BitCake Studio and Atomic Picnic – How Fusion Made Multiplayer Magic
At Photon, our mission is to help developers build great multiplayer experiences, and there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing our technology in action. BitCake Studio, a passionate indie game developer from Brazil, has been a longtime partner, and their latest game, Atomic Picnic, is a shining example of what can be achieved with our Fusion engine. Here’s a closer look at how Fusion played a pivotal role in bringing Atomic Picnic to life.
BitCake Studio: Crafting Multiplayer Experiences
BitCake Studio has always been about creating fun, multiplayer experiences with and for their community. “Our passion is building games alongside our community with a very open development process,” BitCake says. Atomic Picnic, their latest project, is a third-person roguelike shooter with a unique anime flair. Players team up with friends to fight through waves of enemies, conquer zone bosses, and collect epic loot. For BitCake, developing Atomic Picnic wasn’t just about making a game; it was about revisiting their multiplayer roots with a fresh, bold vision, and they chose Fusion to help make that happen.
Atomic Picnic’s bold vision and engaging gameplay quickly caught the eye of Mad Mushroom, the publishing arm of the OTK Network, a creator-driven entertainment and media organization known for its popular online content, live streaming, and esports, featuring a collective of influential content creators and streamers. Announced during the OTK Video Game Awards, Atomic Picnic would be the first game published by Mad Mushroom, and and will launch later in 2024. BitCake’s open and community-driven approach to development aligned perfectly with Mad Mushroom’s unique strategy of leveraging their network of content creators to ensure authentic promotion and deep player engagement. This partnership is not just about publishing a game; it’s about connecting with a passionate community and delivering a multiplayer experience that resonates with both players and creators alike.
After stepping into the world of single-player VR with their last project, BitCake wanted to return to what they love most – multiplayer. “We wanted to take everything we learned from previous experiences and up the ante on a new Third-Person Shooter,” BitCake told us. This genre isn’t something most indie developers tackle due to its complexity, but BitCake was determined to push the envelope. For them, Fusion was the clear choice. “Photon has been our partner for over ten years, so when we heard that a new tech (Fusion) was coming out, it was a no-brainer.”
Why Fusion?
Fusion didn’t just fit their needs; it supercharged their development. One feature, in particular, stood out: the Kinematic Character Controller (KCC). “A good Character Controller would be number 1,” BitCake emphasized. KCC’s built-in features like smooth movement across uneven surfaces made implementing the core mechanics of a third-person shooter not only possible but efficient. “With KCC, it was almost too easy; it saved us A TON of time.”
Multiplayer games, especially those with multiple players and hordes of enemies, are notoriously difficult to get right. Syncing all that action requires a robust engine, and Fusion rose to the challenge. BitCake described one of their biggest hurdles: “Our biggest challenge is having four players and 100 enemies. Everything needs to be synced correctly, and Fusion handles this like a boss.” Fusion’s capabilities allowed them to keep gameplay smooth and responsive, even under intense conditions.
BitCake also found Fusion’s integration with Unity a game-changer. Being able to test multiplayer features directly in Unity’s Editor without complex setups made prototyping fast and painless. “Setting up an environment in Unity with Fusion where multiple players can join one another on Editor or having two Unities open on the same PC playing together was instrumental for our productivity,” BitCake shared. This seamless setup meant that their team could focus on refining the gameplay, rather than getting bogged down in technical issues.
A Global Multiplayer Experience
Fusion’s networking capabilities also delivered impressive results in real-world testing. BitCake recounted a moment when they tested the game from Korean servers to their Brazil server using a VPN with over 800ms ping. Despite the high latency, they were amazed at how playable the game remained. “Connecting to other players, joining a match, and creating a room wasn’t an issue at all. Gameplay mechanics, like character movement and using our Grappling Hook Mechanic, felt immediate and responsive,” they explained. While some actions that required server feedback, like picking up loot or shooting enemies, showed minor lag, they found the experience so smooth that they almost forgot about the 800ms delay. “This was very cool to experience, and all thanks to Fusion,” they added, acknowledging that while lag was still noticeable in damage registration, the game remained remarkably playable overall.
Of course, no tool is perfect, and BitCake had some feedback on how Fusion could improve. They noted challenges with collisions, particularly when enemies interact with knockback behaviors, and suggested this as an area for future updates. Despite these challenges, BitCake’s commitment to Fusion and Photon remains strong. “We’ve used all of Photon’s services internally and for our external clients, so don’t expect us to choose another multiplayer engine soon!”
For BitCake Studio, it wasn’t only about Fusion as a tool – it was the whole partnership with Photon and being part of the Gaming Circle that helped in making their ambitious vision a reality. From smooth character movement to handling intense multiplayer scenarios, Fusion helped Atomic Picnic become the game BitCake envisioned. At Photon, we’re looking forward to being a part of their journey, and we can’t wait to see what they create next.
BitCake’s story with Atomic Picnic is a powerful example of how the right technology can empower developers to take risks, tackle new challenges, and bring their multiplayer dreams to life. We’re proud to support BitCake Studio and excited to continue our partnership, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in multiplayer gaming together.
Ready to build your own successful multiplayer game? With Fusion by Photon, it’s never been easier to integrate cutting-edge multiplayer features into your project. We offer the industry’s most advanced tools, comprehensive support, and everything you need to get started – from downloadable samples to detailed documentation.
Take the first step today – download Fusion and start building. If you’re looking for in-depth assistance, join our Gaming Circle, where you can connect directly with our developers and get expert guidance throughout your journey.
Your multiplayer success story starts here!
Atomic Picnic on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1903560/Atomic_Picnic/
BitCake Studio: https://www.bitcake.studio/
Mad Mushroom: https://www.madmushroom.gg/
Photon Fusion: https://www.photonengine.com/fusion
Photon Gaming Circle: https://www.photonengine.com/gaming
