T8 How to Package a Mod with a Data Asset

Once you have your mod completed you will need to package it so that it is ready to go. If you followed my Starter Guide then your UE project and editor are ready to go. If not, check it out and look at the Setup UE5 portion. Guide

Note: This is my preferred and recommended method; however, others in the community may propose alternative options. The only right way is the way that results in a working mod so feel free to explore your options.

Create a Data Asset

1. Right-click an empty space in your UE Content Browser, Go to Miscellaneous, choose Data Asset, and when the window shows up search for "Primary Asset Label"

2. Name the Data Asset whatever you want to help you remember what it's for. I usually include the chunk number I'll be using for easy reference in the future.

3. Open the Data Asset

• Set the Priority: 1
• Set the Chunk ID: any number but no need to exceed 6 digits

4. Now depending on your mod you have two options available to you and you can use either one or both.

a. Label Assets in My Directory: This will automatically include every asset within the same folder the Data Asset is when you package your project and include every subfolder. This is great when you are doing a custom mod and have multiple assets like mesh, textures, mi's, etc. One of the benefits of this option is that if you add or remove items in the folder and its subfolders the chunk is automatically updated.

b. Explicit Assets: This option allows you to specifically identify which assets you want included in your chunk. Click on the "+" and add a new item spot. You can search for the asset you want or drag and drop it onto the spot. If you want to remove it later, be sure to remove the slot entirely and not just leave it empty. As far as I know, there is no limit to the amount of specific items you can add. This method is usually used in most mods because some items must remain in a specific folder (e.g. IP and UI assets) while other portions are in a different folder.

Use whichever options work best to match your workflow.

5. When everything is done, package and enjoy your mod.