2D Mirror/Water reflections (Shader and script by Hedgefield)

Note: this is a shader and script combo to allow 2D water/mirror reflections in your game. (Why it's here? because it's great! And was made by a member of the AC community!). This was originally intended for water-like reflections but if you set the resolution higher in the shader you will get a mirror effect instead of a water reflection effect.

This solution consists of two components: a shader for the groundwork, and a script to render it on a 2D plane (or quad in this case).

The shader has a texture slot and a color picker. The texture is optional, you can just change the water color using the color picker.

The script has settings for the reflection resolution, offset, and which layers should be reflected. I keep the resolution intentionally low (256) because otherwise the reflection is too perfect and it doesn't look like water anymore. And I like the way it shimmers when you walk.

If you use this for mirrors it's also good to note the following:"Make sure you rotate/move your mirror slightly, otherwise the reflection is completely hidden behind the character which might at first make you think it's not actually there. - Rem"

Shader Code: Shader "FX/Mirror" { 	Properties { 		_MainTex ("Sprite Texture", 2D) = "white" {} _Color ("Tint", Color) = (1,1,1,1) [HideInInspector] _ReflectionTex ("", 2D) = "white" {} } 	SubShader { 		Tags { "RenderType"="Opaque" } LOD 100 Pass { 			CGPROGRAM #pragma vertex vert #pragma fragment frag #include "UnityCG.cginc" struct appdata_t { 				float2 uv : TEXCOORD0; float4 refl : TEXCOORD1; float4 pos : POSITION; float4 col: COLOR; }; 			struct v2f { 				half2 uv : TEXCOORD0; float4 refl : TEXCOORD1; float4 pos : SV_POSITION; fixed4 col: COLOR; }; 			float4 _MainTex_ST; fixed4 _Color; v2f vert(appdata_t i) 			{ v2f o; 				o.pos = mul (UNITY_MATRIX_MVP, i.pos); o.uv = TRANSFORM_TEX(i.uv, _MainTex); o.col = i.col * _Color; o.refl = ComputeScreenPos (o.pos); return o; 			} sampler2D _MainTex; sampler2D _ReflectionTex; fixed4 frag(v2f i) : SV_Target { 				fixed4 tex = tex2D(_MainTex, i.uv) * i.col; tex.rgb *= tex.a; 				fixed4 refl = tex2Dproj(_ReflectionTex, UNITY_PROJ_COORD(i.refl)); return tex * refl; } 			ENDCG } 	} }

