# Is it possible to use a Skeletal Mesh generated/packaged elsewhere in a packaged Unreal game at runtime?

**URL:** <https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/is-it-possible-to-use-a-skeletal-mesh-generated-packaged-elsewhere-in-a-packaged-unreal-game-at-runtime/2667069>\
**Category:** Asset Creation\
**Tags:** ChunkDownloader, Chunking, unreal-engine, question\
**Created:** [October 21, 2025, 4:36am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/is-it-possible-to-use-a-skeletal-mesh-generated-packaged-elsewhere-in-a-packaged-unreal-game-at-runtime/2667069 "2025-10-21T04:36:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![kimyujaaaa](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@kimyujaaaa](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/kimyujaaaa)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 4:36am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/is-it-possible-to-use-a-skeletal-mesh-generated-packaged-elsewhere-in-a-packaged-unreal-game-at-runtime/2667069/1 "2025-10-21T04:36:14Z")

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Hi everyone,

I’m working on a project where an external system (AI service) generates **Skeletal Mesh** assets and uploads them to **AWS S3**.  
In my packaged Unreal Engine 5.5 game, the user can **download** those assets at runtime.

> ⚙ Important note:  
> I already know how to mount and use `.pak` files that I’ve created myself (with proper mount points). That part works fine.

However, my real question is about **assets generated and packaged externally** — outside of my game build or editor.

Specifically:

1. Is it technically feasible to take a Skeletal Mesh produced elsewhere and **wrap it into a valid .pak (including mount point and cooked data)** so that a _packaged_ game can mount and use it at runtime?

2. What engine-level constraints should I expect? For example:

3. Are there **security or OS/antivirus restrictions** when downloading and mounting `.pak` or `.uasset` files from unknown sources? Could they be blocked or flagged?

4. **If this approach isn’t practical or secure** , what are the recommended alternatives for using externally generated Skeletal Meshes in a packaged game?

For example, I’ve heard that some projects instead **export Skeletal Meshes as FBX or glTF** and then **import or reconstruct them at runtime** using a custom importer or runtime mesh pipeline.  
This seems to be a more flexible and secure solution, since it avoids direct dependency on Unreal’s cooked asset format.

👉 Are there any **official references, sample projects, or documentation** that explain how to import or build Skeletal Meshes from FBX/glTF data at runtime?  
I’d really appreciate any links or guidance related to that approach.

Engine: **Unreal Engine 5.5**  
Target platform: (e.g., Windows)

Thanks in advance for your insights and references!

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**Author:** ![jwatte](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/jwatte/32/744941_2.png) [@jwatte](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/jwatte)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 4:53am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/is-it-possible-to-use-a-skeletal-mesh-generated-packaged-elsewhere-in-a-packaged-unreal-game-at-runtime/2667069/2 "2025-10-21T04:53:25Z")

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There is no OS or antivirus problem.

However, the “cooking” process that Unreal runs to generate the runtime assets, is part of the editor code, which is not licensed to be included in the game itself.

Probably the simplest thing to do would be to use the editor version of your game in a script to “cook” each generated asset after it’s finished generating, and then point the running game at those cooked assets. You’re going to need some process that knows how to take the generation output URL and forward it to the client anyway, so you might be able to hook the automated cooking into that process.

There are other approaches you can take, too. For example, you could write your own skinning code, and render the skeletal mesh as procedural geometry. That sounds like more work for less capability, though!

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**Author:** ![kimyujaaaa](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@kimyujaaaa](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/kimyujaaaa)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2025, 6:13am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/is-it-possible-to-use-a-skeletal-mesh-generated-packaged-elsewhere-in-a-packaged-unreal-game-at-runtime/2667069/4 "2025-10-30T06:13:23Z")

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**Q1.** How can I create a script that cooks an externally created skeletal mesh asset using the editor version of the game?

**Q2.** When running the game, which key should be used to reference the externally cooked asset — the **Chunk ID** or the **Deployment ID**?  
If the **Chunk ID** is meant to serve as the key, how can the game dynamically inform the user which Chunk ID needs to be downloaded?

That’s why I was considering using the **Deployment ID** instead, even though I know it’s not ideal from a file structure efficiency standpoint.  
If that line of thinking is wrong, my apologies — I might be misunderstanding the intended workflow.