Daffa: That's already more than we have, and that would be a great start. (People can still easily bypass it by joining the world's instance directly, so the Offline status would still be the ideal solution.)

Spambob Jimmy:

You're right. I'd just be happy with any level of Privacy Mode, whether that's something basic like "Invite-Only; regardless of if I'm in a Public/Friends-Only" or a straight up Offline Mode.

It's being requested for so long, and it's a social platform must-have.

Daffa: Right?! There must be some deeper crazy reason why they don't want to add it or make it a publicly available feature.

Demirramon: https://vrchat.canny.io/feature-requests/p/add-layer-options-to-onparticlecollision

Marked as in progress in a matter of three weeks of its introduction with only a couple dozen votes up. No offense meant to the poster and their idea in the link of course, just an example of how a blind eye has been turned to the offline status feature for years.

Spambob Jimmy: This is honestly depressing. This is such an easy to implement feature that would improve the experience so much for so many people, yet they focus in these things. Not saying it's not good that they fixed that, but come on.

Nekotaku: How is this a bad feature? I think an offline status is necessary for every social platform, sometimes you need some privacy sometimes.

Demirramon: Then go in to a private instance... Why would you hide? What are you hiding from? It makes no sense and ruins the idea of VRC. It’s useless and bad.

Nekotaku: Opponents to this idea throughout this thread don't ever seem to offer any reasons why they oppose it other than "it's bad". You know what's bad? Being forced to burn bridges with genuinely nice people by having to awkwardly explain why I sometimes just want to relax and world hop in peace without being followed all the time. I wouldn't ever have to give "the talk" in the first place and risk losing friends permanently if VRChat had this vital social feature that every other social platform already has. If it were implemented, you wouldn't notice the difference.

Spambob Jimmy: You just literally give the best reason to why this should be a feature. At the very least they could implement this: https://vrchat.canny.io/feature-requests/p/do-not-disturb-status-to-prevent-people-from-joining-on-you-directly-even-if-you

Its so annoying.

Spambob Jimmy: That’s very disturbing that you want to do that. It’s not a problem, if you want to go behind people’s backs then bridges should be burned. And if you world hop... then make them private! You CAN be alone. You can avoid fake friends as well. I’d be awkward to be found out creeping about. It’s a bad idea because it’s not a problem nor should you have tools to behave this way.

Nekotaku: What's very disturbing? That I want a little down time to play the game the way I want to without being followed? That I don't want to be forced to choose between creating empty private echo chambers or being followed? The only disturbing thing is you needing to know where all of your friends are and what they're doing at all times, even if they don't want you to.

It's obvious to anyone who reads your messages that you speak from a lack of experience and empathy, so do yourself a favor and step off this thread, please.

Spambob Jimmy: It's not a game btw. And you can do that already... So no. Forced between empty or being followed. I have no idea what you mean, that's not even the case. That's not what I said and they can still do that...

Empathy has nothing to do with it. You haven't given a good argument yet and I'm not the only one who thinks this goes against what VRC should be and is. You lack something if you can't tell people you want to be alone or just make a private world... =/

Maybe I'm missing something and you're not good at explaining it but there is no need for this and it would be a bad thing. I'm glad there isn't such a thing in VRC. I'm only here to reply to you. Unlike you I don't tell you to leave...

Just ask for an option where nobody can join you instead if that's what you want.

Nekotaku: "It's not a game btw." https://store.steampowered.com/app/438100/VRChat/

-listed under "Massively Multiplayer Games" category :thonk:

I'm not telling you to leave because I don't like you, I'm saying you're speaking from only your personal feelings and not taking others' experiences into account, nor have you ever explained WHY this would ruin VRC as you know it, only using words like useless, bad, horrible, the worst, etc. Judging by the amount of likes I got versus yours, I think my explanation was good enough for most people to understand, and there are 433+ others confirmed who agree that an offline status feature would be beneficial. So yes, in your words, you ARE missing something here, and I don't think any further explaining I do could help you understand - the reasons why hundreds want this feature are laid out above and below. Expect no further replies.

Nekotaku: I'm not really sure if the issue is that we can't understand the reasons behind your opinion (because I've tried but I absolutely fail to find a reasonable one) or if you don't understand the issue at all. Why do you need/want everyone to see where you are at all times or why would you need to know where EVERYONE is a tall times? In which way will this feature ruin VRChat? It will change nothing for you, public instances won't change at all after the implementation of such option. If you wouldn't like your friends to use this feature, then as you seem like burning bridges is no problem for you, unfriend them. Problem solved.

Spambob Jimmy: (This is off topic but the listing of VRC doesn't mean you should stop thinking. VRC isn't a game, Facebook isn't a game, talking to friends isn't a game, I don't play when I'm being social. It can be if you make it one and it has games within it, but calling VRC is a disservice, it's more than a game)

I didn't say it would ruin VRC. I have explained. You haven't explained and you too "speak from personal feelings". All those people are just as weird as you then for wanting to do something weird as this...

