The world of gaming is one of high pressure and fast pace. Game development studios are typically working with tight deadlines in what is an extremely competitive and ever-evolving marketplace. Added to this is the complexity of creating modern games, where vast amounts of artwork, audio and animation are needed, as well as collaboration with suppliers and developers around the world. Supermassive Games is a fast-growing games studio based in the UK that, since launch in 2008, has grown to over 100 people. The studio introduced Agile methods early on and they have become an integral part of the studio culture. During this webinar, Jonathan Amor, Director of Technology at Supermassive Games, will provide insights and lessons learnt on the company’s adoption of Agile, and how Perforce Software is helping the studio work smarter, collaborate more efficiently and keep its competitive edge in a crowded market.

1. WEBINAR | Managing Rapid Release Cycles in Gaming
Presented by Jonathan Amor

2. USING PERFORCE FOR AGILE GAME DEVELOPMENT
– Setting up and using Perforce at Supermassive Games
– Version control challenges in game development
– How we use Agile methodology in the studio

3. • COMPANY HISTORY
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Established in 2008 in Guildford
Independent development studio
Our published games:

4. • CURRENT GAMES:
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Wonderbook: Walking with Dinosaurs

5. • CURRENT GAMES:
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Until Dawn

6. • WHEN WE STARTED
– People
• 12 people by Christmas 2008
– Perforce
• One Windows Server
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Perforce version: 2010.2

7. • TODAY
– People
• Over 100 people in January 2014
– Perforce
• 4 servers (1 Windows Server, 3 Linux) and a proxy
– Perforce versions: 2013.1, 2011.1 and 2010.2
• Current database sizes
– 8.8M files
– 9.5TB data

8. • FUTURE
– People
• Continuing to grow
– Perforce
• ‘Current-gen’ large project
– 5M files
– 4TB data
• ‘Next-gen’ large project
– 6-7M files
– 12-14TB data

9. • MIXTURE OF PEOPLE
– A wide spectrum of Perforce users - extremely technical to very creative

10. • MIXTURE OF PEOPLE
– A wide spectrum of Perforce users - extremely technical to very creative
• FAST-PACED CHANGE
– In the games
– In the business

11. • THE AGILE ‘MANIFESTO’:
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We value INDIVIDUALS AND INTERACTIONS over processes and tools
We value WORKING SOFTWARE over comprehensive documentation
We value CUSTOMER COLLABORATION over contract negotiation
We value RESPONDING TO CHANGE over following a plan

12. • USING SCRUM

13. • WE VALUE INDIVIDUALS AND INTERACTIONS
OVER PROCESSES AND TOOLS
– Get out of your seat… and talk to people!
– Iteration to find the ‘fun factor’
– … but processes and tools are still important

14. • WE VALUE WORKING SOFTWARE
OVER COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENTATION
– Regular build reviews
– Autobuild machines
– Streams

15. • WE VALUE CUSTOMER COLLABORATION
OVER CONTRACT NEGOTIATION
– Game players
– Our publisher
– The team

16. • WE VALUE RESPONDING TO CHANGE
OVER FOLLOWING A PLAN
– You still need a plan!
– A ‘safe’ environment to support change

17. • A BAD DAY… THAT GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE!
• WHAT WE SAW:
– Server RAM and CPU not overloaded
– Network not overloaded
– Perforce processes locked and backing up
• THE SHORT-TERM SOLUTION:
– I had to act as gatekeeper for check-ins!

18. • ON MORE THOROUGH INVESTIGATION
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Revisited the Perforce Knowledgebase
Reviewed the log files
Reviewed client specs
Checked the database
• WHERE WE WENT WRONG?
– You think it will never happen to you!

19. • WHAT WE DID TO FIX IT
– Narrowed client specs as much as possible
– Changed to a custom ‘sync to head’ script file
– Set Max Results, Max Scan Rows and Max Lock Time

20. • SIZE AND COMPLEXITY OF ASSETS INCREASING
– A steady increase in the number of files
– A large increase in the size of data
• PERIOD OF CHANGE IN THE INDUSTRY
– Need to adapt and change quickly
– Need to stand out in the crowd

21. • BUILDING OUR REPUTATION
– High-quality games
– Focus on character performance and story
• STAYING AGILE
– Perforce 2013.3
– Keep iterating

22. • WEBSITE: www.supermassivegames.com
• EMAIL: j.amor@supermassivegames.com
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Thanks for their help with this presentation to:
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Frank Tindle
Ollie Purkiss
Alex Crouzen
Justin Rae