How do you solo-devs keep track of every mesh, texture, LOD, and material—so you actually know what’s DONE, what’s “almost done,” and what you accidentally broke last sprint?

How do you solo-devs keep track of every mesh, texture, LOD, and material—so you actually know what’s DONE, what’s “almost done,” and what you accidentally broke last sprint?

Hey @DevGamePro — wow, this question hit home.

As a fellow solo dev, I used to bounce between Notion, Google Docs, sticky notes (digital and real), and a folder full of .psd files named things like Material_Ruins_Lit_V3_REALFINAL.psd. :sweat_smile:

But truthfully, none of it scaled. I’d constantly:

  • Forget if I’d fixed a LOD issue or just thought about fixing it.
  • Ship builds with placeholder textures because I missed one.
  • Spend way too long playing “find the broken mesh.”

I finally gave in and started using a plugin that lets me leave checklist tasks and comments directly on each asset inside Unreal. Now I tag things like “needs LOD update,” “verify collision,” or “test with AI” per asset, and it syncs to a clean web dashboard so I always know what’s left.

It’s called Asset Optics, and honestly, it’s become my second brain during production:
:backhand_index_pointing_right: Asset Optics – Next-Gen Asset Management | Fab

If you’re tired of memory juggling and want something built with solo creators in mind (not enterprise Jira nonsense), it’s worth a look.

Happy to share my workflow if you’re curious! :light_bulb::video_game:

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Build out a spreadsheet with all your assets and what each asset requires. Check-off or highlight color based on completion level. Boost productivity by using GPT help.

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Personally it helps me to have a to-do list.

While I’m working on a feature, and notice something else being off (like a placeholder texture, or another feature not working as expected) I’ll add an entry to my list like Look at why X is misbehaving.

Then next time I have free time, I look at the to-do list and have an idea of what needs to be done next.

It might feel weird at first, because you’re a solo dev, and it might feel silly to write things down for your future self, but once you’re in the habit, it helps a lot keep track of at least the majority of issues.

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Great question—this is something every solo-dev struggles with at some point.

What worked best for me is building a lightweight but disciplined asset tracking system. I use a combination of:

  • Naming conventions (clear, versioned names for each asset type)
  • A Notion board for tracking progress (with tags like Done, WIP, Needs Fix, Tested)
  • And automated folder structures that mirror my engine hierarchy.

For regressions or accidental breaks, I do small changelogs per sprint and use version control (even for art assets when possible).

You don’t need a studio-sized pipeline—but even a simple structure can save your sanity when your project grows.

All the best and kind regards,
SFDEMIR

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Hi @DevGamePro You received All good ideas and a plugin advertisement above!

I am a beginner myself, what worked for me in the beginning to get started was using the old fashioned notebook with pen!

Anyways, I am Still waiting for a perfect setup for my game planning in a plugin.
But depends what you are struggling with, if you want to get started with small projects , even a google spreadsheet / excel should work as @RA3ID mentioned!

If you want to plan for longer use jira/notion as @SFDEMIR suggested.

Or if you are specifically looking for asset level planning you can spend some bucks on the plugin @brahmaforge put out!

I would also recommend asking ChatGPT :stuck_out_tongue:

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A notepad file that i update as i modify things so i can pick up where i left off the next day. Keeping track of assets kinda just happens on its own

Hey @DevGamePro — wanted to circle back on this thread since it originally sparked a lot of good discussion.

Back in May I mentioned using asset-level checklists and comments inside Unreal to keep track of what’s actually done vs “almost done.” Since then, I’ve shipped Asset Optics v1.1.1, which essentially turns many of the ideas shared here into a single, integrated workflow inside the editor.

A few examples of how the approaches discussed in this thread map to what I’m using now:

  • Spreadsheet-style tracking (as @RA3ID suggested) → Asset lists with per-asset status, synced to a web dashboard

  • To-do lists for future you (as @Chizkeic mentioned) → Per-asset checklists plus a priority-based Focus view

  • Notion / Kanban boards (as @SFDEMIR suggested) → A full Kanban planning board directly inside Unreal

  • Asset-level planning (what @BFGameStudios was looking for) → Tasks, comments, and milestones tied directly to assets

What changed things for me personally was having everything inside Unreal, so production state reflects what’s actually happening in the project, not a separate document that slowly drifts out of sync.

New in v1.1.1:

  • Focus Mode (NOW / NEXT / LATER) to always see what to work on next

  • Kanban Planning Board with milestones and dependencies

  • Optional AI-assisted planning (via MCP) to scaffold tasks and milestones from a high-level idea

  • Real-time sync to a web dashboard (useful for quick checks away from the editor)

@DevGamePro — this ended up being the setup I wished I had back when I asked myself the same questions you did in the original post. If you’re still looking for a cleaner way to track asset completion and regressions, I’d be curious whether this fits your workflow.

**Plugin listing: Asset Optics v1.1.1 on Fab

Watch it in action on YouTube :-**
Intro to Asset Optics V1.1.1
First Steps and Login
MCP in Action: Plan a Complete Game

Happy to answer questions or explain how I’m using it day-to-day — no pressure either way.