Asset management

Every .uasset is a UObject in a package addressed by a virtual path. The single most important decision is hard vs soft reference: it determines what loads into memory (and gets cooked) with your class. Wrong choices here cause load hitches and bloated memory/package sizes.

When to use this skill

• Choosing how a class references a mesh, material, sound, Blueprint, or data asset.
• Load hitches, or memory/cook size ballooning due to too many hard references.
• Loading content on demand (level-streaming-friendly, plugin/DLC content).
• Enumerating or filtering assets at runtime without loading them.
• Setting up a UPrimaryDataAsset pipeline with UAssetManager for large-content games.

Content paths

• /Game/... → project Content/; /Engine/... → engine content; /PluginName/... → a plugin.
• Full object reference string: /Game/Weapons/SM_Rifle.SM_Rifle (Package.Object).
• Never use OS filesystem paths in C++ asset references; always virtual paths.