Creating AssetBundles

Before assets can be loaded by AssetCollection, they need to be packaged into an AssetBundle inside the Unity Editor.

1. Assign an AssetBundle Name

1. Select the asset in the Project window (e.g. a prefab, texture, or material).
2. In the Inspector, open the AssetBundle dropdown at the bottom.
3. Create a new bundle name (e.g. pottedplant) or select an existing one.

Tip

Assets that should be loaded together can share the same bundle name. AssetCollection reads every embedded AssetBundle it finds, so you don't need a separate bundle per asset. Feel free to manage bundles however you want.

2. Set the Asset's Name

AssetCollection matches assets by their Object.name, which is normally just the file name of the asset in the Project window. Rename the asset file to match the key you plan to use, for example:

• PottedPlant.prefab
• PottedPlantThumbnail.png

3. Build the AssetBundle

Add a build script under an Editor folder in your Unity project:

using UnityEditor;
using UnityEngine;
using System.IO;

public class BuildAssetBundles
{
    [MenuItem("Bundles/Build AssetBundles")]
    public static void BuildAllAssetBundles()
    {
        string outputPath = "Assets/AssetBundles";

        if (!Directory.Exists(outputPath))
            Directory.CreateDirectory(outputPath);

        BuildPipeline.BuildAssetBundles(
            outputPath,
            BuildAssetBundleOptions.None,
            BuildTarget.StandaloneWindows64
        );

        Debug.Log("AssetBundles built successfully!");
    }
}

Running this from Bundles → Build AssetBundles produces a file named after your bundle (e.g. pottedplant) with no file extension. This is the file you'll embed into your mod assembly.

Warning

Build the AssetBundle against the same Unity version (and ideally the same target platform) as the game you're modding, otherwise Unity may fail to load it at runtime.

Next Step

Continue to Embedding Assets in Your Mod to include the built AssetBundle in your mod's assembly.