Patent ID: 8539364

Claim:
A method for enhancing a preexisting virtual universe in a first computerized system comprising: creating an external virtual universe in a second computerized system, wherein the external virtual universe is configured to be attachable to the preexisting virtual universe in the first computerized system; assigning boundary coordinates of the external virtual universe to coordinates within the preexisting virtual universe; receiving a user request to enter modification mode, and in response, presenting a modification mode to the user, the modification mode comprising a user interface to include at least one user-specified texture for an object; receiving at least one modification from the user, and storing the modification to a database local to the second computerized system, wherein the least one modification comprises a user-specified texture; parsing the least one modification for business logic to apply rules of the preexisting virtual universe; attaching the second computerized system to the preexisting virtual universe, and in response, synchronizing the external virtual universe to the preexisting virtual universe; and rendering the user-specified texture for an object only to at least one machine on a local area network to which the second computerized system is attached, wherein the second computerized system can be the at least one machine, and wherein the first computerized system is not on the local area network.