
  • Garamond Nova Pro Condensed Bold
  • Artigo Glb Extra Bold
  • Kuenstler 480 Bold
  • Apud Black
  • Matrix II Bold
  • Worcester Serial Xbold
  • Kepler® Std Condensed Display Black
  • Utopia® Std Caption Semi Bold
  • Lyon Bold
  • KG No Regrets Solid
  • Magneta Condensed Bold
  • Belda Condensed Extra Bold
  • LeBrush Dark
  • Concept Medium
  • Unna Bold
  • Galatia SIL Bold
  • 1776 Independence Bold
  • TWT Prospero Condensed Bold
  • LaBodoni Bold
[–] emuspawn@orbiting.observer 4 points 2 years ago

It just needs "DON'T PANIC" plastered in friendly letters somewhere on the Device and it'd make a fantastic Hitchhikers Guide as well!

[–] iconic_admin@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Didn’t know this community existed or what it was. Started looking for one.

[–] Crul@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago

FYI: according to Aesthetics Wiki:

Cassette Futurism is a genre of retrofuturism based on the 70's and 80's. The media itself does not have to be set in this time period, but rather explore the speculated alternate future of it. As the name suggests, Cassettes are the main way of storing and transferring data.

[–] FnordX@kbin.social 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Reminds me of a lot of the devices in the Cyberpunk 2020 RPG rulebook.

[–] Crul@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago

Indeed, there are a few very cassette-futuristic gadgets there! I need to take some time to search the illustrators names (page 3) and see if they have more like this. Thanks!

Source: Cyberpunk 2020 - cyberpunk-the-roleplaying-game-of-the-dark-future-r-talsorian-games-inc.pdf

[–] freamon@endlesstalk.org 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Is oddly reminiscent of the Pip-Boy from the Fallout games

[–] MisterChief@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

My first thought as well. Wonder if there was any inspiration pulled from this device.