Patent ID: 8667498

Claim:
A method comprising the steps of: a computer detecting that a first virtual object of a virtual universe enters an area of the virtual universe, wherein the area is a virtual geographic region of the virtual universe; in response to the first virtual object entering the area, the computer calling instructions of the first virtual object, wherein the instructions are referenced by a first setting encoded into the first virtual object, and wherein the first setting enables the first virtual object to perform automatic reduction of display quality from a first display quality level when the first virtual object enters the area, and wherein in response to the computer calling the instructions, the first virtual object automatically reduces the display quality of the first virtual object from the first display quality level to a second display quality level less than the first display quality level; the computer detecting that a second virtual object enters the area; the computer detecting that the second virtual object includes a second setting encoded into the second virtual object that enables the second virtual object to automatically reduce its display quality when the second virtual object enters the area; the computer determining that a fee has been paid from funds of a user account associated with the second virtual object to an account associated with a host for the virtual universe to prevent automatic reduction in the display quality of the second virtual object; and in response to the computer determining that the fee has been paid, the computer preventing a call to instructions that reference the second setting, wherein the second virtual object maintains its display quality as concurrently the first virtual object has an automatic reduction in display quality.