Bullfrog Productions

Background

Bullfrog Productions was a British video game developer founded in 1987 by Les Edgar and Peter Molyneux. The company gained recognition in 1989 for their third release, Populous, and was also well known for other titles such as Theme Park, Magic Carpet, Syndicate and Dungeon Keeper. In 1995, Electronic Arts acquired Bullfrog. Dissatisfied with their new positions under EA, the key staff left in 1997 to start their own studios, most notably Lionhead Studios, led by Peter Molyneux. Bullfrog was discontinued in 2001 and nearly all of its employees were moved to EA UK offices.

1st Logo (August 31, 1991-1999)

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  Syndicate

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  Populous II (Amiga)

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  Populous II (DOS)

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  Populous II (Sega Genesis)

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  Populous II (SNES)

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  Theme Park (Sega Saturn)

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  Theme Park (Sega CD)

Visuals: There is a white rectangular box with another outline inside. A stylized frog silhouette is seen inside the inner square, while the word "BULLFROG" is written below in the box in tall letters, and "PRODUCTIONS LTD." appears below it.

Variants:

• On Populous II: Trials of the Olympian Gods for Amiga, the logo is translucent light blue. In the background, a row of smaller, less opaque versions of the logo is scrolling to the right. In the middle between the big logo and the logos in the background, there is another translucent frog silhouette in dark blue tilted to the right, taking up almost half of the screen.
• On the DOS version of Populous II, a very dark blue still image of the logo is visible in the middle of the screen.
• On Populous II for Genesis, the Virgin Games logo and the copyright info appear below.
• On ports for Sega CD, the logo is created from green shining lines. There is also "WRITTEN BY" above.

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on early Bullfrog games, such as Populous II: Trials of the Olympian Gods and Syndicate for Amiga. Also appears on a few late games.

2nd Logo (1994-February 17, 1997)

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Visuals: A white (slightly greenish) version of the Bullfrog logo, similar to the first logo but with "PRODUCTIONS LTD" added in a small font underneath, fades into the screen, rising upwards from near the bottom of the screen. As it is rising, blurry green beams are shooting out of it. A small trademark symbol "TM" appears in the top-right corner after the logo rises completely.

Technique: Early CGI.

Audio: The sound of harsh wind at the beginning, then a rising arpeggio of 3 long notes, and finally some fading high-pitched sounds.

Availability: Seen on Magic Carpet and its sequels.

3rd Logo (1996)

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Visuals: On a purple background, many small copies of the Bullfrog logo fly around. Finally they all leave, but one remains and zooms into the screen

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A background tune.

Availability: Seen on Genewars.

4th Logo (October 31, 1996)

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Visuals: Unknown.

Technique: Unknown.

Audio: Unknown.

Availability: Seen on Syndicate Wars.

5th Logo (Early 1997)

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Visuals: The sequence starts in green water with the sun blink penetrating through the surface. Then the Bullfrog logo submerges from the top, with a lot of bubbles, and wobbles around.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An aerial bubble soundtrack ending with a loud crystal tune.

Availability: Seen on the alpha demo of the cancelled game Creation.

6th Logo (March 28, 1997)

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Visuals: Unknown.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Unknown.

Availability: Seen on Theme Hospital.

7th Logo (June 26, 1997)

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Visuals: On an ominous nighty landscape background with rooftops and a hanged body, there is the Bullfrog picture threaded on a waving brown flag. The company name is written below.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Unknown.

Availability: Seen on Dungeon Keeper.

8th Logo (March 31, 1999)

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Visuals: The screen zooms out of moving stone circles covered with runes. The outer ring moves counter-clockwise, while the solid inner ring moves clockwise and a golden light illuminates the action. Several threads of white particles come to the screen and merge into a dim picture of the frog in the center. This makes the Bullfrog logo to appear.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Stone moving and crystallized sounds.

Availability: Seen on Populous: The Beginning for PSX.

9th Logo (June 25, 1999)

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Visuals: Unknown.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: Unknown.

Availability: Seen on Dungeon Keeper 2.

10th Logo (November 3, 1999)

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  Installation

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  The balloon

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  The finished logo

Visuals: There is a close view of a red balloon frog, which is being inflated. It is shown from three points of view, then the camera zooms out and we see the balloon tied with a rope, among the clouds. The balloon then explodes, leaving the frog, and the rest of the logo quickly fades in. The background clears to black, and the box falls away.

Technique: Cel-shaded 3D animation.

Audio: The sounds of the balloon inflating, then popping, followed by creating and breaking sounds.

Availability: Seen on Theme Park World.