I've always had a mental block when it came to the Prequals coming before the Original Trilogy relating to time. It was two shiny, clean, and modern to actually believe it took place before the events of Luke, Han, and Leia.
In a way it makes sens that the world was clean and shiny before the wars. I think Lucas wanted to show us this world at its peak of splendor. Curves and colors of the prequels are replaced by grey tint and flat lines in the OT, once the Empire takes control.