Do you keep asset source files inside Content folder or outside?

Development Platform & Builds
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1

Hi,

since forever I’ve been keeping the source asset files outside of the Content directory, as I found it a bit cleaner if these two things don’t mix and match. I usually have Scenes folder in the root of my project folder, and in there are folders based on software I use, such as Affinity, Blender, WorldMachine, Painter (Substance) etc… and then one more “Export” folder, which contains categorized folder hierarchy of the different objects to export, for example Export/Environment/Foliage/Trees/Tree_01 containing Tree_01.fbx and accompanying texture set.

But recently I remembered UE4 has automatic folder watch, where if the non-uasset supported source file changes within the Content folder, Unreal automatically shows a prompt asking you to re-import. That got me thinking that the Epic originally intended to use Content folder not only as a container for .uasset files, but also for the asset source files (models, textures, sounds, etc…),

So I am wondering what do you guys use? Do you put them into Content folder or keep the outside separately too? If you keep them in the Content folder, did you notice any drawbacks/issues with it? Or did you notice any other benefits aside the automatic folder watch prompting reimport on file change?

Thanks in advance.

2

Hm, I also keep source files outside of content folder.

3

Doesn’t putting things in /content mean that they could get packaged?

4

I don’t know. I think that only .uassets get packaged unless you explicitly include specific folder in the “Additional non-asset folders to cook” or something like that. It’s a packaging option in preferences.