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#The Brothers Chaps of Homestar Runner fame speak about Videlectrix and the way forward for good graphics

The Brothers Chaps of Homestar Runner fame speak about Videlectrix and the way forward for good graphics

My sister launched me to Homestar Runner through Robust Unhealthy E mail #48 “Ghosts.” That was again in 2002, and I keep in mind spending the remainder of the night watching all the things else on the positioning. Then, I watched principally all the things that The Brothers Chaps, Mike and Matt Chapman, placed on the positioning from then on. Homestarrunner.com grew to become as a lot of a good friend to me as any of the particular people who surrounded me throughout my highschool days.

However, precisely like my highschool associates, we went on to do our personal factor. Homestar Runner progressively grew to become increasingly sporadic, as did I. Each from time to time, nevertheless, The Brothers Chaps would emerge to launch one thing new for followers. At one level, there was practically 5 years of silence earlier than it was damaged by Fish Eye Lens. We verify in on one another, you understand? Present we nonetheless care. Every time we reconnect, it’s similar to the previous days.

It’s at all times good seeing my previous good friend, so I grew to become extra-interested when Mike and Matt reunited Videlectrix to begin placing out some actually actual money-cost video games like Dangeresque: The Roomisode Triungulate. Extra importantly, it made me notice I might use my large press affect as an excuse to trick them into speaking to me. Certain sufficient, after I snuck via some again channels to contact them, they agreed to an interview.

That is actually only for me, however possibly it should curiosity you too. Simply notice that we talk about a variety of inside references right here. I’ll attempt to add context via the magic of hyperlinks (and the Homestar Runner Wiki).

Homestar Runner Killingyouguy AKA Strong Mad bearing down on the screen.
Screenshot by Destructoid

Your love of the Atari 2600 is infectious. I personal Evening Driver due to you. Do you play any latest video games? Are there video games from the final decade that you’ve got actually loved? 

We are going to gladly take full duty for spreading any 2600 love. We have now an assorted pile of consoles in our workplace/studio, and the 2600 is the one one which works constantly. We undergo phases of which consoles are connected to our large wood-paneled ground mannequin TV, however the 2600 is at all times plugged in. We use it like a screensaver and can simply put the title display of SwordQuest or Joust or Moon Patrol on to have within the background. 

As for latest video games, we’ve been enjoying and actually digging Secret Quest, due to the Atari 50 assortment. We by no means received a bodily cartridge copy, sadly. However we do have like 8 copies every of Asteroids, Fight and E.T., the extras of which we use to prop up the legs of our work desk so it’s tall sufficient to be a standing desk. 

Robust Unhealthy’s Cool Sport for Engaging Individuals was an unprecedented cultural shift. We will’t purchase it anymore. Is there any chance that future kids will have the ability to expertise it, or is it fated to lie on the backside of the ocean subsequent to the wreckage of the nice ship Telltale? 

Oh, man! “Unprecedented cultural shift!?!” We kinda at all times thought SBCG4AP was a relative failure, so it’s good to listen to somebody thinks that. I imply, we favored the way it turned out, however so far as online game success tales go… are you certain you’re not pondering of “World of Goo?” Anyhow, a part of us likes that it’s turn into a type of titles you kinda needed to be there for, however it will prolly even be okay if it received remastered someday. 

That being mentioned, it’s actually cool once we hear that somebody’s first publicity to Homestar Runner was enjoying SBCG4AP on the Wii. So, it clearly reached some of us we in any other case wouldn’t have. What a bizarre strategy to uncover an obscure internet cartoon! Do you suppose anybody grew to become a G.I. Joe fan after enjoying Cobra Strike for the 2600? They’d in all probability watch the cartoons and be disenchanted on the lack of large cobras taking pictures lasers from their eyes.

Homestar Runner Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People, Bub's saying "I'm your internet provider, man. I read all your emails."
Screenshot by Destructoid

Has something modified in the case of your artistic course of? Are you continue to two guys in a small workplace with stripèd partitions

Stripes are gone, however we’ve managed to retain partitions. As for our artistic course of, it’s just about the identical. We throw concepts round till there’s one which we simply hold speaking about. Then, we work on it on and off within the background till it will get shut. Then, lastly, we drive ourselves to complete as a result of it’s in all probability been too lengthy since we made one thing new. 

