Shumka x Buffalo Buffalo

Shumka x Buffalo Buffalo is an applied research project led by Daniel Wildberger and Vancouver-based independent games studio, Buffalo Buffalo to explore how the design of animated bird behaviours can enhance the sense of presence in virtual reality environments. This project brings together faculty, students, and industry partners to develop stylized 3D bird models and behavioural animations for integration into a VR game. The collaboration supports knowledge exchange between academia and industry while providing students with hands-on experience in real-time asset development. 


This project will generate new insights into stylized animation for nature-based VR experiences and develop repeatable methods for applied design research within game production pipelines. As interest grows in immersive, nature-focused, and non-combat experiences, demand is increasing for content that is both visually engaging and optimized for lightweight performance. The project’s outcomes—including reusable models, animation methods, and performance-informed design strategies—will contribute directly to this emerging space. 

Between June to October 2025, the team will work in production sprints focused on previsualization, modelling, animation, and refinement; create a library of optimized 3D bird assets with species-specific textures and animate common bird behaviours (e.g., hopping, flying, feeding) using a provided rig. All outcomes will contribute to research on expressive animation for stylized VR and will be shared with both academic and industry audiences.  

This project is generously supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Mobilize Grant. 

Program Objectives

  • Investigate different stylistic options to help define a cohesive art direction that will guide the creation of 3D assets for a nature-focused VR birdwatching experience. 
  • Explore and implement efficient modelling, texturing, and animation techniques for creating 3D bird models that maintain high performance in VR. 
  • Investigate how animations of bird behaviours (e.g., feeding, flying, perching) can convey a sense of presence and aliveness in the VR space. 
  • Through an iterative process of creative research, collaboration, making, and evaluation, derive best practices and techniques for developing nature-focused VR experiences featuring stylized animated characters. 
  • Facilitate meaningful collaboration between students and industry partners, providing students with real-world experience in applied XR design through the co-development of assets and workflows for a VR game.

Program Team

Daniel Wildberger – Faculty Lead, Emily Carr University
Siddhant Singh – Faculty Lead, Emily Carr University
Victoria Korina – Research Assistant, Emily Carr University
Harry Zhang – Research Assistant, Emily Carr University
Daeun Kim – Research Assistant, Emily Carr University
Priyanka Poulose – Project Facilitator, Emily Carr University
Patrick Owens – Creative Director, Buffalo Buffalo
Ken Ha – Art Director, Buffalo Buffalo
Charlotte Guan – Project Manager, Buffalo Buffalo 

Project Partner

Buffalo Buffalo is a Vancouver BC-based game studio that makes unique, immersive experiences. Inspired by the unusual phrase that inspired the studio’s name, their mission is to create depth and meaning in unexpected places through new technologies and solving creative challenges. Buffalo Buffalo’s team brings together talent from across the industry, with members that have shaped some of gaming’s most iconic titles: Gears of War 5, Gears of War E-Day, Warcraft Rumble, Hardspace: Shipbreaker, Pokémon GO, MARVEL Dimension of Heroes, and the critically acclaimed VR game Gadgeteer—called “One of 5 Must-Play Games” by Meta. Beyond development, the team contributes to the future of game design, teaching at institutions like MIT Xpro’s Game Design Bootcamp and Berklee College of Music.