Primitive
A Primitive or prim is a single part object. Multi-part objects will have multiple primitive parts ("prims").
In Second Life, virtual physical objects such as cars, houses, jewelry, and even less obvious things like hair are made out of one or more primitive parts called prims. Objects made from prims are usually created in-world using the built in object editing tool. This tool is used for all sorts of 3D modeling in Second Life, playing the same role as 3D Max, Maya, or Blender, but customized for the Second Life way of doing things.
Prims can be modified in various ways, such as size, twists, shearing, and cutting. Also, images (textures can be applied to each surface of a prim to change it's appearance.
There are eight primitive types:
- box: all kinds of rectangular shapes
- cylinder: round tables, floors, long pipes
- prism: a box with one very small face
- sphere: can be used for ellipsoids of all shapes
- torus: most complex, can be modified in many exotic ways
- tube: another form of hollow cylinder
- ring: another variant of torus
- sculpted: new as of 2007, used for highly variable organic shapes
Box, cylinder, prism and sphere can be made flexible. Flexible prims can not be physical and are automatically phantom.
There are seven primitive material types:
- stone
- metal
- glass
- wood
- flesh
- plastic
- rubber
The color, texture, bumpiness, shininess, and transparency of prims can also be adjusted.