Videlectrix

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Background: Videlectrix is a company started by Matt and Mike Chapman, creators of the Internet cartoon Homestar Runner, as a means of branding some of their Flash online games posted upon said site. Despite technically being "real" for this reason, they are given an entirely fictional backstory which actually crosses over with the universe of Homestar itself, of being run entirely by two stuck-in-the-80s men (portrayed by the Chapmans themselves in live action) who are hopelessly incompetent and have little concerns with their product besides it having the woefully undefined characteristic of "good graphics". In 2008, the real company's first game on an actual system came out: the five-part Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People for Wii. Matt and Mike still at least partially keep the "real" company alive, as level 10 of the long-uncompleted Stinkoman 20X6 is in the works.


1st Logo
(2003-)

Logo: No two games have the same logo:
  • Awexome Cross 98: Against a gray background, Videlectrix's "corporate" logo is seen (the company's name, mostly in a black blocky 80s font, whereas the V is a large 3D blue shape with red and green tips at the beginning and end). Next to it is their mascot, a realistic white human silhouette, in a static "running" position. All of a sudden, the in-game sprite of The Cheat (a character from Homestar Runner and the player character of this game proper) in a tire drops in the center of the screen, "revs" up, and rolls off to the right of the screen, flattening the silhouette. The silhouette partially gets up makes an "OK" hand gesture to the audience.
  • TROGDOR!: The logo is seen against a black background with "presents" below in white. It is completely static
  • Population: Tire: The only game to use the "proper" logo. Against a black background, the silhouette runs in from the right side of the screen and trips. The logo zooms out, and he partially gets back up and gives a thumbs up.
  • Duck Guardian One: The logo is in more simplistic 8-bit. A duck from the game in white silhouette moves to the center, inflates and explodes.
  • Peasant's Quest: The man runs with a sword and shield. When he falls he impales himself on his own sword. The last note of the jingle repeats twice as if beckoning him to get up before he collapses dead with a final note.
  • 50K Racewalker: Against a gray background, the logo is in Atari like graphics and the man moves at the same pace as the character in this game (i.e. two steps a second). The logo ends before he even makes it a quarter to the center.
  • Hallrunner: The logo is entirely in green wireframes and slides in one syllable at a time to the music. "Game" appears below before "ix"
  • Stinkoman 20X6: Similar to the above, but the logo lacks letter outlines and is all blue except for the streaks. The man is also stylized as an 8-bit styled Mega Man-like character.
  • Kid Speedy: The logo has no outlines and the title character in white silhouette takes the place of the tripping man. He actually gets entirely back up.
  • Thy Dungeonman 3: Merely the company name (not in the form of the logo) in orange against a black background.
  • Where's an Egg?: This game only shows the V with some Russian text "televisual electric" above it (it is fictionally a Russia exclusive game). The man is replaced with a silhouette of the in game protagonist, who shoots the V. The bullet ricochets back and kills him.
  • Dangeresque Roomisode 1: Behind the Dangerdesque: Against a black background, the logo is more metallic and 3D, has an equally split silver and gold gradient with platnum outlining. Dangeresque and Renaldo (characters from the Dangeresque fictional series of films in the Homestar universe) in a car, all shilloueted in white drive from the right side of the screen. They leave it, leaving the logo to sparkle a few times for a few seconds.
  • TROGDOR! (2018 HTML remake): similar to the original, but it is co-credited with "and Aeon" below. Also notably, this is, most likely due to limitations of HTML, built into the loading screen and thus only lasts as long
FX/SFX: Depends on variation.

Music/Sounds: Depends on variant, but is usually a simple five-note 8-bit tune, the second to last not syncing to when the character falls down and the last one to him getting back up.

Music/Sounds Variants:
  • Awexome Cross 98: The sounds of the tire are included as well.
  • TROGDOR! and its remake: None.
  • Duck Guardian One: The theme is remade in an Atari 2600 style, albeit faster and more warbly.
  • Hallrunner: The theme is remade in an old computer style.
  • Peaseant Quest: Three extra notes to befit the gag.
  • 50K Racewalker: Only the sounds of in-game walking.
  • Stinkoman 20x6: The theme is remade in the Sega Genesis style, using FM synthesis.
  • Thy Dungeonman 3: A remade version of the theme with no final note.
  • Kid Speedy: No sound other than the ingame sound of Kid Speedy falling.
  • Where's an Egg?: An 8-bit excerpt of "The Song of the Volga Beltmen", still keeping the final note of the original logo theme.
  • Dangeresque Roomisode 1: Behind the Dangerdesque: The opening theme of the game.
Availability: Can be seen on all of the listed games, all of which are on homestarrunner.com and/or videlectrix.org.

Editor's Note: A very good throwback to the eras of cheesy gaming, much like the company's games themselves. All the variants suit the respective games well.



2nd Logo
(2008)

Logo: On a black background with a series of sunburst white lines, the preceding Telltale Games logo flips into the Videlectrix V as the name then appears. The V after a few seconds spirals into the camera, starting the title sequence.

FX/SFX: The flipping.

Music/Sounds: A different 8-bit tune.

Music Sounds Variant: On the SBCG4P episode "8-Bit is Enough", it has the first few seconds of the Videlectrix Mainframe music, consisting of a synth bass going "dun-dun-duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun", followed by thePeasant's Quest variant of the Videlectrix jingle, albeit muffled, echoing and without extra 3 notes, playing over the last synth bass note.

Availability: Seen on all five episodes of Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People.

Editor's Note: None.