Nimi

English

中文

English

中文

Appearance

Asset And Binding ​

Realm separates Resource, Asset, Bundle, and Binding into distinct typed concepts. Most platforms collapse these into "files." Nimi keeps them separate so a Resource can attach to many surfaces without becoming an Asset, and an Asset can compose into a Bundle without losing its independent ownership identity.

Resource ​

The lowest typed content carrier.

PropertyValue
TypesIMAGE, VIDEO, AUDIO, TEXT
IdentityStable
StorageRealm-managed
DeliveryTyped
StatusTyped lifecycle (upload prep → finalize → delete)
Implies ownership?No

A Resource is just typed bytes with an id and a type. It doesn't imply who owns it; it is not an asset by itself.

OwnableAsset ​

An independently ownable formal object.

PropertyValue
TypesWORK or ITEM
OwnerTracked
AuthorshipTracked
LineageTracked
LifecycleDRAFT → READY → ARCHIVED → DELETED
Binding policyPer-asset
previewResourceIdSeparate from resourceRefs

An OwnableAsset is distinct from a Resource. An asset has ownership, authorship, and lineage in addition to whatever resources it references. The previewResourceId is a separate field for the preview image, kept apart from the asset's content resources.

Bundle ​

A formal composition unit — an ordered group of OwnableAsset references.

PropertyValue
IdentityStable
OwnerTracked
Member orderingPreserved
Cover assetSeparate from member list
LifecycleEnds at ARCHIVED (no DELETED)

A Bundle composes assets but does not absorb them. Each member asset retains its own ownership and authorship.

Note: Bundle lifecycle ends at ARCHIVED — there is no DELETED state. A bundle that is no longer wanted is archived; the underlying assets remain ownable and reusable.

Binding ​

The only durable object-to-host relation. This is the typed edge that says "this object is attached to this host in this way."

PropertyValue
Object typesRESOURCE / ASSET / BUNDLE
Host typesWORLD / AGENT / SCENE / WORLD_EVENT / WORLDVIEW
Binding kindsPRESENTATION / USE / IMPORT
LegalityMatrix-governed; undeclared combinations rejected

A binding has three free axes (object type, host type, kind), but the legality matrix admits only a subset of combinations. An undeclared combination fails closed.

This is what prevents "bind any asset to any host any way" sprawl. A creator who wants to attach a Resource as IMPORT to an Agent will discover whether that's an admitted legal combination.

Attachment ​

A cross-surface display envelope only. Distinct from Binding.

ConceptAuthority
BindingRealm canonical truth
AttachmentCross-surface display envelope, not binding truth

An attachment lets surfaces show "look, this is associated" without implying a canonical binding. A binding is durable canonical truth; an attachment is presentation glue.

Reader Scenario: A Creator Publishes An Outfit ​

A creator wants to publish an outfit asset.

  1. Resources. The creator uploads texture / mesh / metadata as Resources (IMAGE, etc.).
  2. OwnableAsset. The creator creates an OwnableAsset of type WORK (or ITEM depending on use). The asset references the resources; ownership is the creator.
  3. Lifecycle. Asset moves DRAFT → READY once the creator finalizes.
  4. Optional: bundle into a set. The creator composes the outfit into a Bundle with several related assets. The bundle has its own owner and member ordering.
  5. Bind to a world or scene. The creator binds:
    • Asset → Scene as USE (the asset is used in a scene).
    • Asset → Bundle as IMPORT (the asset is part of the bundle).
    • Bundle → World as PRESENTATION (the bundle appears in the world's presentation surface).
  6. Legality matrix. Realm admits each binding only if it's in the admitted legality matrix.

The creator gets explicit legal use rights through the typed matrix.

Reader Scenario: An Illegal Binding Combination ​

A mod tries to bind a Resource directly to an Agent as IMPORT.

  1. Submit binding. Mod sends the binding request.
  2. Realm validates. Checks the legality matrix: RESOURCE × AGENT × IMPORT.
  3. Not admitted. This combination is not in the matrix.
  4. Reject. Fail-closed; typed error returned.
  5. Mod sees reason. "This binding combination is not admitted; check the legality matrix."

The mod cannot accidentally violate a host type. The matrix is declarative and enforced.

Reader Scenario: An Asset Survives Bundle Archival ​

A creator archives a bundle that contained an asset.

  1. Bundle archived. Bundle lifecycle moves to ARCHIVED.
  2. Member assets unaffected. The OwnableAssets that the bundle composed remain READY or ARCHIVED per their own lifecycle.
  3. Reuse possible. The creator can compose the same asset into a different bundle.

This is why Asset and Bundle are distinct concepts. Collapsing them would mean archiving a bundle would orphan its content; keeping them separate preserves reusability.

Why Four Concepts Instead Of One ​

ConceptWhat it answers
ResourceWhat are these typed bytes?
AssetWho owns this thing as an independently-ownable object?
BundleWhat is this composed group of assets?
BindingHow is this object attached to that host?

Collapsing them would lose the answers. A "file" abstraction can not answer "who owns this composed group" or "is this a legal attachment."

Source Basis ​

Nimi AI open world platform documentation.

Copyright 2026-present Nimi Platform