Script code: using UnityEngine; using System.Collections; // This is in fact just the Water script from Pro Standard Assets, // just with refraction stuff removed. [ExecuteInEditMode] // Make mirror live-update even when not in play mode public class MirrorReflection : MonoBehaviour { 	public bool m_DisablePixelLights = true; public int m_TextureSize = 256; public float m_ClipPlaneOffset = 0.07f; public LayerMask m_ReflectLayers = -1; private Hashtable m_ReflectionCameras = new Hashtable; // Camera -> Camera table private RenderTexture m_ReflectionTexture = null; private int m_OldReflectionTextureSize = 0; private static bool s_InsideRendering = false; // This is called when it's known that the object will be rendered by some // camera. We render reflections and do other updates here. // Because the script executes in edit mode, reflections for the scene view // camera will just work! public void OnWillRenderObject { 		var rend = GetComponent; if (!enabled || !rend || !rend.sharedMaterial || !rend.enabled) return; Camera cam = Camera.current; if( !cam ) return; // Safeguard from recursive reflections. if( s_InsideRendering ) return; s_InsideRendering = true; Camera reflectionCamera; CreateMirrorObjects( cam, out reflectionCamera ); // find out the reflection plane: position and normal in world space Vector3 pos = transform.position; Vector3 normal = transform.up; // Optionally disable pixel lights for reflection int oldPixelLightCount = QualitySettings.pixelLightCount; if( m_DisablePixelLights ) QualitySettings.pixelLightCount = 0; UpdateCameraModes( cam, reflectionCamera ); // Render reflection // Reflect camera around reflection plane float d = -Vector3.Dot (normal, pos) - m_ClipPlaneOffset; Vector4 reflectionPlane = new Vector4 (normal.x, normal.y, normal.z, d); Matrix4x4 reflection = Matrix4x4.zero; CalculateReflectionMatrix (ref reflection, reflectionPlane); Vector3 oldpos = cam.transform.position; Vector3 newpos = reflection.MultiplyPoint( oldpos ); reflectionCamera.worldToCameraMatrix = cam.worldToCameraMatrix * reflection; // Setup oblique projection matrix so that near plane is our reflection // plane. This way we clip everything below/above it for free. Vector4 clipPlane = CameraSpacePlane( reflectionCamera, pos, normal, 1.0f ); //Matrix4x4 projection = cam.projectionMatrix; Matrix4x4 projection = cam.CalculateObliqueMatrix(clipPlane); reflectionCamera.projectionMatrix = projection; reflectionCamera.cullingMask = ~(1<<4) & m_ReflectLayers.value; // never render water layer reflectionCamera.targetTexture = m_ReflectionTexture; GL.invertCulling = true; reflectionCamera.transform.position = newpos; Vector3 euler = cam.transform.eulerAngles; reflectionCamera.transform.eulerAngles = new Vector3(0, euler.y, euler.z); reflectionCamera.Render; reflectionCamera.transform.position = oldpos; GL.invertCulling = false; Material[] materials = rend.sharedMaterials; foreach( Material mat in materials ) { if( mat.HasProperty("_ReflectionTex") ) mat.SetTexture( "_ReflectionTex", m_ReflectionTexture ); } 		// Restore pixel light count if( m_DisablePixelLights ) QualitySettings.pixelLightCount = oldPixelLightCount; s_InsideRendering = false; } 	// Cleanup all the objects we possibly have created void OnDisable { 		if( m_ReflectionTexture ) { DestroyImmediate( m_ReflectionTexture ); m_ReflectionTexture = null; } 		foreach( DictionaryEntry kvp in m_ReflectionCameras ) DestroyImmediate( ((Camera)kvp.Value).gameObject ); m_ReflectionCameras.Clear; } 	private void UpdateCameraModes( Camera src, Camera dest ) { 		if( dest == null ) return; // set camera to clear the same way as current camera dest.clearFlags = src.clearFlags; dest.backgroundColor = src.backgroundColor; if( src.clearFlags == CameraClearFlags.Skybox ) { 			Skybox sky = src.GetComponent(typeof(Skybox)) as Skybox; Skybox mysky = dest.GetComponent(typeof(Skybox)) as Skybox; if( !sky || !sky.material ) { 				mysky.enabled = false; } 			else { 				mysky.enabled = true; mysky.material = sky.material; } 		} 		// update other values to match current camera. // even if we are supplying custom camera&projection matrices, // some of values are used elsewhere (e.g. skybox uses far plane) dest.farClipPlane = src.farClipPlane; dest.nearClipPlane = src.nearClipPlane; dest.orthographic = src.orthographic; dest.fieldOfView = src.fieldOfView; dest.aspect = src.aspect; dest.orthographicSize = src.orthographicSize; } 	// On-demand create any objects we need private void CreateMirrorObjects( Camera currentCamera, out Camera reflectionCamera ) { 		reflectionCamera = null; // Reflection render texture if( !m_ReflectionTexture || m_OldReflectionTextureSize != m_TextureSize ) { 			if( m_ReflectionTexture ) DestroyImmediate( m_ReflectionTexture ); m_ReflectionTexture = new RenderTexture( m_TextureSize, m_TextureSize, 16 ); m_ReflectionTexture.name = "__MirrorReflection" + GetInstanceID; m_ReflectionTexture.isPowerOfTwo = true; m_ReflectionTexture.hideFlags = HideFlags.DontSave; m_OldReflectionTextureSize = m_TextureSize; } 		// Camera for reflection reflectionCamera = m_ReflectionCameras[currentCamera] as Camera; if( !reflectionCamera ) // catch both not-in-dictionary and in-dictionary-but-deleted-GO { 			GameObject go = new GameObject( "Mirror Refl Camera id" + GetInstanceID + " for " + currentCamera.GetInstanceID, typeof(Camera), typeof(Skybox) ); reflectionCamera = go.GetComponent; reflectionCamera.enabled = false; reflectionCamera.transform.position = transform.position; reflectionCamera.transform.rotation = transform.rotation; reflectionCamera.gameObject.AddComponent; go.hideFlags = HideFlags.HideAndDontSave; m_ReflectionCameras[currentCamera] = reflectionCamera; }        	} 	// Extended sign: returns -1, 0 or 1 based on sign of a 	private static float sgn(float a) 	{ if (a > 0.0f) return 1.0f; if (a < 0.0f) return -1.0f; return 0.0f; } 	// Given position/normal of the plane, calculates plane in camera space. private Vector4 CameraSpacePlane (Camera cam, Vector3 pos, Vector3 normal, float sideSign) { 		Vector3 offsetPos = pos + normal * m_ClipPlaneOffset; Matrix4x4 m = cam.worldToCameraMatrix; Vector3 cpos = m.MultiplyPoint( offsetPos ); Vector3 cnormal = m.MultiplyVector( normal ).normalized * sideSign; return new Vector4( cnormal.x, cnormal.y, cnormal.z, -Vector3.Dot(cpos,cnormal) ); } 	// Calculates reflection matrix around the given plane private static void CalculateReflectionMatrix (ref Matrix4x4 reflectionMat, Vector4 plane) { 		reflectionMat.m00 = (1F - 2F*plane[0]*plane[0]); reflectionMat.m01 = (  - 2F*plane[0]*plane[1]); reflectionMat.m02 = (  - 2F*plane[0]*plane[2]); reflectionMat.m03 = (  - 2F*plane[3]*plane[0]); reflectionMat.m10 = (  - 2F*plane[1]*plane[0]); reflectionMat.m11 = (1F - 2F*plane[1]*plane[1]); reflectionMat.m12 = (  - 2F*plane[1]*plane[2]); reflectionMat.m13 = (  - 2F*plane[3]*plane[1]); reflectionMat.m20 = (  - 2F*plane[2]*plane[0]); reflectionMat.m21 = (  - 2F*plane[2]*plane[1]); reflectionMat.m22 = (1F - 2F*plane[2]*plane[2]); reflectionMat.m23 = (  - 2F*plane[3]*plane[2]); reflectionMat.m30 = 0F; reflectionMat.m31 = 0F; reflectionMat.m32 = 0F; reflectionMat.m33 = 1F; } }

You can also check the Original Hedgefield's Blog Article (you can download the scripts from there too).

[Original script and shader by user: Hedgefield]