Virtuos on Co-Dev, Custom Tools, and Staying Ahead of Performance Problems

How do you solve problems that nobody reports? In this episode, Robin-Yann Storm, tool design director and former developer at IO Interactive, Guerrilla Games, and Apple, shares how a small usability issue with a 3D transform gizmo led to a workflow improvement that developers still use years later, saving thousands of hours. The discussion looks beyond the solution itself to examine the process of discovering the problem, understanding its root cause, and exploring how to solve it. Robin-Yann explains why observing users is often more valuable than collecting feature requests and how small UX improvements can deliver outsized returns. The conversation also explores practical tool design principles, including how to validate assumptions, uncover root causes with the "five whys," and build systems that support creativity instead of slowing it down. Robin-Yann also introduces the concepts of gyms, zoos, and museums, frameworks that help teams test mechanics, organize assets, and make game development workflows more discoverable and efficient. In this episode: Why observing users reveals problems they never report The transform gizmo redesign that improved workflows for years Lessons from Unity, Unreal Engine, Maya, and CryEngine tool design How to validate ideas before investing engineering time The "five whys" framework for finding root causes What gyms, zoos, and museums are and why studios use them Career advice for aspiring tools and pipeline developers Timestamps:[00:02:57] Meet Robin-Yann Storm [00:03:18] From Modder to Tool UX [00:04:06] Studios and Vision Pro Tools [00:05:47] Why Modding Matters [00:08:13] The Gizmo Pain Point [00:10:38] Researching Gizmo Variations [00:16:36] Small Fix Big Impact [00:20:18] Flipping the Gizmo Idea [00:22:44] Designing for Pos Neg Clarity [00:25:24] Validating with Engineers [00:28:13] Five Whys Framework [00:29:30] Mechanics Mindset [00:30:14] Shipping the Gizmo Fix [00:30:54] ROI and Joyful Tools [00:32:42] Build Times Kill Flow [00:33:49] Gyms Zoos Museums [00:37:34] Where These Came From [00:38:57] Asset Discovery Problems [00:40:25] Why Tags Fail [00:42:24] Building Better Asset Zoos [00:47:57] Workflow and Laboratory Idea [00:49:58] Tooling Versus Shipping [00:51:54] Advice Never Assume [00:53:28] Explain Like Im Five [00:57:45] Wrap Up and Links Get In Touch: E-mail: [email protected] LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/jaselindgrenFind Us Online:Perforce.comPerforce.com/podcasts/p4/in-developmentLinkedin.com/company/perforce

Three years after discussing Gearbox's cloud-based build pipeline with the P4 team, Steve Fortier and Phillip Peterson return to share what happened as Borderlands 4 grew from a secret project into a live game. As the team grew to support more branches, patches, and ongoing content, they encountered new challenges in P4, AWS, TeamCity, and Unreal Game Sync that only emerged on a massive scale. From symbol servers and workspace management to AWS storage and snapshot performance, they walk through the troubleshooting process behind several unexpected bottlenecks. The result is a candid look at how Gearbox manages millions of files, scales build infrastructure across AWS, and keeps development moving on a modern live-service game. In this episode: Scaling the infrastructure behind Borderlands 4 Managing 7+ million files and terabyte-scale build environments Using AWS, TeamCity, P4, and Unreal Engine to accelerate development Solving hidden bottlenecks in storage, syncing, and build automation Lessons learned from debugging large-scale cloud infrastructure Best practices for monitoring, cost management, and scaling DevOps teams Career advice for aspiring build and pipeline engineers Get In Touch: E-mail: [email protected] LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/jaselindgrenFind Us Online:Perforce.comPerforce.com/podcasts/p4/in-developmentLinkedin.com/company/perforce

Building a production pipeline is challenging. Building one while producing a film is even harder.In this episode, Jase Lindgren talks with Wyatt Ayars about Ozone Story Tech's journey creating the interactive short film Like while simultaneously developing the tools behind it. Starting with a small team, shared file storage, and manual processes, the project eventually grew into a production pipeline built around Unreal Engine, ShotGrid, automation, and Perforce P4. Along the way, Wyatt shares practical lessons about scaling teams, simplifying artist workflows, and using AI as a force multiplier for technical development.In this episode:How Ozone used a film project to validate its rigging technologyThe challenges of scaling production with Unreal EngineWhy version control became essential as the team grewHow AI accelerated pipeline development and automationLessons learned reducing technical overhead for artistsCareer advice for technical artists, developers, and animatorsTimestamps:[00:02:18] Project Origins[00:03:29] Early Team Setup[00:04:12] Ozone Rigging Explained[00:05:00] Maya to Unreal Workflow[00:06:07] Growing Pains Without Tools[00:07:12] Version Control Conflicts[00:10:34] ShotGrid and Perforce Shift[00:13:39] LLMs for Pipeline Glue[00:15:26] Automating Maya to Unreal[00:20:08] Shot Publish Button[00:22:41] Build Farm Round Trip[00:23:57] Early Renders in Unreal[00:24:47] Sequencing in Unreal[00:25:58] Animator Submission Flow[00:26:49] Common Pipeline Pitfalls[00:28:08] Versioning vs Perforce[00:34:13] Reducing Artist Clicks[00:35:27] Embracing True Version Control[00:37:01] References and Asset Drift[00:39:27] Bespoke Pipelines and AI[00:43:57] Future Bottlenecks in Rigging[00:45:21] Lessons and Career Advice[00:48:15] Wrap Up and ThanksJase Lindgren, Principal User Advocate, PerforceWyatt Ayars, Ozone, Senior Technical Director

