Implementation Guide

PAK Asset Swapper Plugin - Step-by-Step Tutorial

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Introduction

What is this guide about?

This guide helps you import your 3D scene into our Unreal Engine template while protecting your original assets. Your high-quality models, textures, and materials stay private - only you have access to them.

How does it work?

Your Original Assets ──► Proxy Assets (collision only) ──► Commit to Git
                    │
                    └──► PAK File (protected) ──► Send to us directly or upload to bucket

Proxy Assets: Simple placeholder objects that have the same collision (physics) as your original assets, but no visual details. These are safe to share.

PAK File: A compressed package containing your original high-quality assets. You send this file directly to us - it never goes into the shared repository.

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Before You Start

Requirements

• Unreal Engine 5.5 installed

• The Meadow Transfer template project (provided by Bizzlogic)

• Your 3D assets ready to migrate from your Unreal Engine Project

• Git installed (for committing your work)

Folder Structure Overview

The template project has this folder structure:

Content/
├── CoreAsses/          ◄── Put all shareable assets here also all LEVELS
│   └── YourSceneName/
│       ├── Meshes/
│       ├── Materials/
│       └── Textures/
│
├── FinalAssets/          ◄── Put your original assets here
│   └── YourSceneName/
│       ├── Meshes/
│       ├── Materials/
│       └── Textures/
│
├── ProxyAssets/          ◄── Proxy assets go here (auto-generated)
│   └── YourSceneName/
│
├── Config/
│   └── AssetMapping.json ◄── Mapping file (auto-generated)
│
└── PAKs/                 ◄── Your PAK files
    └── YourSceneName.pak

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Step 1: Import Your Assets

Import Your Files

1. Open your Unreal 5.5 project

2. Migrate your levels to the content folder of Meadow Transfer.

3. Make sure to only migrate assets you need from the checkbox

Open the Template Project

1. Compile the template using Unreal 5.5 and Visual Studio 2022

2. Check your assets for correct migration.

3. Clean up all unwanted assets and unneeded parts for this project.

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Step 2: Organize Your Assets

2.1 Recommended Organization

Organize your assets in subfolders for clarity:

CoreAssets/
└── MyHouseScene/
    ├── Meshes/
    │   ├── SM_Wall_01.uasset
    │   ├── SM_Door_Main.uasset
    │   └── SM_Furniture_Chair.uasset
    ├── Materials/
    │   ├── M_Wood.uasset
    │   └── M_Metal.uasset
    └── Textures/
        ├── T_Wood_D.uasset
        └── T_Metal_N.uasset

FinalAssets/
└── MyHouseScene/
    ├── Meshes/
    │   ├── SM_Wall_01.uasset
    │   ├── SM_Door_Main.uasset
    │   └── SM_Furniture_Chair.uasset
    ├── Materials/
    │   ├── M_Wood.uasset
    │   └── M_Metal.uasset
    └── Textures/
        ├── T_Wood_D.uasset
        └── T_Metal_N.uasset

2.2 Naming Convention

Use clear, consistent names:

Prefix	Type	Example
SM_	Static Mesh	SM_Table_Kitchen
SK_	Skeletal Mesh	SK_Character_Body
M_	Material	M_Wood_Oak
MI_	Material Instance	MI_Wood_Oak_Dark
T_	Texture	T_Wood_Oak_D (D=Diffuse, N=Normal)
BP_	Blueprint	BP_Door_Interactive

2.3 Verify Collision is Set

For each mesh, verify collision exists:

1. Double-click a Static Mesh to open it

2. In the viewport toolbar, click Collision dropdown

3. Select Simple Collision

4. You should see green collision shapes

If no collision exists:

1. In the Static Mesh editor, go to menu Collision

2. Select Add Box Simplified Collision or Auto Convex Collision

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Step 3: Generate Proxy Assets

This step creates simple collision-only versions of your assets.

