Hi there,
**My problem**
I’m interested in using UE5 to simulate how light would bounce off an array of mirrors.
I immediately jumped in and started making reflective materials, only to find that while the materials don’t really “reflect” things, as in, that reflection isn’t produced by bouncing rays, but only by using camera views to map what this camera sees on the object’s texture (Ex. SSR).
After some time without varying the type of light (direct or point), its type (static or moving) and its material, I was still unable to produce an assembly where a reflective material bounces a beam of light off itself- same.
**My setup**
I basically have a slightly reflective wall and floor, with a mirror between them, and direct light coming down to the mirror at a slight angle from above.
– The mirror is circled in red
– I placed an emissive sphere where the light beam should land.
– The light source appears well in the “reflection” of the mirror.
– This is the path the light beam should take
– This is what my project looks like in preview (it doesn’t change when I start)
– This is the material I use for the mirror
**My questions**
– How could I bounce the beam from the mirror onto the wall using only the rays produced by the direct light?
– Is there a name for what I’m trying to create that I’m completely unaware of? I’m new to lighting and game engines.
– If implementing this feature in UE5 would be cumbersome, are there any engines that automatically come with light-reflecting mirrors?
– If it exists, is it a feature only in the pre-built architectural projects that they offer you at startup?
Thanks!!!