5 ms·

I found the original graphics of this game hilarious. Ive never heard of of the game, nor would buy it, but those graphics are timeless. They got me immediate

I found the original graphics of this game hilarious. Ive never heard of of the game, nor would buy it, but those graphics are timeless. They got me immediately laughing. "Another thing to kill the laughs for me was the move to better graphics." There's something to this. Some things don't need updated graphics?

saint_fiasco 9y ago
It ties into context, I think. This game is funny because it subverts the expectations of the adventure game genre. Improving the graphics weakens this association.
- dogruck 9y ago
  Worth pointing out that, regardless of the context, comedy rarely ages well. For example, if you watch popular standup comedy routines from the past, they're often unfunny, even when performed by comedy legends.
  - angersock 9y ago
    Oddly, I find them funnier--times change, tastes change.
  - tomjakubowski 9y ago
    One obvious exception is physical comedy. Buster Keaton is timeless, and in just one Three Stooges short, the contrast in how physical and other kinds of comedy age is apparent.
    - simonbyrne 9y ago
      Agreed: I watched Singin' in the Rain recently. Donald O'Connor's physical comedy is really the standout element in that movie.
  - simonbyrne 9y ago
    Perhaps since standup comedy particularly relies on edginess and cultural context, as opposed to some other mediums?
  - ballenf 9y ago
    There's a special on Netflix right now where Jerry Seinfeld goes back to roots and repeats (one of) his first standup routines. I found it fantastic, but a friend hated it. We both were very perplexed by the other's perspective. Anyway, worth a watch! Or you'll hate it!
  - wavefunction 9y ago
    I love the Marx Brothers, both the slapstick and the double entendres and asides and retorts. Their amazing foils in their straight-men and women helped make their comedy timeless imo.
tclancy 9y ago
>Some things don't need updated graphics? I think the underlying theme of the article is the game was an organic whole. It wasn't just a good idea they put together in the technology available at the time, it was of the time. The best example is: "once they started looking like actual pin-up girls, that dimension of the humor was lost. It gradually felt less like a joke about a guy who wants to hook up with sexy ladies and more a vehicle for actually looking at sexy ladies." the improved graphics and the point-and-click interface completely change what the thing is. It stops being some wink-wink "You're playing video games because you can't find a date but we're such losers we had time to make a game for you" and something commercial and knowing. If you knew about any of the Sierra titles you were almost part of a family. You could write to the people there or at Infocom or wherever and reasonably expect a response. Now video games are an industry and every possible niche is filled to bursting. Then again, there's always some indie game or single-A title that drags me back.
- irrational 9y ago
  "a vehicle for actually looking at sexy ladies" So... google?
sillysaurus3 9y ago
Certainly. Undertale is a perfect example. Better graphics would kill it.

saint_fiasco 9y ago

It ties into context, I think. This game is funny because it subverts the expectations of the adventure game genre. Improving the graphics weakens this association.

dogruck 9y ago
Worth pointing out that, regardless of the context, comedy rarely ages well. For example, if you watch popular standup comedy routines from the past, they're often unfunny, even when performed by comedy legends.
- angersock 9y ago
  Oddly, I find them funnier--times change, tastes change.
- tomjakubowski 9y ago
  One obvious exception is physical comedy. Buster Keaton is timeless, and in just one Three Stooges short, the contrast in how physical and other kinds of comedy age is apparent.
  - simonbyrne 9y ago
    Agreed: I watched Singin' in the Rain recently. Donald O'Connor's physical comedy is really the standout element in that movie.
- simonbyrne 9y ago
  Perhaps since standup comedy particularly relies on edginess and cultural context, as opposed to some other mediums?
- ballenf 9y ago
  There's a special on Netflix right now where Jerry Seinfeld goes back to roots and repeats (one of) his first standup routines. I found it fantastic, but a friend hated it. We both were very perplexed by the other's perspective. Anyway, worth a watch! Or you'll hate it!
- wavefunction 9y ago
  I love the Marx Brothers, both the slapstick and the double entendres and asides and retorts. Their amazing foils in their straight-men and women helped make their comedy timeless imo.

tclancy 9y ago

>Some things don't need updated graphics? I think the underlying theme of the article is the game was an organic whole. It wasn't just a good idea they put together in the technology available at the time, it was of the time. The best example is: "once they started looking like actual pin-up girls, that dimension of the humor was lost. It gradually felt less like a joke about a guy who wants to hook up with sexy ladies and more a vehicle for actually looking at sexy ladies." the improved graphics and the point-and-click interface completely change what the thing is. It stops being some wink-wink "You're playing video games because you can't find a date but we're such losers we had time to make a game for you" and something commercial and knowing. If you knew about any of the Sierra titles you were almost part of a family. You could write to the people there or at Infocom or wherever and reasonably expect a response. Now video games are an industry and every possible niche is filled to bursting. Then again, there's always some indie game or single-A title that drags me back.

irrational 9y ago
"a vehicle for actually looking at sexy ladies" So... google?

sillysaurus3 9y ago

Certainly. Undertale is a perfect example. Better graphics would kill it.