Videlectrix

Background

Videlectrix is a "company" started by Matt and Mike Chapman, creators of the Internet cartoon Homestar Runner, as a means of branding their later Flash 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 currently keep the "real" company alive, as Dangeresque: The Roomisode Triangulate (compiling the first Flash game, the unreleased second game and a new, exclusive third game) and Homestar Runner's Halloween Hide n' Seek got released on Steam and Itch.io.

1st Logo (February 4, 2003-)

Visuals: Not all the 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 (Federation Bold, or Eurostile Exteneded), 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.
  • The 2018 HTML remake now co-credits "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.
• 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 in, 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 "rix"
• Stinkoman 20X6 (pre-Level 10 update): 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 Russian-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.
• Stinkoman 20X6 (Level 10 update): Same as the pre-update version, but it's enhanced. The man runs over the logo, which is now in 3D and slowly scrolling towards the camera. The logo then turns to face towards the camera and places into the usual position, causing the man to trip and fall down the bottom. The man gets up as usual. The bronze spinning CD flies in from the left, decapitates the man, and slams into the logo, spliting the CD in half, resulting in "VideleCDrix".
• Dangeresque: The Roomisode Triungulate: Same as the Dangeresque Roomisode 1 variant, but the car turns into a pixelated 3D version of itself as the swerves to the right suddenly and off to the right, wiping to the intro of the game.
• Homestar Runner's Halloween Hide n' Seek: The logo is still and nothing happens.
• 8-Bit is Enough: This is a variant only if you visit the Videlectrix mainframe from the game. Strong Bad replaces the Videlectrix mascot who runs

Technique: Depends on the variation.

Audio: Depends on the 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.

Audio Variants:

• Awexome Cross 98: The sounds of the tire are included as well.
• TROGDOR! (both the original and HTML remake) and Homestar Runner's Halloween Hide n' Seek: None.
• Duck Guardian One: The theme is faster and more warbly.
• Hallrunner: The theme is remade in an old computer style.
• Peaseant's 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/Dangeresque: The Roomisode Triungulate: The opening theme of the game. The latter adds the sounds of tires screeching.

Availability: Can be seen on all of the listed games, all of which are on homestarrunner.com and/or videlectrix.org.

2nd Logo (SBCG4AP) (August 11-December 15, 2008)

Visuals: 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.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: Depending on the specific SBCG4AP episode:

• "Homestar Ruiner": The title screen theme of the Snake Boxer 5 minigame.
• "Strong Badia the Free": A militaristic, 8-bit tune.
• "Baddest of the Bands": The title screen theme of the Limozeen's Hot Babelien Odyssey minigame, which is an 8-bit rendition of Limozeen's (the fictitious hair metal band) "Because, It's Midnite".
• "Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective": A circus-themed 8-bit tune, which is a title screen theme of the Space Circus Catastrophe minigame.
• "8-Bit is Enough": The first few seconds of the Videlectrix Mainframe music, consisting of a synth bass going "dun-dun-duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun", followed by the Peasant's Quest variant of the Videlectrix jingle, albeit muffled, echoing and without extra 3 notes, playing over the last synth bass note, with the unused Limozeen's Hot Babelien Odyssey variant of the same jingle playing faintly before the high note.

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