Quote 4
Logging into a chat room was a little like being in two places at once. (3.1)
Or three places at once. Wade is in the real world, in the OASIS, and in a chat room. This quote shows just how much Wade forgets the real world exists at times, which is a wee bit creepy if you ask Shmoop.
Quote 5
A lot of OASIS users […] only used the OASIS for entertainment, business, shopping, and hanging out with their friends. (4.22)
The OASIS has replaced brick-and-mortal locations like malls, movie theaters, and coffee shops. This is a reality where not only can you stay home and shop, you can stay home and socialize. And you thought that in a world full of smart phones, people were glued to their screens now. Just wait until 2045.
Quote 6
The OASIS [was] beautifully rendered in meticulous graphical detail, right down to bugs and blades of grass, wind and weather patterns. (5.27)
This insane level of detail shows how Halliday intended the OASIS to be a replacement for reality. These things have no effect on gameplay, though. Their only purpose is to add to the all-immersive atmosphere. They simply add to the illusion.