Why don't we have the option to play invisible?

[Deleted]

For me, sometimes I just want to play and quest in peace and not get bothered by anyone on my friends list or in my guild.

Then go play a single player game.

Or alternatively. get another fucking account.

[angrys13]

People really are interested in playing a social multiplayer game as invisible?
So people message you with DND tag up? Just ignore it.
So people message you with AFK tag up? Just ignore it.
Shouldn't matter if they see you change zones.

Let's imagine you are placed on invisible status. I know this is super RNG, but lets have this analogy:

Your friend is a tank/healer, knows you are DPS. Wants to help you with a queue of some sort. Sends you a message, gets DND response, you ignore. Carries on his day. You go into invisible mode, to appear offline. All of a sudden, you're in his group that you both happened to queue for.

Now what kind of awkwardness are you going to have that you didn't have already?

Same scenario, wants do to some rep grind, daily grind, world boss. See's you go offline, carries about their day.
See's you clear as day in the world environment (because this IS an mmo; monsters aren't going to just die by thin air because you want to be invisible).

More awkwardness? Going to just keep ignoring friends?

Let's pretend none of that happens. Let's pretend you are 100% soloing things. Maybe old xmog runs, or sitting in your garrison for whatever reason. Got an achievement? I can understand maybe that aspect being hidden. Got an epic gear? "Why is my friend offline, but the guild list is populating with him getting a ton of loot this very minute? /sadface"

It honestly sounds more to me like people have a more serious underlying issue. I don't think friends asking them to do things is a problem. Ironically, most people on this game, it feels, are begging to acquire new friends. I know I am. I can't seem to find any of my friends online for a very long time now.

Honestly, imo, if you don't want to be bothered by friends, just log in and turn your chat window into the combat log, and go about your day. When you're ready to talk, you will. You don't need to be invisible.

[spikeh]

Battle.net doesn't just involve WoW.

Sometimes I just want to play a bit of WoW without my friends that only play SC2/D3/OW seeing me online.

Perhaps it's because I'm secretly ashamed about the fact. ^^

Blocking TCP outbound 1119 no longer works. I tried blocking the entire IP block of Battle.net servers but it only disconnects the Battle.net client; I'm still signed into Battle.net through the WoW servers.

[angrys13]

Battle.net doesn't just involve WoW.

Sometimes I just want to play a bit of WoW without my friends that only play SC2/D3/OW seeing me online.

Perhaps it's because I'm secretly ashamed about the fact. ^^

Blocking TCP outbound 1119 no longer works. I tried blocking the entire IP block of Battle.net servers but it only disconnects the Battle.net client; I'm still signed into Battle.net through the WoW servers.

I may have used WOW as my example, but the same analogy appears. You may end up going head to head against your friend in HS or SC2. Diablo 3, might join a rifting group or power leveling group with their name.

Like you said, maybe it's because you're ashamed. Maybe someone is depressed and just doesn't want to deal. Like I said, it feels more like an underlying problem that maybe someone just doesn't want to accept or talk about. It's a serious issue, in my OPINION, that someone wants to sit in an online social video game and appear invisible.

[spikeh]

I may have used WOW as my example, but the same analogy appears. You may end up going head to head against your friend in HS or SC2. Diablo 3, might join a rifting group or power leveling group with their name.

Like you said, maybe it's because you're ashamed. Maybe someone is depressed and just doesn't want to deal. Like I said, it feels more like an underlying problem that maybe someone just doesn't want to accept or talk about. It's a serious issue, in my OPINION, that someone wants to sit in an online social video game and appear invisible.

I'm not sure if I've been insulted or something.

You know nothing about me and you're seriously trying to Internet armchair psychology over my preference for an appear offline feature?

Steam has this feature and it's great.

Perhaps you're the one that needs help. :^)

[Kryos]

If I want to play Overwatch, Starcraft2 or Diablo3, I don't want my WoW guild mates to ask me "join the alt raid, we are nearly full" in WoW. If I say "no" they start to nag and bitch how unsocial I am. If they don't know that I'm online, there is no bad blood.

I think at least there should be an option to be invisible to players of a different blizzard game if you choose to do so.

[Gottalot]

You could always just make your bnet message "DND". Works for me.

This!

/David

[Jensxo]

I hate people like the OP

Post constructively

[pkhs]

It honestly sounds more to me like people have a more serious underlying issue.

The underlying issue is that some people care about their privacy even if you don't.

[OreoLover]

Sparing feelings is important to humanity.

"Invisible" mode helps spare feelings.

[Deleted]

Then go play a single player game.

Or alternatively. get another fucking account.

And if you want to play WoW on your normal account? Why is it so difficult to appear offline?

[Deleted]

People really are interested in playing a social multiplayer game as invisible?
So people message you with DND tag up? Just ignore it.
So people message you with AFK tag up? Just ignore it.
Shouldn't matter if they see you change zones.

