I like data assets, I’ve been using them for a few months. They are excellent for world item type definitions (loot, weapons, consumables, etc.)
However, I’m finding that bulk editing them is very lacking? And I’m not sure if I’m missing something, or the editor systems just need to be fleshed out better.
1> Edit Property Matrix
I don’t understand how this makes anything easier, because editing multiple items at once does almost nothing for you. Everything just says “multiple values” and it’s impossible to sync any variables at all, because you can’t even read the values. Going through the list 1 by 1, is barely minimal help. You have to click back and forth to compare.
If you use the pins, it shows columns to visually see variables, but you can’t even edit the values there! I’m super confused on that one. It even shows the “character edit” mouse cursor, and you can’t type in the fields.
2> Diff
This is closer to what I would like… but the “push variable change from left to right” arrows only go one way! I’m very confused on that too. Why can’t I push the change left? And it was impossible to swap sides (even if you click them in a different order to diff the other one), so you can never edit the one on the left.
Also only doing 2 entries. Helpful for debugging, not good enough for syncing.
Here’s what data assets needs:
Do you know what xEdit is? It’s a third party tool created for Creation Engine modding. It’s one of the best data editing tools I’ve ever used. You can ctrl-click forms → compare → and then drag values from 1 column to another easily, and sync up object data. The data management in that tool is amazing, and puts the Creation Kit itself to shame. I’m probably just really spoiled by xEdit, but it should be an example that engine creators learn from.
I’d love to be able to compare 10 data assets, and drag values from 1 column to the next. This would make editing dozens or hundreds of data assets so much better.
It would also be nice to be able to script some type of “construction” presets in the PDA, where you can make your own constructor functions to set defaults for categories of variables. I might not be explaining this right, but it would work similar to how you make construction scripts for world object BPs. Set something, and it “formats” a bunch of variables permanently (not at runtime.)
Data assets seem like a great system, but they definitely feel lacking for bulk editing, which I would think is the major advantage of data assets is being able to have lots of them?
Maybe I’m using these editor tools wrong? Any insight would help. (I’m using 5.5.1 btw)
Thanks!