Category Archives: Swarm

Swarm – Backyard Buzz Game Update

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Swarm - Backyard Buzz
Though it’s been a while since we’ve talked about it, we have been working diligently on our Unity-powered game Swarm – Backyard Buzz. Ninety-five percent of the assets have been built and we’re currently working on the multi-player duties.

Not surprisingly, multi-player functionality has been the most difficult part of the project. Swarm is our first attempt at a multi-player game, so a lot of research was done on services and providers. In the end we chose to use Exit Games’ Photon Cloud for this first version. We found Photon Cloud hard to beat for ease and speed of getting a network game up and running.

A launch date hasn’t been set.

Pixel Fish Receives a Grant for Swarm – Backyard Buzz

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Pixel Fish Studios was excited to learn that we are among the recipients of the New Filmmaker Grant Program created by the Idaho Film Office. Our portion of the grant will be used to develop our upcoming video game Swarm – Backyard Buzz.

We’d like to thank the Idaho Film Office for their support and shared vision of creating new jobs and opportunities for our state. Pixel Fish Studios is committed to fostering the video game and 3D/CGI industry in Idaho and creating new employment opportunities. We feel that Swarm is a key step in reaching this goal.

About the game: Swarm – Backyard Buzz will be a third-person multiplayer web-based game centered around some of the characteristics and the community of bees. Development and design is expected to take approximately one year.

A 3D Animation and Video Game Industry in Boise?

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The culture of 3D animators and game developers in Boise, Idaho is taking leaps forward. For years these technical and creative types have been scattered throughout garages and bedrooms all around the Treasure Valley. With virtually no industry to speak of in this area, the inter-connectivity of this culture has never had a chance to grab hold. Pixel Fish Studios is glad to say that those days are coming to an end.

The industry will emerge in Boise and jobs will come with that. However, before the animation and gaming industries will turn their focus to Idaho over India, Canada or California, a seed must be planted and a culture must be grown. That’s the idea behind the Pipeline Development Project. It’s an opportunity for you (interested in 3D production animation and/or video game development) to emerge from the woodwork and join like-minded people in a pursuit of building these industries.  Pixel Fish Studios is providing a beacon to unite this disjointed talent pool with a purpose.

The Pipeline Development Project is currently working on two projects focusing on the major pipelines presented by 3D: production and gaming. There are currently over a dozen animators and developers here in Boise, meeting and working on both a 3D animated short film called “Lief’s Journey” and a web-based video game called Swarm: Backyard Buzz.

For any questions on the Pipeline Development Project including how to get involved, contact jcordtz@pixelfish.me