Assets

To create a video game or even a prototype, we need assets to put into our game to give it a visual and sound appeal of what we want to convey.

What is an asset?

In the video game context, “asset” refers to digital assets used to create and enrich the game experience. Assets include a wide range of elements, including:

• 3D models: These models represent three-dimensional objects such as characters, environmental objects, vehicles, and more. They are essential for building game environments.
  - Textures: are two-dimensional images that map the surface of 3D models, giving them detail and color. Textures are essential for making objects visually realistic.
  - Sounds: Includes sound effects, background music, dialogue, and other audio elements contributing to the game’s atmosphere.
  - Animations: Sequences of movements that bring characters and objects to life. Animations are crucial to make gameplay and interactions visually appealing.
  - Scripts and Code: Logical components and programming instructions that determine the behavior of objects in the game, including controls, game logic, and artificial intelligence.
  - Materials: Configurations that determine how light interacts with objects and surfaces, affecting the overall visual appearance of the game.
  - Special Effects: Includes particles, dynamic lights, and other elements that add dynamism and visual impact to scenes in the game.

How to import an asset into Unreal Engine

With Unreal Engine, importing assets is pretty easy; if they are packages purchased from the Marketplace, we have to find them in our Library and press the “Add To Project” button, select the project to which we want to add them and wait for the process to finish.

Some assets we get from the Marketplace do not have this choice but instead prompt us to create a new project; this is not a problem. Let’s proceed with creating the new project and then see step by step what we need to do:

• Step 1: Let’s launch the newly created project and find the assets we want to bring into our project.

• Step 2: Once we have selected the one we want, we right-click under “Assets Action” and select Migrate.

• Step 3: This will open a window called Assets Report that specifies all the dependencies of the item you have selected. This helps in the export; for example, in my case, I am exporting the Skeletal Mesh of a 3D model, and he urges me to export all the elements related to the same as the RIG, animations, textures, and more.

• Step 4: Once you press OK, a window will open asking where you need to migrate the selected files. Now, you must pick the project’s Content folder where you want to migrate your assets.
• Step 5: Open the new project if it was not already open previously and enjoy the newly added assets.

Assets are critical to game development, and their quality directly affects the final product’s quality. The Epic Store Marketplace offers a variety of assets (including free ones) that can be used for prototyping and game creation.

Important to check and comply with site-specific licensing requirements. Some assets may require attribution or have restrictions on commercial use.

I hope this article was helpful to you.
See you in the next article🚀.