Did CDPR miss a great chance by not incl. Retro wave?

[Daniel_Lowe]

So, I have moaned and complained about the game enough now, and after having time to actually play the game - I have now cooled down a great bit.
Looking away from bugs, horrible AI, and subpar graphics on last-gen - The game IMO has the potential to be a 10/10 game, the writing, voice acting and ambience is TOP NOTCH - And when the game works, the city is immersive. Smaller areas, like clubs and rooms, look gorgeous.

My question is, did CDPR miss out on an obvious WIN by not including Retro wave?

I mean this genre was MADE for the cyberpunk genre IMO.

It has that 80s Futuristic sound.

I could have imagined a radio station called NEON FM or something like that with easily attainable music (copyright wise) And as the music is not mainstream, it would seem as if made for the game.

Imagine cruising thru neon-lit NC with this on! I play it in the background when I play the game, it gives off AWESOME vibes for me.

These are just a few examples?

Please keep it civil, and on track, this thread is meant to be just a little positve.

 

[Hiiraeth.]

Custom radio is coming but i agree with you.
However, the concept of Retro Wave is a little different from cyberpunk. You know Badlands? We could have a new area with some neons on the side of the street and some places with minigames there like "Vegas" of Night City.

 

[Daniel_Lowe]

Custom radio is coming but i agree with you.
However, the concept of Retro Wave is a little different from cyberpunk. You know Badlands? We could have a new area with some neons on the side of the street and some places with minigames there like "Vegas" of Night City.

For sure, it is not cyberpunk as such, but in recent times, retro wave has become synonymous with Cyberpunk imo.

There is a lot of potential with the badlands, I agree!

Can't wait for custom radio btw.

 

[Dexstrity]

I think the connection between the genres comes from the innate popularity of synthwave during the 80s and its use in many iconic 80s sci-fi (including cyberpunk) movies. I never gave the music in this game much thought before it came out but I was a little surprised that there wasn't at least one radio station dedicated to non-stop retrowave for driving down long, neon-lit highways at night.

 

[gregski]

They explained it already in a few interviews and personally I agree with their way of thinking.

Cyberpunk 2077 Interview with Composers Marcin Przybylowicz, P.T. Adamczyk, Paul Leonard-Morgan

Cyberpunk 2077 Composers Marcin Przybylowicz, P.T. Adamczyk, Paul Leonard-Morgan talk about the highly anticipated sci-fi video game from CD Projekt Red.

nerdreactor.com

 

[Hiiraeth.]

The Midnight - Los Angeles - YouTube

 

[Daniel_Lowe]

I think the connection between the genres comes from the innate popularity of synthwave during the 80s and its use in many iconic 80s sci-fi (including cyberpunk) movies. I never gave the music in this game much thought before it came out but I was a little surprised that there wasn't at least one radio station dedicated to non-stop retrowave for driving down long, neon-lit highways at night.

100% agreed - I have always connected this style of music to the 80s interpretation of the future which was often cyberpunk-themed.

Post automatically merged: Dec 22, 2020

They explained it already in a few interviews and personally I agree with their way of thinking.

Cyberpunk 2077 Interview with Composers Marcin Przybylowicz, P.T. Adamczyk, Paul Leonard-Morgan

Cyberpunk 2077 Composers Marcin Przybylowicz, P.T. Adamczyk, Paul Leonard-Morgan talk about the highly anticipated sci-fi video game from CD Projekt Red.

nerdreactor.com

View attachment 11108150
View attachment 11108159

Actually, remember this now that you post it!

Can't say I agree in any way.

CP is an 80s construct, and I think the music in the game is a little to much the same.
The 90s for me has NOTHING to do with CP.

CP is the future looked thru the lens of the 80s IMO. They kept all the aesthetics of 80s CP, so why not the music? At least just one radio station. TBH, the radio stations are, IMO, a little bland. Some are decent I guess.

But what do I know, I also liked the original Chippin in best!

 

[Dexstrity]

I understand why the composers wanted to lean away from the genre; like they said, it's been done to death. Too obvious. But I don't see why it was necessary to avoid the retrowave genre (which is often used synonymously with 'cyberpunk' in music) entirely. But maybe that's why they're artists and I'm not.

 

[Daniel_Lowe]

Also, was never really into the garage, underground, grungy style of music in the 90s in the first place, so I am perhaps biased.

Post automatically merged: Dec 22, 2020

I understand why the composers wanted to lean away from the genre; like they said, it's been done to death. Too obvious. But I don't see why it was necessary to avoid the retrowave genre (which is often used synonymously with 'cyberpunk' in music) entirely. But maybe that's why they're artists and I'm not.

Not really since the 80s tho? - Other than Stranger Things.

Id say the 90s style we are seeing now, has been beaten even more to death than retro wave.

