Smart Data Storage -- UE5 Blueprints

5 ways you can store variables and access them from anywhere within your project.
Methods:
1. Data Tables
2. Function libraries
3. Actor components
4. Data assets
5. Class defaults
6. Game instance, game mode, and game state
You can store colours, floats, arrays, vectors, textures -- literally whatever. Store them all in a clever place to reduce time spent editing your code when you make changes, while also reducing your dependencies for clean migration.
Example cases:
- Colour palettes / libraries
- Float tables for movement parameters (gravity, speed, and so on)
- Enemy/character health
- Game versioning / watermarking
- Achievement lists
===
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[@esotericgamedev]

Read the description for info
0:00 Intro
2:08 Data Tables
5:33 Function Libraries
7:35 Actor Components
8:55 GetClassDefaults
10:45 Data Assets
13:30 Other (save games, game instance, game mode, game state)

[@iranazadi7]

how can I hire you for a part time job:)

[@blacksage81]

F bomb in under 2 minutes, subbed in under 2 minutes.

[@aedfx]

This is such a useful tutorial thank you so much. I'm only 2 months into game dev and my current systems are incredibly messy. I think understanding the different ways to store data this early on in my journey will be extremely helpful in the long run. Thank you so much! by far one of the best channels I have found yet and you are super chill. Excited to dive into more of your videos!

[@esotericgamedev]

Thanks mate, glad to hear this feedback ☺️ welcome aboard

[@MIKELENZTIPS]

Not forgetting Material Parameter Collections which you can use effectively (read and write at runtime) anywhere outside the material graph as well for any global scalar and vector parameters and easy manipulation in BP or as a MPC sequencer track

[@skippyzk]

The function library is clever because you can change a bunch of colors by just changing it in one place

[@PurposelessRabbitholes]

Sick video, very helpful 🤘

[@esotericgamedev]

Glad to help

[@strick9red]

Great work your helping a lot of people with these videos.

[@esotericgamedev]

Glad to hear it thank you

[@infobharat]

I never comment on any TH-cam video. But you made me change that fact.

[@Latvian3Dman]

Thank You for this video (I shared it to friends on Twitter)

[@esotericgamedev]

Thanks

[@m96k3y7]

straight to point, quality!

[@LuciousKage]

Greaaat subject!! Could you make video about Dependencies? which method of data storage to use and how NOT to make direct references ? Its a subject there is very little about on youtube i feel. and those can really mess up the game
😊

[@esotericgamedev]

See the previous video about modular blueprints

[@LuciousKage]

O_O Man, u good... u went back in time and made a video about it... respect @@esotericgamedev ;) ps ive watched it already, but i though of more examples, like how to use things like object actors or other methods to store and call variables without dependencies hard dependencies. ( because structs do hard reference for example)

[@bertrandciesielski2260]

Hey, thanks for the video, I didn't know about Data Assets tbh. You didn't mention Game Instance is it because you just don't use it or is it because it's not supposed to be used this way because of reasons?

[@esotericgamedev]

Yeah you can use the game instance but I wouldn’t use it for too many things because it will get cluttered. I usually reserve the game instance for things like connecting players to multiplayer rather than general data

[@bertrandciesielski2260]

@@esotericgamedev I see, thanks for the explanation, guess I will move some stuff out of the game instance in my current project. I've been using game instance mixed with data tables and map variables to store stuff since 2017 xD

[@ripkowai]

Quick question, Im not sure if i simply didnt understand but, lets say I want to save a check point of a player then reset the scene or change scene and have a persistent data storage that can hold the information of the check point that I was at last before the reset. What you showed in your video is just data containers correct? So I would not be able to use them for my goal.

[@esotericgamedev]

Yeah use save game asset for your purpose. I did a video on it around the same time this one was uploaded

[@muhammetemirbulut6511]

omg very clear and good

[@F0r3v3rT0m0rr0w]

i am having issues with data assets, i was using them for skills in my combat system but they keep resetting to default every time i start up unreal engine. which isn't really useful.

[@nawhz6292]

Best

[@esotericgamedev]

Thanks 🙏

[@corbingrossen]

didnt think id laugh while watching a ue tutorial, probably gonna watch your tutorials instead now lol

[@esotericgamedev]

😆

[@zypperhhh]

And what if I want to update those variables in game and keep them persistent, what would be the best one to do that ?

[@esotericgamedev]

Probably actor component

[@eligijuspranskunas3509]

nice! how to separate numbers from the words? I mean, if I have text box, how to make it to allow to type in only numbers?

[@TheFlyingEpergne]

Use a spin box instead

[@XYNoise]

Cool!

[@Dr3amB3ast]

This is so hilarious lol

[@esotericgamedev]

😆

[@noname2031-w5r]

LOL BALL ACH!!!!!!

[@esotericgamedev]

Lol aye

[@nikwalz3429]

you are very fast...