To create a custom asset bundle in Unity, first organize and configure assets, assign AssetBundle names, build the bundle using an editor script, and load it at runtime. Begin by placing desired assets in a dedicated folder, ensuring correct import settings and assigning the same bundle name to related items. Next, select each asset or folder in the Inspector and set a unique AssetBundle name with optional variants. Then, create and run an editor script using BuildPipeline.BuildAssetBundles to generate the bundle in a specified directory, adjusting the BuildTarget as needed. Finally, use UnityWebRequestAssetBundle to load the bundle at runtime, handle errors, instantiate assets, and unload the bundle when no longer needed to manage memory efficiently.

Creating a custom asset bundle is something you might need to do when working with Unity, especially if you're aiming for better resource management or modularity in your project. The core idea is packaging assets like textures, models, audio files, or even entire scenes into a single file that can be loaded dynamically at runtime.

Here’s how to go about it:

1. Prepare Your Assets

Before bundling, organize the assets you want to include. This includes checking if they’re properly imported and configured in Unity.

• Make sure all assets are placed in a dedicated folder — this helps avoid accidentally including unnecessary files.
• Set the correct import settings (like texture compression or audio format) because these settings affect how the assets behave once bundled.
• Don’t forget to assign the right AssetBundle name in the inspector for each asset or folder.

Pro tip: If you're bundling multiple related assets, putting them all under one folder and assigning the same bundle name can simplify the process.

2. Assign AssetBundle Names

In Unity, every asset that goes into a bundle must have an assigned AssetBundle name. You can do this via the Inspector window.

• Select the asset or folder.
• In the Inspector, find the AssetBundle section at the bottom.
• Choose a name (e.g., “character_assets”) and optionally define a variant (like “high_quality” or “l(fā)ow_poly”).

This step determines how the bundle will be referenced later during runtime loading.

3. Build the AssetBundle

Once everything is labeled correctly, it's time to build the bundle using Unity’s API.

Create a small editor script like this:

using UnityEditor;

public class CreateAssetBundles
{
    [MenuItem("Assets/Build AssetBundles")]
    static void BuildAssetBundles ()
    {
        BuildPipeline.BuildAssetBundles ("Assets/MyBundles", BuildAssetBundleOptions.None, BuildTarget.StandaloneWindows);
    }
}

• Place this script in an Editor folder.
• Go to the menu and click "Assets > Build AssetBundles".
• Unity will generate the bundles inside the specified folder (Assets/MyBundles in this example).

You can change BuildTarget depending on your platform (Android, iOS, etc.).

4. Load the Bundle in Runtime

After building, you’ll probably want to load the bundle during gameplay.

Use code like this:

IEnumerator LoadMyBundle()
{
    var bundleLoadRequest = UnityWebRequestAssetBundle.GetAssetBundle("file:///"   Application.dataPath   "/MyBundles/my_asset_bundle");
    yield return bundleLoadRequest.SendWebRequest();

    if (bundleLoadRequest.result != UnityWebRequest.Result.Success)
    {
        Debug.LogError("Failed to load bundle: "   bundleLoadRequest.error);
        yield break;
    }

    AssetBundle bundle = DownloadHandlerAssetBundle.GetContent(bundleLoadRequest);
    GameObject asset = bundle.LoadAsset<GameObject>("MyPrefabName");
    Instantiate(asset);
}

Make sure to:

• Use the correct path when loading.
• Handle errors gracefully.
• Unload the bundle when it's no longer needed to avoid memory leaks (bundle.Unload(true)).

That’s basically how you create and use a custom asset bundle in Unity. It takes a bit of setup, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes a powerful way to manage your game’s resources.

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