Why does an inventory system need a UObject class and a separate class for the DataTableRow?

Development Programming & Scripting C++
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1

So, I’m following this tutorial of a C++ inventory system in YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPgtd4m5-EI&list=PLitYOdh3OOzhJBCRqYZEGBzJYemA-SH8Z

So, at the start, this guy creates the following C++ classes…

  1. Empty header “Item Data Structs” : Contains Data Table Row with all the Structs and Enums regarding the database for Items
  2. UItemBase : The UObject base class that creates copies of the structs of “Item Data Structs”.
  3. AActor "Pickup : Which inherits the UItemBase.

I just have a general enquiry on this guys method, I’m new to Game Dev so I’m not sure if his setup is common practice, but, I don’t understand why create the header and the UObject class… I feel like they are redundant? I mean, why not have the Data Table Row declared in the PickUp Actor itself, and then create instances of this actor? Isn’t that less complicated?

I know this is probably a basic question… but if his practice is a common one, can you please enlighten me on the logic on why create all those separate classes as opposed to just one class that contains everything…

2

Have not followed the tutorial but made a few item systems. It is pretty common at minimum have separate classes for:

  • “item archetype”: the entries in the items database that define each item, after being loaded these never change, since they define the possible items
  • “inventory item”: the class for an instance of an item archetype in the player’s physical inventory, it will have a reference to an archetype, but also many other functions like add, remove, drop, etc.