Why your PBR furniture might look darker in Second Life

If your new PBR furniture appears darker or less vibrant in-world than in the vendor pictures, that’s completely normal. PBR materials respond to the lighting around them, they don’t emit light on their own.

Without proper lighting or reflection probes, shiny or metallic surfaces can look too dark or flat. Adding reflection probes brings back realistic light, color, and reflections, so your furniture looks as intended.

What reflection probes do

Reflection probes are essential for achieving realistic reflections on PBR textures in Second Life. These invisible boxes or spheres capture an image of their surroundings, like a room, and use it to calculate reflections and subtle light bounces on nearby objects.

With well-placed probes, you’ll see the full potential of PBR: rich materials, lifelike depth, and a more immersive atmosphere. The best part is, you can make them yourself — even in older pre-PBR homes.

How to make a reflection probe in Second Life

1. Create the probe
Right-click on the ground and select Create or Build. Create a prim box, go to the Features tab, and choose Reflection Probe.

2. Make probes selectable
Go to the Build menu → Options → tick Select Reflection Probes.

3. Make them visible and selectable
Under the Build menu → Options, tick Select Reflection Probes.
Then press Ctrl + Alt + T to show transparent objects — otherwise it’s nearly impossible to see or grab the probe.

4. Dynamic vs Static
– Dynamic: updates in real time when the environment changes (e.g., moving lights or objects).
– Static: takes one snapshot and keeps it fixed — ideal for interior design, as it’s faster and more stable.
For homes and stores, we recommend Static probes.

5. Fit the probe to your room
Stretch the box to fit your room like a glove. You’ll instantly notice realistic reflections and subtle light bouncing.

6. Set the right Ambient Intensity
The Ambient Intensity of the reflection probe controls how bright the light inside that space appears:
– Indoors: try values around 8 000–9 000 for a warm, realistic balance.
– Outdoors: you can go higher, up to 13 000, for daylight brightness.
All probes in one room should have the same value to avoid visible seams.

7. Use multiple probes for larger spaces
For long rooms or connected areas, use several slightly overlapping probes to ensure consistent reflections everywhere.

8. Add some lights
PBR makes everything indoors a bit darker, so you may want to add soft point lights or spotlights to enhance the atmosphere.

With a few reflection probes and some thoughtful lighting, your spaces will come alive with realistic reflections, subtle light bounces, and natural contrast.

Have fun decorating your Second Life!