Homestar Runner and Strong Bad Screensaver
From Homestar Runner Wiki
- Not to be confused with The Screen Savers Interview - 24 Jan 2005.
Homestar Runner and Strong Bad Screensavers were both available for download on homestarrunner.com's original downloads menu in 2001, but the link was removed around the time that the current downloads menu was put up. They can still be obtained via the original URL (which is now a secret page), or by downloading the Homestar Runner or Strong Bad desktop themes.
Contents |
[edit] Installation
When first running the downloaded file, a window pops up with slightly different messages for each screensaver.
| Homestar Screensaver | Strong Bad Screensaver | |
|---|---|---|
| Installation prompt | Do you want Homestar all up in your | Do you want to unleash Strong Bad on your |
| Yes option | GO FOR IT!! | |
| No option | No Way, Man | No Way, Guys |
After installation, a second dialog box appears indicating whether or not the installation was successful:
| Homestar Screensaver | Strong Bad Screensaver | |
|---|---|---|
| Installation complete | You did it! Let the good times roll! | Holy Crap! It worked! |
| Installation failed | Oops. You broke it. | |
[edit] Description
[edit] Homestar Runner
Homestar (in his sixth design) stands in front of a gray-white gradient background. A black bezel surrounds him, giving the appearance that he is inside the user's computer monitor. He presses his face against the screen, cycling through several poses — open-mouthed, left cheek, under chin, left side of his chin — accompanied by a sound effect of skin rubbing against glass. In between each pose, he returns to his standing position briefly.
[edit] Strong Bad
The screensaver is designed to look like a label on a glass container of beer. Amber beer can be seen in the background, with small bubbles rising within. Condensation droplets rest on the surface, occasionally one will fall (leaving a trail) and slowly reform.
A large label for "STRONG BEER — Premium Alcoholic Cold Ones" is centered on the page. The label has a stylized drawing of Strong Bad wearing a trapper hat in front a winter scene of a snow-covered log cabin in wooded mountains. A small quote reading "Holy Crap! This tastes good!" is printed on a ribbon below his face. The art was created by Craig Zobel.
The screensaver does not play any music or sound effects.
[edit] Compatibility
The screensavers were created in 2001, and may have compatibility issues with modern operating systems. The screensavers are designed for 4:3 screens; on widescreen displays, vertical white bars will appear on the left and right of the screensaver.
[edit] Windows
Like many .exe files, Windows may present a security warning when attempting to run the install. On Vista, the .exe file must be ran as an administrator. On Windows 10, choosing "Install using compatibility settings" if the initial installation fails may be successful.
[edit] Mac OS
The Homestar Runner screen saver runs on Mac OS, you cannot run it on an Intel Mac. However, SheepShaver can emulate Mac OS versions up to version 9.0.4, though it is complicated to program, and you must have a Mac OS System Folder. If you were to use it on a PowerPC Mac (running System 10.4 or earlier), you would have to keep Classic environment running.
[edit] Fun Facts
[edit] Trivia
- The Homestar Runner Screensaver is called "smashface".
- If you download either screensaver and set it as your preferred one, then try to change the settings, a pop-up will appear that contains a picture of a dog and the caption "Bitbull". Bitbull is a program used to create screensavers from Flash movies, and is likely the program that was used to create these screensavers. The picture of the dog is the logo for this program.
- The text file in the uncompressed ".sit" file for the Homestar Runner screensaver says:
INSTRUCTIONS:
To make your Homestar or Strong Bad screensaver magic happen, do this:
copy the screensaver file into your Control Panels folder and then restart your computer
Then, when you look at your Control Panels under your Apple menu, there they are!
Go for it! Against the opposition! Move ahead! It's not too late! Work from home!
Earn
Extra Cash! Everybody! Everybody!
-the brothers chaps
[edit] Inside References
- The install error message says "Oops. You broke it."
[edit] Real World References
- "Go for it! Against the opposition!" is a direct reference to the lyrics of "Go For It" by Graham Gouldman, written for the 1980 animated film Animalympics.