3.1 Open the Proxy Generator Tool

Using the Editor Widget (Recommended):

1. Go to menu Window > Editor Utility Widgets

2. Find and run WBP_ProxyGenerator

3.2 Configure Proxy Generation

In the Proxy Generator window:

Setting	Recommended Value	Explanation
Source Folder	/Game/FinalAssets/YourSceneName	Where your original assets are
Output Folder	/Game/ProxyAssets/YourSceneName	Where proxies will be created
Collision Type	MultiConvex	Best balance of accuracy and size
Preserve Original Collision	Yes (checked)	Keeps physics accurate
Process Blueprints	Yes (checked)	If you have Blueprint actors
Recursive	Yes (checked)	Process all subfolders

3.3 Collision Type Options

Choose based on your needs:

Type	Use When	File Size	Physics Accuracy
BoundingBox	Simple shapes (boxes, walls)	Very small	Basic
ConvexHull	Medium complexity shapes	Small	Good
MultiConvex	Complex shapes (furniture, vehicles)	Medium	Very good
Original	Need exact collision match	Large	Exact

3.5 Open Level

1. Make sure you are in the level you want to share; the utility tool will replace all assets with their proxy meshes automatically.

2. Repeat for every additional level you would like to share.

3.6 Run the Generator

1. Click Generate Proxies

2. Wait for the progress bar to complete

3. A summary will show how many proxies were created

Expected Result:

• New assets appear in /Game/ProxyAssets/YourSceneName/

• Each proxy has _Proxy suffix (example: SM_Table_Kitchen_Proxy)

• Proxies have collision but no visual detail

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Step 3+: Check your proxies.

These are auto-generated meshes. Some details will be lost that are relevant for collision.

You can create your own proxy assets and replace the static meshes. Do that via the reimport button, as the name of the proxy cannot be changed. Open Static Mesh -> Set new asset path -> press reimport

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Step 4: Export Mapping File

The mapping file tells the system which proxy belongs to which original asset.

4.1 Export the Mapping

After proxy generation completes:

1. In the Proxy Generator window, click Export Mapping

2. Save the file as: Content/Config/AssetMapping.json

4.2 Verify the Mapping File

Open the JSON file to verify it looks correct:

{
    "version": 1,
    "generated": "2025.12.03-10.30.00",
    "mappings": [
        {
            "assetId": "ABC123...",
            "standInPath": "/Game/ProxyAssets/MyHouseScene/Meshes/SM_Table_Kitchen_Proxy",
            "finalPath": "/Game/FinalAssets/MyHouseScene/Meshes/SM_Table_Kitchen",
            "assetType": "StaticMesh",
            "collisionType": "MultiConvex"
        }
    ]
}

Important: Do not edit this file manually. If you need to regenerate it, run the Proxy Generator again.

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Step 5: Cook Your Assets

"Cooking" prepares your assets for packaging into a PAK file.

5.1 Project Settings

1. These are already set for the correct packaging

5.2 Run the Cook

Option A - Using Editor:

1. Go to menu File > Cook Content for Windows

2. Wait for cooking to complete

5.3 Find Cooked Assets

After cooking, find your cooked assets at:

<Project>\Saved\Cooked\Windows\PakDemo\Content\FinalAssets\YourSceneName\

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Step 6: Create PAK File

Now package your cooked assets into a single PAK file. Unreal will do this automatically. The packaged project will also serve as a test file to ensure your process worked.

6.1 Package your game.

Make sure the map you replaced your assets in is the starting map of the packaged game.

As soon as it's completed, you will see two pak files in the exported package.

pakchunk100-Windows is your final assets folder compressed. AssetMapping.json is the additional file.

Copy these out of the packaged build into its own folder for sharing, uploading and testing.

6.2 Test PAK

Open the packaged game after you removed the pak file and input the full filepath with file:// to the respective fields and press load. Make sure it replaced all the files correctly.

6.3 Verify PAK File

Upload and Share Pak file and JSON

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Step 7: Commit to Repository

Now commit your proxy assets to the shared Git repository.

