Please let us download stuff from the Asset Store without Unity

There have been numerous times where I just wanted to see how X asset does Y, or I just needed a simple texture, and having to import the asset into a Unity project was one step too many for me to consider (especially with Unity being increasingly slow to do anything).

Why can't I download the files from the asset store directly? I just need one texture, or I just want to view one .cs file, why do I need to import a whole bunch of garbage into my project?

 

You didn't notice that you can choose what you want to download when you import the content of a package?

 

I did, but I don't want to import them.

In fact I don't even know if I want to open Unity, since that may take from 5 to 15 minutes.

I just want to open a texture in some other software, or open a .cs file in sublime text, wihout having to open Unity have it check for changes for 5 minutes, then open Asset store for another 5, then another 5 for importing.

 

What you are working on, to take more than minute to open Unity. Pentium l? Even with HDD, you would open Unity in less than 5 min.

While not entirely fan of within Unity asset tool, it works now smoothly. Much better than in the past.
So you click download. Once that done, you import desired files.

Also, you can always open multiple instances of Unity, so it does not hinder to work.

 

Less than 5mn is your expectation? that's already too much
soft takes too long to open these days

 

I just opened my current project from the Hub: 27 seconds. If it takes tool long for you, you might have a problem with your computer.

 

I see no one in this thread is using Collaborate.

 

You not trying to tell us, you try open full large project, just to view some asset file? That's some serious workflow issues.

 

In fact, you could say, having to open *any* project at all just to view a file is a serious workflow issue.

 

Agreed.
I mostly just buy sound or art assets and I never use all of them.
So in order to keep the project repository as small as possible I only add sound files or art assets out of the packs individually as I need them.

Going through the process of importing them all into Unity and then dragging the folder out consumes time and generates a whole bunch of .meta files outside of the projects root folder which I dont need.

 

Actually, this is wrong. You choose what to import, but not what to download. Meaning if I want the audio files from the Yggdrasil Icon Pack I have to download 11gb of stuff I do not want first.