NPIRL - Not Possible In Real Life

If you're unsure how immersive or helpful or harmful for immersion something is, ask yourself this question:

If you want to do something in-world, if you have to do something in-world, if you want others to do something in-world, could something like this be done in real life? If not, what would be done in real-life in the same or a similar situation? Could you do the same thing in-world as well or something reasonably close?

For example: You want to completely change your outfit while at a party. Maybe even multiple times over. Would that be possible in real life? No, it wouldn't for three reasons.

One, nobody can change all their clothes at once in one go.

Two, you probably wouldn't change clothes in public in front of strangers.

Three, you probably wouldn't have that many clothes with you anyway.

So no, that's Not Possible In Real Life.

If you plan to change your clothes, at least do so someplace where people can't see you. Pretend it takes you some time to change your clothes, or actually change them piece by piece, especially if you can't hide. Also, carry a bag or something similar where the clothes you want to wear can be inside.

And if you don't have such a bag with you, you don't have clothes with you to change into either. Easy as that. Inconvenient maybe, but that inconvenience can be part of the immersion.

Or how do you get visitors on your sim to a specific place? Sure, you could install a teleporter. Or you could be lazy and give them landmarks.

But could someone teleport in real life? No, of course not.

I mean, you may add teleporters as options for those who care more for convenience than for immersion. But, by all means, don't force people to teleport if there could also be another way of getting where you want them to get. Something as simple as a path that they can walk. Stairs if it becomes too steep. A scripted bus or railcar or ferryboat or whatever that they can ride.

Especially if you have a party location, and you insist in teleporting your partygoers right next to the dancefloor in everyone's plain sight. Some of us don't necessarily want to be seen while teleporting in or out.

It's that simple: If it's Not Possible In Real Life (NPIRL), and if you can't explain it in a way that's believable in an in-world context, it breaks immersion.

(By the way, if your answer to this is, "Who cares, it's just a fucking game/3-D chat," then you're seriously wrong in this group.)