Utherverse Structure

**Utherverse Layers** describe how Utherverse is built up.

The main structure consists of **Server Cluster** > **Server** > **Domain** > **World** > **Groups** > **Instances** > **Dimensions**

This scheme can be represented as a pyramid consists with a few additional layers above the domain layer and some in between.

For simplicity, layers which cannot be normally accessed by users are listed at the end of this article.

## Domain

This is the main domain users refer to as Utherverse. This can be found in the URL part of any location.

## Worlds

Worlds are also known as vww or sometimes domains. These worlds can host user-created properties under them such as Zabys. Once a user has purchased a world they get more options in the Property Catalog to obtain new properties for their world. You can make domain broadcasts to be sent in these worlds which are displayed in all properties associated with that world. It is also possible to use these worlds as brands. Worlds can always be spotted in the URL: vww://utherverse.vww/**@world/**@instance

## Groups

Groups are a special layer that cannot normally be accessed or edited by users. They are mostly exclusively used by staff  to sub-divide worlds. They are mostly used to manage all the Utherverse public properties. However, in certain events or conventions, hosted by staff or users, it is possible to appeal to staff to setup a group for such an event or convention to help facilitate managing certain aspects of these events or conventions.

## Instances

Instances consist of a combination of a region and a template. The template dictates which region it belongs to. It is possible to apply a layout to a template in order to alter the look of a template. It is currently not possible to edit regions or templates directly.

### Regions

Regions are basically the map file as imported from the editor into Utherverse. These files are not really accessible by users, and this is also the reason some templates have a different TID but still the same RID (Region ID), and are representing the same map. This is done so that the base template can have a vastly different look, by adding props to the template map, making each one unique.

These regions maps are also referred to as BSP, which is basically the existing map data within the map file, anything in a region is considered BSP even invisible pixels.

### Templates

Templates are region maps ready populated with props that cannot be edited by users. These are the main things you can buy/rent from Utherverse to build your layouts on.

### Layouts

Layouts are user-made properties where uses have placed props upon a template. They are basically a save of the state of a template.

## Dimensions

Dimensions are a combination of two factors, language and orientation. Any combination of these two creates a dimension.

## Other layers

While the above describes the most common layers, there are few layers not mentioned before. These layers are technical building blocks that most users will never have to deal with. They are briefly discussed here:

### VWW:// protocol

This is similar to the http:// or https:// protocols to recognize what these URLs have to do.

### Server Cluster(s)

This is the collection of servers that make up the entire Utherverse, they are the game servers that keep Utherverse running. Currently there are three servers in the Utherverse cluster, server 6, 7 and 8.

### Servers

These are the individual servers within the cluster.

### TLD .vww

This is the top level domain of the Utherverse virtual worlds, it operates similar to .org or .com to recognize what type of website your visiting. In this case the virtual world world vww.

### Brands

Brands are custom installers that can be used by users or staff to create a new branding look for their world.

### Whitelabels

These are domains that operate a certain region in the world, and are separate from Utherverse. For example, franchises are an example of whitelables.