At M2 Animation, scaling cinematic production meant rethinking everything—from rendering pipelines to how directors interact with scenes.Benjamin Foo, CG Supervisor at M2, walks through the studio’s transition from a traditional Maya/Redshift workflow to a real-time, Unreal Engine-based pipeline. What started as a necessity—limited compute power and rising production demands—quickly became a creative advantage.Instead of waiting on renders, teams now iterate instantly. Directors can step inside scenes, shape environments in real time, and collaborate more closely with artists. But that shift also brought new challenges—from managing massive asset libraries to balancing visual fidelity with hardware limits.Ben shares how M2 builds custom tools, embraces experimentation, and uses Perforce P4 to manage version control across complex productions—all while keeping artists empowered to explore and create.In this episode:How M2 transitioned from a traditional render pipeline to Unreal EngineWhy real-time workflows unlocked faster iteration and creative freedomThe technical and cultural challenges of scaling cinematic productionHow teams balance visual fidelity, performance, and hardware limitsThe role of custom tooling and experimentation in pipeline evolutionHow Perforce supports collaboration and version control across teamsHow Perforce supports collaboration and version control across teamsWhy empowering directors inside Unreal Engine changes the creative processTimestamps[00:02:25] Meet M2 Animation[00:03:02] Ben’s Career Path[00:04:15] CG Supervisor Role[00:05:17] Before Unreal Pipeline[00:06:00] Why Switch to Unreal[00:07:21] First Unreal Trailer[00:11:08] UDIMs and Virtual Textures[00:14:05] VRAM Limits and Team Learning[00:17:30] Directors in Real Time[00:19:24] Asset Library and Versioning[00:22:39] Shot Based vs Sequence Based[00:25:34] USD vs FBX Today[00:26:55] FBX vs USD Plans[00:27:25] When Fixes Leave Unreal[00:29:19] Material Notes Workflow[00:32:32] Instances Per Shot Tweaks[00:34:03] Perforce Locking Discipline[00:35:43] Small Team Version Chaos[00:39:48] Local Rendering Hardware Strategy[00:42:23] Cinematic Look Pipeline[00:45:39] Effects Mostly In Engine[00:46:50] Lessons And Closing AdviceLinks mentioned:https://www.unrealengine.com/spotlights/shock-and-ork-how-m2-brought-a-warhammer-kill-team-battle-to-life?lang=en-UShttps://youtu.be/MjjkWH0eT3U?si=eJlkriPPjwkV2_MP&t=298https://youtu.be/p9LbaCcFpgE?si=KgjlDW1y0tCoZ9LyJase Lindgren, Principal User Advocate, PerforceBenjamin Foo, Unreal CG Supervisor, M2 Animation

In Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, quests aren’t isolated scripts—they’re a tightly connected web of story, state, dialogue, and world logic. Making that work at the scale of a 250‑person, six‑year production required tooling designed specifically for narrative complexity.Warhorse Studios Lead DevOps Programmer, Petr Nohejl breaks down Scout, Warhorse’s proprietary quest system. Originally built as a dialogue editor, Scout evolved into the central system driving quests, random encounters, NPC behavior, and narrative state across the entire game.Rather than hiding complexity, Scout makes it visible. Petr explains how designers navigate a bird’s‑eye view of quest dependencies, how validation happens long before QA ever sees a build, and why Perforce P4 isn’t just used for version control—but is embedded directly into the workflow.In this episode:How Scout grew from a dialogue tool into the core quest and dialogue system for KCD IIWhy Warhorse built a custom quest system and how it unlocked access for sound, localization, and narrative teamsThe “switchboard” view that exposes quest dependencies across the entire game worldHow P4 server‑side triggers validate quest logic before changes hit the build pipelineWhy Warhorse runs real in‑game scenarios 24/7 to catch issues at scaleLessons carried forward from Kingdom Come: Deliverance I, including the origin of the “I feel quite hungry” memeEaster eggs, side projects, and the human craft behind a large RPG productionSpeakers:Jase Lindgren, Principal User Advocate, PerforcePetr Nohejl, Lead DevOps Programmer, Warhorse StudiosFind Us Online:Perforce.comhttps://www.perforce.com/podcasts/p4/in-developmenthttps://www.linkedin.com/company/perforce/Timestamps:[00:02:10] Welcome & Kingdom Come Origins[00:04:54] Scaling Development at Warhorse[00:13:42] Quest Assets & Workflow Rules[00:16:47] Scout Tool Deep Dive[00:28:45] Validation, Automation & Testing[00:35:36] Open World Challenges[00:40:27] Quest Design Examples[00:47:32] Humor, Memes & Easter Eggs[00:54:43] History, Career & The Future

