What is Nano Prim in Second Life?
Nano prims in Second Life is the smallest permissible primitives, with each dimension capped at a minimum of 0.01 meters (1 cm); it let builders add extremely fine details—such as tiny decorative elements or precise hinges—without using up paid‑for prim allowances, though employing large numbers of them can still affect rendering performance.
What is Nano Mesh in Second Life?
Nano mesh in Second Life refers to very small mesh objects, often only a few centimeters or less, that serve the same purpose as “nano prims,” allowing creators to add ultra‑fine detail (like tiny screws, beads, or micro‑mechanisms) without consuming extra prims beyond the single mesh count, though excessive numbers can still impact performance.
How To make a mesh smaller than 0.01 meters (1 cm) in Second Life using Blender
The idea is to extend the bounding box of an object by adding invisible faces further than the object itself to trick Second Life size limitation.
To make a mesh smaller than 0.01 meters (1 cm) in Second Life using Blender, you must use the "nano mesh" technique, as Second Life enforces a minimum bounding box size of 0.01 meters in any axis.
Nano Mesh Trick (Key Solution)
- Add extra geometry to your mesh that extends the bounding box beyond 0.01 meters in all axes (X, Y, Z), even if it's invisible in-world.
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In Blender:
- Select your small mesh (e.g., a ring or tiny ornament).
- Add a plane or triangle that extends beyond the original mesh in all directions.
- Scale it to zero in Edit Mode (select the extra geometry, press S, then 0) so it doesn’t appear in-world.
- Join the extra geometry to your main mesh (Ctrl + J) so it's part of the same object.
- Assign a transparent material to the extra geometry (or use a separate material and set it to 100% transparent in SL).
- This fools Second Life into thinking the mesh is larger, allowing you to shrink it below 0.01m in-world.
IMPORTANT: The extra geometry must be part of the same mesh object as your main model. If it's separate, the minimum size rule applies to each object individually.
Additional Tips
- Set Blender units to meters (not inches or centimeters) to avoid scale mismatches.
- Apply scale (Ctrl + A > Scale) before exporting.
- Ensure the "Up Axis" is Z-up to prevent rotation issues.
- Use LOD (Level of Detail) models with minimal tris for low LI (Linden Index), especially for tiny items.
INFO: This technique is widely used for small jewelry, attachments, and decor. See the YouTube tutorial on nano mesh tricks for a visual guide.