SKILL: Synthwave / Retrowave Specialist

Domain: 1980s Nostalgia, Neon Grid Landscapes, Chrome Typography, Sunset Gradients

Version: 1.0

For: Hermes Agent — Prompt Engineering & Scene Planning

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This skill encodes the complete visual vocabulary of Synthwave (also known as Retrowave, Outrun, or Neon-Noir) — the aesthetic movement that modernizes 1980s and early 1990s visual culture. It covers the iconic neon pink and cyan palette, grid-line landscapes, oversized striped suns, chrome and vector graphics, retro-futuristic vehicles, and the specific nostalgic optimism that distinguishes Synthwave from the dystopian Cyberpunk aesthetic.

When this skill is active, the agent should:

• Use Synthwave-specific terms (grid landscape, vector chrome, sunset gradient, outrun)
• Apply the IBM CGA 4-color palette origin (black, white, magenta, cyan)
• Reference retro computer graphics and early CGI aesthetics
• Build scenes using horizon-line composition and vanishing-point grids
• Understand the emotional register: nostalgic optimism, sunset melancholy, speed, freedom, retro-futuristic wonder