Let's imagine you are placed on invisible status. I know this is super RNG, but lets have this analogy:

Your friend is a tank/healer, knows you are DPS. Wants to help you with a queue of some sort. Sends you a message, gets DND response, you ignore. Carries on his day. You go into invisible mode, to appear offline. All of a sudden, you're in his group that you both happened to queue for.

Now what kind of awkwardness are you going to have that you didn't have already?

Same scenario, wants do to some rep grind, daily grind, world boss. See's you go offline, carries about their day.
See's you clear as day in the world environment (because this IS an mmo; monsters aren't going to just die by thin air because you want to be invisible).

More awkwardness? Going to just keep ignoring friends?

Why would my friend assume I was avoiding him in particular?

- - - Updated - - -

Be nasty to everyone you meet and soon enough you will be invisible. Or you could try: Not joining a guild but making your own. Not connecting with btags. Not adding friends to friendlist. Not talking when in dungeons LFR. Not talking in LFG. Not playing pvp of any kind.

Seriously though why on earth would you want to be invisible in an MMO where we all desperately look to have more people around us.

This is your entire message. How did I misconstrue your words again? How are you NOT telling people that they shouldn't be social at all if they only want to be social some of the time? And no, we are not ALL desperately looking to have more people around us. I like my friends. I like my friends a lot. A few of my friends are total babblers though who constantly drone on about shit I give zero fucks about. Most of the time I'm cool about it and just let them babble on throwing in a few ah-huhs, and oh wows, but sometimes I'm not up for that. If I tell them so, their feelings will be hurt. They will take it personally and think that this means I don't like them anymore or don't want to talk to them ever again. I've actually been removed from people's btags for being honest about not wanting to chat at that moment. Most people will get their feelings hurt. Look at all the people reacting to us wanting an inviso mode? They're already butthurt about something that hasn't even happened yet and these are DEFINITELY the kind of people that would feel rejected if their friends told them, sorry but I just want to chill out. That is the reality of it.

All social media has an inviso mode. ALL OF IT! From the very beginning; ICQ, aol instant messenger, etc. They ALL had an inviso option despite their express purpose being socialization. So, it's just stupid to tell people that they shouldn't play an MMO if they sometimes don't want to socialize. Not saying you said that, but others in this thread have.

- - - Updated - - -

Sparing feelings is important to humanity.

"Invisible" mode helps spare feelings.

Well, with people getting offended by every fucking thing possible, yeah. "Invisible" mode DOES help spare feelings.

[ComputerNerd]

Be nasty to everyone you meet and soon enough you will be invisible. Or you could try: Not joining a guild but making your own. Not connecting with btags. Not adding friends to friendlist. Not talking when in dungeons LFR. Not talking in LFG. Not playing pvp of any kind.

Seriously though why on earth would you want to be invisible in an MMO where we all desperately look to have more people around us.

Actually the community is doing exactly the opposite, with more requirements placed upon players to prove their readiness.
More segregation, and more isolation.

Plus interaction alone is not social, but how you approach it can be.
Ignoring a player's attempt to show themselves as unavailable is anti-social, and downright rude.

If people would actually pay attention to someone flagging themselves as busy, then such a feature wouldn't be in demand anywhere near as much.

[Tziva]

Blizzard has said they want to add this but there is no ETA because it's very low priority.

I would certainly like such a feature. I don't encounter situations that call for it often, but it's nice on those rare occasions I want to do something without fielding whispers.

I think you can block the port (on your firewall) for bnet - as a workaround for now. maybe blizzard will catch up at some point and give us a better option.

AFAIK, this only works for WoW, not for other games.

If you want privacy, playing a Massive Multiplayer Online game is probably not the way to go

Aside from the fact that most people live in a more complex reality where it's possible to enjoy an MMO and a social experience the majority of the time and yet still want privacy on occasion or in particular circumstances, Battle.net does not only apply to WoW.

[Cooper]

A: "Hey man, want to do some dungeons?"
B: "No thanks, I just feel like fishing right now."
A: "Alright, have fun."
*Continues fishing*

PROBLEM SOLVED.

A: "Hey man want to do some dungeons?"
B: "No thanks, I just feel like fishing right now."
*Two Minutes Later*
A: "WTF man you're in Skyreach. I thought you didn't want to do dungeons?!?!"
B: "OMG BLIZZ GIVE ME INVISIBLE MODE SO I DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN AN HONEST AND MATURE MANNER."

PROBLEM NOT SOLVED.

[khazmodan]

Because Blizzard does not think your privacy is worth diddly squat, as evidenced by the armory web site.

this is a big reason why i wont even buy or play other blizzard games now. Sometimes i just need a bit of alone time and i dont want to be forced into social
interaction.

[Volitar]

Missing the good ole days of that one alt nobody knew about.

[Deleted]

Look, I'm fairly social by nature and have no problem chatting with people. However, sometimes I don't want to be bothered.

dont respond then. "PROBLEM" solved.


ANd HOLLY MOTHER OF A NECRO....

[Kokolums]

Go play torchlight if you want a huge open world with no one around.

[Relapses]

You can do what I do and not respond to anybody when they message you and you don't feel like dealing with their shit. :^)