7.1 Check Git Status

Open command prompt in your project folder:

git status

You should see:

• New files (to add): ProxyAssets folder, AssetMapping.json

• Ignored files: FinalAssets folder (check .gitignore)

7.2 Verify .gitignore

Make sure your .gitignore file includes:

# Protect original assets - DO NOT REMOVE
Content/FinalAssets/
Content/PAKs/*.pak

# Allow proxy assets
!Content/ProxyAssets/

# Allow mapping file
!Content/Config/AssetMapping.json

7.3 Stage and Commit

# Add core assets and other new folders
git add Content/CoreAssets/
* other folders

# Add proxy assets
git add Content/ProxyAssets/

# Add mapping file
git add Content/Config/AssetMapping.json

# Commit with clear message
git commit -m "Add proxy assets for YourSceneName scene"

# Push to remote
git push origin main

7.4 What Gets Committed

Item	Committed?	Reason
ProxyAssets/	Yes	Safe to share, collision only
AssetMapping.json	Yes	Needed for asset swapping
FinalAssets/	NO	Contains protected original assets
*.pak files	NO	Sent separately, not in Git
CoreAssets/ (and other folders)	Yes	Your sharable core files

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Step 8: Deliver Your Files

Send your PAK file and mapping file to us through the secure delivery method. Contact your project manager.

8.1 Files to Deliver

Prepare these files for delivery:

File	Location	Purpose
YourSceneName.pak	Your output folder	Contains original assets
AssetMapping.json	Content/Config/	Links proxies to originals

8.2 Delivery Method

Option A - Secure Upload (Recommended):

1. Use the provided secure upload link

2. Upload both files together

3. Wait for confirmation email

Option B - Direct Transfer:

1. Contact your project manager

2. They will provide a secure transfer link

Security Note: Never email PAK files directly. Always use the secure upload method.

8.3 After Delivery

1. We receive your files

2. We test the asset swapping

3. We confirm everything works

4. Your protected assets are now integrated

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Testing Your Setup

Before final delivery, test that everything works correctly.

9.1 Test in Editor (Proxy Only)

1. Open the test level: Content/PakTest.umap

2. Place some of your proxy assets

3. Press Play

4. Verify collision works (objects don't fall through floor)

9.2 Test Asset Swapping (Full Test)

Open the packaged game after you removed the pak file and input the full filepath with file:// to the respective fields and press load. Make sure it replaced all the files correctly.

9.3 Expected Results

Test	Expected Result
Proxy collision	Objects don't fall through
PAK mounting	No error messages
Asset swapping	Visuals upgrade from simple to detailed
Frame rate	Smooth, no stuttering

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Glossary

Term	Meaning
Asset	Any file in your project (mesh, texture, material, etc.)
Collision	Invisible shape used for physics and interaction
Cooking	Converting assets to platform-specific format
Mount	Making a PAK file's contents available to the game
PAK File	Compressed package of cooked game assets
Proxy	Simplified version of an asset with collision only
Repository	Shared code/asset storage (Git)
Swap	Replacing proxy with original asset at runtime

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Quick Reference Card

Command Summary

# Generate proxies
Proxy Generator Tool > Set folders > Generate Proxies

# Cook assets
File > Cook Content for Windows

# Create PAK
UnrealPak.exe "Output.pak" -Create="ResponseFile.txt" -compress

# Commit to Git
git add Content/ProxyAssets/
git add Content/Config/AssetMapping.json
git commit -m "Add proxy assets"
git push

File Checklist

Before delivery, verify:

• All assets imported to FinalAssets/ folder

• All assets imported to CoreAssets/ folder

• All proxies generated in ProxyAssets/ folder

• Mapping file exported to Config/AssetMapping.json

• PAK file created and tested

• Proxy assets committed to Git

• FinalAssets folder NOT in Git

• PAK file ready for secure delivery

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Document Information

Field	Value
Version	1.0
Last Updated	December 2025
Plugin Version	PAKAssetSwapper 1.0
Unreal Engine	5.5

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This document is part of the PAK Asset Swapper documentation. Copyright Bizzlogic. All Rights Reserved.