In this lesson, you will learn how to nest classes and lists within your ScriptableObjects to create organized, hierarchical data structures for your game.
Moving Beyond Simple Variables
Up until now, you have likely used ScriptableObjects to hold simple variables like float health or string names. However, as your game grows—perhaps requiring a complex inventory system or a branching skill tree—storing everything in a flat list becomes messy.
By using the [System.Serializable] attribute on custom classes or structs, you can nest them inside your ScriptableObject. This tells Unity to expose these complex objects in the Inspector, allowing you to build nested arrays and data trees right inside your asset files.
Structuring Your Data
Imagine you are building a tier-based progression system. Instead of creating ten separate assets, you can nest a list of "Tier" objects inside one master GameConfig asset.
using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections.Generic;
[System.Serializable]
public class SkillTier
{
public string tierName;
public int unlockCost;
public List<string> rewards;
}
[CreateAssetMenu]
public class ProgressionData : ScriptableObject
{
public List<SkillTier> tiers;
}
By marking SkillTier with [System.Serializable], it becomes visible to Unity’s serialization system. When you create an instance of ProgressionData, the Inspector will provide a foldout interface for your list of tiers, allowing you to add, remove, and reorder them visually.
Why This Matters
This approach transforms your ScriptableObjects from simple data containers into powerful database-like assets. Because these structures are serialized as part of the asset, you keep your game configuration decoupled from your logic scripts. You can maintain a massive inventory or a complex quest chain within a single file that is easy to edit, version control, and share across your project without needing to modify a single line of code.
Key Takeaway: By combining the [System.Serializable] attribute with nested classes, you can build complex, hierarchical data structures that turn simple ScriptableObjects into robust, Inspector-editable databases for your game’s systems.