Here we’ll explain the steps to use a single asset with Unity. These steps are general and are meant only as an overview for basic actions. For the example, we’ll talk about using a 3D mesh.
Use any supported 3D modeling package to create a rough version of your asset. Our example will use Maya. Work with the asset until you are ready to save. For a list of applications that are supported by Unity, please see this page.
When you save your asset initially, you should save it normally to the Assets folder in your Project folder. When you open the Unity project, the asset will be detected and imported into the project. When you look in the Project View, you’ll see the asset located there, right where you saved it. Please note that Unity uses the FBX exporter provided by your modeling package to convert your models to the FBX file format. You will need to have the FBX exporter of your modeling package available for Unity to use. Alternatively, you can directly export as FBX from your application and save in the Projects folder. For a list of applications that are supported by Unity, please see this page.
If you select the asset in the Project View the import settings for this asset will appear in the Inspector. The options that are displayed will change based on the type of asset that is selected.
Simply click and drag the mesh from the Project View to the Hierarchy or Scene View to add it to the Scene. When you drag a mesh to the scene, you are creating a GameObject that has a Mesh Renderer Component. If you are working with a texture or a sound file, you will have to add it to a GameObject that already exists in the Scene or Project.
Here is a brief description of the relationships between the most common assets
A Prefab is a stored collection containing one or more complete GameObjects with components attached and properties set. Prefabs are asset types, so they do not appear in the scene in their own right. However, they can be used to create instances of the stored objects in the scene. Each instance is a copy of the original prefab. For example, you might use a prefab to store a tree object and then create many instances of the tree in a forest scene.
By default, changes made to the prefab are automatically applied to all the instances, and so using prefabs can be a good way to maintain consistency among a set of objects. However, you can also break the link between the instance and the prefab if you want to create special variations on the original. You can also make changes to an instance, and then save those changes to the prefab (menu: ).
You can create a Prefab from a GameObject in your scene, simply by dragging the GameObject from the scene into the project view. When you do this, the GameObject’s name text will be selected to let you rename it as you like.
For further information, see the Prefabs page in the manual.
You have imported, instantiated, and linked your asset to a Prefab. Now when you want to edit your source asset, just double-click it from the Project View. The appropriate application will launch, and you can make any changes you want. When you’re done updating it, just Save it. Then, when you switch back to Unity, the update will be detected, and the asset will be re-imported. The asset’s link to the Prefab will also be maintained. So the effect you will see is that your Prefab will update. That’s all you have to know to update assets. Just open it and save!