Light Probes vs. Screen Space Reflections in Unity

In previous blog we learned about how to create a skybox.

Right now one part of the floor is reflecting the skybox, but not the other elements like doors and walls.

To make it work, we can create a Reflection probe.

In hierarchy, Create/Light/Reflection Probe

It will sample the environment and create reflections.

When selected, it appears like a small sphere inside a cube

When it’s not selected, it appears as a white sphere

For now, it is creating a sample of the skybox and some part of the floor. To make other objects such as the doors and walls to impact the floor, we can select the reflection probe and edit the bounding volume (as if it were a collider)

It could be called “cheap reflections”, good but not great.

Screen space reflections use Post processing.

Result after activating the Post processing profile in Main Camera

For a mobile game, it is suggested to use reflection probes.

For a console or PC game you can use screen space reflection. It’s expensive but it’s worth it.