But yeah, no one said they should only incl. it. They could have just made one station.
Instead it is ALL 90s like. Is that better?

Post automatically merged: Dec 22, 2020

That is why I ask if they missed a golden opportunity?

I think, even if some think it is the expected path musically, it would have been very popular and created great ambience.

 

[Dexstrity]

I don't hear the radio very well anyway - even at max volume it's usually drowned out by the sound of my vehicle's engine. To be honest though, as with any story set in the future, I like to think about how today's culture would naturally evolve, and though I personally love retrowave, it's not exactly mainstream and isn't likely to be any time soon. The music we hear on the radio stations in-game are more like the music we hear on the radio today. It's realistic, which I guess is just as valuable as being thematically appropriate? Maybe more?

 

[Daniel_Lowe]

I don't hear the radio very well anyway - even at max volume it's usually drowned out by the sound of my vehicle's engine. To be honest though, as with any story set in the future, I like to think about how today's culture would naturally evolve, and though I personally love retrowave, it's not exactly mainstream and isn't likely to be any time soon. The music we hear on the radio stations in-game are more like the music we hear on the radio today. It's realistic, which I guess is just as valuable as being thematically appropriate? Maybe more?

But would it be realistic to hear what we hear today in 2077?

That's my point - That is why Retro wave is often used as the music of the future thru the 80s lense - It's 80s but not really 80s.
Just like the cars and clothing is what people in the 80s imagined it would look like, while it probably will be nothing like it.

Retrowave just suits that 80s perspective on the CP future IMO.

 

[igrvks]

I would love to have some kind of Spotify integration within the game that would let you have a "custom radio station" and also allow to play custom music in nightclubs. Totentanz really needs some more aggressive dance music.

 

[Dexstrity]

Retrowave just suits that 80s perspective on the CP future IMO.

I agree, though it hasn't impeded my ability to enjoy the game. If you want another cyberpunk game with music reminiscent of that style I'd recommend Ghostrunner.

 

[Guest 4478408]

- this game takes place 2077 not 1980.
- i enjoy that the game does not try to replicate bladerunner. nothing wrong with bladerunner but i rather have something new with a new artdirection.

 

[Daniel_Lowe]

this game takes place 2077 not 1980.

Yet, you are ok with the music being 90s style?

Also, the retro wave isn't 80s, it is how the 80s interpreted how music would sound in the future, specifically CP.

 

[igrvks]

- this game takes place 2077 not 1980.

Yet the game features a Porsche 911 from the 80's.

 

[Daniel_Lowe]

I agree, though it hasn't impeded my ability to enjoy the game. If you want another cyberpunk game with music reminiscent of that style I'd recommend Ghostrunner.

No, musical style is the least of the game's problems, yet the writing is good enough for me to look beyond the many hiccups the game has.

For example, I LOVE the interactions with Panam, and her character is so well written IMO.

Will give Ghostrunner a chance

 

[Guest 4478408]

Also, the retro wave isn't 80s, it is how the 80s interpreted how music would sound in the future, specifically CP.

this does not make ANY sense. its made in the 80s its 80s.
analog: lots of art of the 15.th century depicted roman empire times. would you also claim this art was from 200bc or fit into a movie taking place at that time?

 

[Daniel_Lowe]

this does not make ANY sense. its made in the 80s its 80s.
analog: lots of art of the 15.th century depicted roman empire times. would you also claim this art was from 200bc or fit into a movie taking place at that time?

First of all, Retrowave as it is today, was not even a thing in the 80s - It is a thing from the 2010s and forward. It just takes from the synth styled music that the 80s used to use in movies taking place in the future.

Even that style of music back then was often used in CP styled movies - Because this is how they imagined the music would sound.

Your analogy is flawed and makes no sense to me - Sorry.

 

[Silanda]

Actually, remember this now that you post it!

Can't say I agree in any way.

CP is an 80s construct, and I think the music in the game is a little to much the same.
The 90s for me has NOTHING to do with CP.

CP is the future looked thru the lens of the 80s IMO. They kept all the aesthetics of 80s CP, so why not the music? At least just one radio station. TBH, the radio stations are, IMO, a little bland. Some are decent I guess.

I don't really agree with the logic of that interview either. Rather than being a justification of why it's tonally appropriate, it really comes across as "we grew up in the '90s and like '90s music, so that's what we're going with". Like you said, Cyberpunk, both the genre and the original RPG, was born of the '80s, and while there are a few notable exceptions like Snow Crash (though it's arguable whether that's truly cyberpunk or a satire), it was pretty much dead as a literary genre by the mid '90s. Coincidentally or not, so was the Japanese economic miracle, which had inspired certain elements of cyberpunk to a considerable extent. Anyway, at least some '80s inspired music would have been appreciated.