Truly, do you continue to use that workplace within the basement of a miserable strip mall

That’s superb that you understand about that. Sadly, that place received un-depressio’d a number of years in the past, and we needed to transfer out. It used to have an grownup diaper wholesaler, a listening to support retailer, a Piccadilly Cafeteria, and a Large Tons. Now, it’s all LA Health, Jo Ann Materials, and Starbucks. Who of their proper thoughts might do good artistic work in an setting like that? 

Do you continue to have actual jobs, or are video video games the way forward for the Brothers Chaps? 

We’re at all times wandering out and in of numerous movie and TV tasks. We’re undoubtedly having fun with engaged on and creating video video games proper now however the draw back is that it’s such a time-consuming course of that it turns into arduous to concurrently make different Homestar content material. After which a 12 months goes by and nobody remembers who “Stong Band” is anymore. So we’re looking for a stability. 

Homestar Runner "Take these broken wings and learn to fly."

Do you will have any aspirations to construct Videlectrix into an enormous, industry-elipsing model with its personal slice of an workplace skyscraper? Or, on the very least, a developer with deadlines and a PR finances? Or will it at all times simply be the pair of you and “further programming by?” 

We undoubtedly plan to make extra video games, however given the state of the {industry}, keepin’ it small might be a good suggestion. However I do hope sometime we are able to develop sufficiently big to attain “deadline-have.” Additionally, we must always in all probability simply be taught that “further programming” half ourselves one in all as of late. 

Is Videlectrix going to stay targeted on saving (and increasing) the substantial again catalog of Homestar Flash video games, or will we get brand-new video games sooner or later? 

We have now a buncha concepts for each approaches. It was actually enjoyable making and increasing Dangeresque: The Roomisode Triungulate for Steam/Itch. And it’d be cool to make Peasant’s Quest 2 or a console-playable model of Stinkoman 20X6. However it will be equally cool to make one thing completely new like Blistergeist 3D or a Thy Dungeonkid platformer. 

Do you wish to tease us with something? Like, possibly a elaborate HD remaster of Peasant’s Quest

Right here’s a couple of in-progress nuggets which may turn into our subsequent releasable undertaking. 

Thy Dungeonkid – a Gameboy-style textroidvania platformer/level n’ click on hybrid.

Thy Dungeonkid
Picture through Videlectrix

Peasant’s Quest 2 – CGA sequel to Peasant’s Quest that includes Relatively Dashing’s sister Pretty

Homestar Runner Peasant's Quest 2 preview
Picture through Videlectrix

Some Kinda 3D Powered By The Cheat First Individual Horror-ish Sport

Powered by the Cheat First-person "horror" game
Picture through Videlectrix

-A bonus Roomisode/Elevatorsode that includes Dangeresque Too

Homestar Runner Dangeresque Too Roomisode
Picture through Videlectrix

Me once more

Wasn’t that thrilling? That is simply the perfect factor that has occurred to me all 12 months. Usually, after I ask somebody what they’re engaged on, I get a coy response like, “Wait and see,” not an early Destructoid-exclusive have a look at 4 video games which may someday exist. I might pee.

Whereas Homestar Runner isn’t the unstoppable drive that it as soon as was, I’m glad it nonetheless exists in some type. The previous flash video games and cartoons are nonetheless obtainable, and the Brothers Chaps nonetheless add to the pile each from time to time. Plus, they discover their creation in different methods, like with the latest (and glorious) Trogdor the Board Sport.

My hope is that Videlectrix continues its meteoric rise as a creepy basement developer. All through the positioning’s historical past, The Brothers Chaps have at all times expressed their love of previous video games, and if their output of precise actual video games is any indication (and I think about it will be), they’re fairly good at it. However, extra importantly, video video games is the place I work, and I’ll take any excuse I can get to put in writing about an previous good friend.

Zoey Handley

Employees Author – Zoey is a gaming gadabout. She received her begin running a blog with the group in 2018 and hit the entrance web page quickly after. Usually discovered exploring indie experiments and retro libraries, she does her greatest to stay chronically uncool.

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