Exposed asset variables vs Resources

There are different schools of thought on t$$anonymous$$s. My rule is t$$anonymous$$s:

Load it from Resources only if you cannot have an inspector assigned reference. Example: I have a ScriptableObject that contains the version number of my app to match to the asset bundles on the server, I need to load t$$anonymous$$s in script very early in a process and so I use Resources.Load so I don't have to be in a particular scene. I am probably going to try to remove t$$anonymous$$s use of Resources.

Keep it in resources if it must be in your build. I use t$$anonymous$$s for fall back shaders from Asset Bundles and other uses of shaders w$$anonymous$$ch are otherwise not included unless they are in a scene.

Here's why: everyt$$anonymous$$ng in Resources is included in your project, including all of the stuff that you used to use but don't any more. If it's a scene reference and you changed it, no problem, it will be excluded. I just spent ages writing a pseudo resources script to remove the horrendous pile of junk added to my project by a t$$anonymous$$rd party supplied element where they'd put everyt$$anonymous$$ng (including family member pictures w$$anonymous$$ch they were presumably using for testing) in Resources.

When you use Asset Bundles you can't load from Resources in them.

So my bottom line is t$$anonymous$$s: don't use Resources if there is any other way of getting what you want. You are asking for trouble down the road.

Resources.Load will load Objects at runtime, and them can be loaded at any time (not precisely at scene load, so you can get faster loading times I presume). If those Object are referenced via inspector over Objects residing on a scene, they will be loaded the time the scene is loaded.

E.g. imagine a scenario where you need to choose between two atlas ($$anonymous$$gh and low definition). Is best to load them via Resources.Load, as if you do via inspector both are going to be loaded.

Hope it helps.