Tuning Voxel Size in 3D Skin Layers for Body, Head, Torso, Hand, and LOD Distance

guide

3D Skin Layers turns flat skin overlays into real geometry, and the settings that matter most for how that geometry looks are the voxel sizes and the level-of-detail distance. This guide explains what each sizing option controls and how to reach and adjust them.

Opening the Settings

The mod's options live in a single screen titled 3D Skin Layer Settings. Open it through the mod's own interface entry point, then work through the sections below. Every value described here is changed from that screen.

What the Mod Renders

Before tuning sizes, it helps to know which parts are being built as models. The mod can render the player's hat layer, jacket layer, left sleeve layer, right sleeve layer, left pants layer, and right pants layer, each as a 3D model rather than a flat texture. It can also render player heads — both the block form and the item form — as 3D models. Each of these can be toggled on or off individually.

Voxel Size Settings

Voxel size decides how chunky or how fine the 3D layer looks. Smaller values give smoother, denser geometry; larger values give a coarser, more obviously block-built look.

Players — sets the voxel size used for players overall.
Head — sets the voxel size used specifically for the player's head.
Body height — sets the vertical size of the voxels for the player's body. This exists to stop the body geometry from cutting into the head or poking out past the arms.
Torso width — sets the horizontal size of the voxels for the player's torso. This exists to stop the torso geometry from cutting into the arms.
Heads (block/item) — sets the voxel size used for player heads, covering both the block and the item form.
First Person Voxel Size — sets the voxel size used for the player's hand when viewed in first person.

Adjust these one at a time and watch the result, since the body height and torso width values interact with the arm and head geometry around them.

Level Of Detail Distance

Level Of Detail Distance controls how far away a player can be before their model stops using the 3D layers and falls back to the plain flat version. Beyond that distance, the model switches to the lower level of detail. Raise it if you want the 3D look to persist further out; lower it if you would rather save performance at range.

Performance and Compatibility Options

Fast render — builds the 3D models as quickly as possible. This can introduce graphical glitches, particularly where transparency is involved.
Compatibility Mode — an alternative rendering path for the layers that may resolve conflicts with other mods.
Iris Compatibility Mode — another alternative rendering path, this one aimed at fixing odd shadows and colours when Iris shaders are active. Enable it only when you actually need it, because it breaks the corner connections. Leave it off otherwise.
Sodium workaround — a fix for Sodium builds that flip cube sides in certain versions. Turn it on only if you run Sodium and see skin layer sides going missing.

Practical Order of Operations

Start with the general Players voxel size to set the overall feel, then refine the Head, Body height, and Torso width values so the parts meet cleanly without overlap. Set Heads (block/item) if you use 3D head models, and First Person Voxel Size to taste for your own hand. Finally, set Level Of Detail Distance to balance visual consistency against performance, and only reach for the compatibility toggles if you hit a specific problem.