Recorded live at GDC 2026, Jase sat down with Tom Guillermin, Co‑Founder and CTO of Sandfall Interactive, to unpack how Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 grew from a bedroom prototype into an award‑winning global hit. Tom shares the technical and creative decisions that helped a 30‑person team move fast without breaking things.In this episode:Why Sandfall Interactive chose Perforce P4 + Unreal over DIY versioningHow lightweight bots gave real‑time visibility and protected release branchesWhat enabling nightly builds across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation really looks like at a small studioTom’s advice for founders: technology should serve designers, not slow them downTimestamps:00:00 Live from GDC: introduction and episode setup01:37 Awards buzz and early reception02:56 From a bedroom prototype to a real studio04:25 Outgrowing file sharing → moving to Perforce P405:28 Unreal Engine integration and workflow setup07:32 DevOps realities and nightly builds at a 30‑person studio10:20 Discord bot for real‑time Perforce visibility13:51 Scrappy tools vs. Over‑engineering25:55 Exclusive file locking and milestone approval bot28:19 Protecting release branches without slowing the team37:07 The integration bot: managing dependencies across branches40:18 What happens when a nightly build goes wrong46:17 Advice for new studio founders48:52 Building tools designers actually want to use50:28 Using Unreal Sequencer for all skills52:09 Closing remarksSpeakers: Jase Lindgren, Sr. P4 User AdvocateTom Guillermin, CTO & Founder, Sandfall Interactive Find Us Online: Perforce.comhttps://www.perforce.com/podcasts/p4/in-developmenthttps://www.linkedin.com/company/perforce/Get In Touch: E-mail: [email protected] LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/jaselindgrenFind Us Online:Perforce.comPerforce.com/podcasts/p4/in-developmentLinkedin.com/company/perforce

Join us as Marios Michaelides, Engineering Director at Virtuos, reveals how co-developers are solving one of gaming's toughest challenges: performance optimization at scale.Whether you're shipping your first title or managing multiple AAA projects, Marios delivers actionable strategies for:Catching performance regressions before they spiral out of controlBuilding automated asset validation pipelines that scale with your teamBalancing "finding the fun" with proactive optimizationAvoiding costly crunch periods through smarter tooling decisionsGet In Touch: E-mail: [email protected] LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/jaselindgrenFind Us Online:Perforce.comPerforce.com/podcasts/p4/in-developmentLinkedin.com/company/perforce

In Development brings you inside the technical realities of creating today's most ambitious digital experiences. Host Jase Lindgren delivers conversations with the problem-solvers who build, maintain, and optimize the tools, pipelines, and workflows powering games, media production, and realtime visualization.Each episode features in-depth discussions with technical directors, pipeline specialists, and digital creators who share their approaches to overcoming real production challenges. Whether you're orchestrating asset workflows for AAA development, implementing virtual production techniques, or building realtime visualization systems for automotive design, you'll discover practical insights from industry veterans facing similar technical hurdles.This isn't another surface-level tech podcast or marketing showcase—it's a forum for authentic technical conversations about what actually works in production. From managing massive asset libraries and optimizing collaboration workflows to solving the unique challenges of distributed teams and next-gen technologies, "In Development" goes beyond theory to explore the practical solutions that enable creative vision.Join us for technical stories and solutions from the experts building tomorrow's digital experiences, one pipeline challenge at a time.Get In Touch: E-mail: [email protected] LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/jaselindgrenFind Us Online:Perforce.comPerforce.com/podcasts/p4/in-developmentLinkedin.com/company/perforce

Join us as Stephen Rodriguez, former Studio Infrastructure Engineer at Sharkmob, dives into the challenges of building a scalable and maintainable game technology foundation as the team grew.Whether you're starting a new studio or expanding your current operations, Stephen delivers actionable strategies for:Creating cost-effective infrastructureLeveraging valuable industry partnershipsEstablishing tech environments that maximize team productivityGet In Touch: E-mail: [email protected] LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/jaselindgrenFind Us Online:Perforce.comPerforce.com/podcasts/p4/in-developmentLinkedin.com/company/perforce

Join Matthew Swanton, Virtual Production Unreal Engine Supervisor at PXO Clara, as he shares his journey from modding Grand Theft Auto as a teenager to operating LED stages for Star Trek: Discovery. Discover the technical challenges of achieving in-camera final pixels, the pipeline innovations that enable global collaboration, and the surprising lessons learned from managing version control on multimillion-dollar film sets. From Perforce workflows to custom lighting solutions, Matthew reveals the real story behind virtual production's most ambitious projects. This is the story Hollywood's sizzle reels don't show you.Get In Touch: E-mail: [email protected] LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/jaselindgrenFind Us Online:Perforce.comPerforce.com/podcasts/p4/in-developmentLinkedin.com/company/perforce