Whatever I'm missing you refuse to tell for some reason, and we both know that's not the case. So stop sitting on some high horse.

"Expect no further replies." Good.

Demirramon: Change nothing? It would change a lot of stuff for everyone. And for the worse. Why do YOU have to HIDE from FRIENDS? It makes NO sense. You CAN already AVOID friend by either being in PRIVATE or literally not be their friend/tell them you want to. Problem solved.

I wouldn't unfriend someone for using a bad feature... I'd unfriend them if I don't want to meet them... It's really creepy and awkward to want to avoid only certain people you call friends in this sneaky way when they aren't even aware of it. It's fake and mean. I have no idea why so many people want this weird ability. Makes me uncomfortable to know this kind of thing is on people's mind.

Nekotaku: If that's not creepy, I don't know what it is. It takes nothing to respect others' privacy. You assume everyone in this game is extroverted enough to do that (which, if you haven't noticed, that's not the case) and that no one will take it the wrong way (which I'm sure a lot of people would). There's like three people complaining (not really making any sense, I must say) and hundreds of people voting for it. Your opinion of what the game needs doesn't fit the reality, countless people would benefit from this and there would be no negative consequences. I just can't believe someone would argue against that. We don't want to HIDE from our FRIENDS. Maybe we just want to meet new people without a crowd following us. Maybe we want to hop between a few worlds to see what's up without having to carry someone around. Maybe we just don't feel like having people following us a certain day. How is this so hard to understand? We're not asking for a complete removal of user info, we ask for a completelly optional, temporary way to hide them. You don't need it? Perfect, but don't go against who actually need it just because you don't.

Nekotaku:

Alright here is an easier explanation as to why you should have a way of hiding your online status. Most of the facts even come from your own suggestions.

Note: this doesnt apply to fresh accounts as they have to few people on their list. The longer an Account exists the less you are able to meet everybodys need to communicate, which leads to most people either making new Accounts or go into private rooms.

First thing you have to keep in mind is, the more private rooms there are, the less player communication will happen. Causing actual harm to the game/chat, since people will just stick to themself failing the actual social part of the game.

There is a reason why more famous people don't stick around too much in this game, they literally get stalked by people they have added.

you can burn as many bridges as you like, but do not think for a second that, any and everybody is able to do the same.

There is people who are not as mentally strong and get really depressed from these kind of things.

Demirramon: What the hell are you talking about? I said nothing creepy, you're the one who's creepy. No I didn't assume everyone is extroverted. People take things the wrong way all the time, it's irrelevant and not your responsibility. Yeah that's messed up that so many want this. VRC isn't a game. I can't believe someone would argue for it. There would be negative consequences. If you're so damn famous and popular then you shouldn't have made yourself that then. And if it's out of your control then I can understand you a little. But it's still a sleezy thing to do to "friends".

Also, the fact that hundreds of people are for this and only a few against has to do with the fact that people who want it seem this out. People who don't don't go looking for things they don't want. So it's a logical fallacy to believe that that number holds weight. If it was a poll on an open forum then it would mean something. There also isn't a way to down vote. (which there shouldn't be)

Rare.Case: 1. Stalk you? Nobody is hindering you, you control yourself and don't be with those people then. I have no idea how this is a problem for you.

You would end up with half the population of VRC appearing "offline" most of the time, what a sad world that would be... =/

Nekotaku:

I will stop this, since you seem to think that you are being attacked in some way. At no point was it one of my problems, which you think, by reading it in with some emotional value.

I've giving you plenty of reasons while you have given me none of why it shouldn't be a feature.

We can agree on one thing. Over half the population of VRC is already appearing as offline since they went of on either a new account or game.

Take care and have a fun day.

Rare.Case: Rest assured I do not think I’ve been attacked. I don’t understand the next sentence.

And I see the opposite, you’ve given me no reason why it should be and I have given you reason why it shouldn’t be. Only thing I can see is this being too popular thing but I think one should solve that problem in another way.

Leaving VRC (which isn’t a game) isn’t the same as appearing offline or making a new account. And those who has made a new account (which I can’t understand why and wasn’t aware of was a thing in high numbers) can’t be as high as it would be if people did this. And I think doing that is bad as well if it’s for the reason of hiding from friends.

You too and good luck with your friends.

Nekotaku:

Had one more idea in mind which could solve it both ways.

Getting rid of the Join button and information in what room the person is from the Social panel regardless of public and privat, and replace it with the Request invite button. that way it will meet everybodys needs since you get a clear "no" or "yes".

Well now I'm out for good.

Rare.Case: I suggested somewhere in here that you could have a feature to prevent anyone from joining you even in non-private worlds. But more than that I’m very reluctant to agree on.

Nekotaku: VRChat is a video game. I don't really understand what you think VRChat is if not a game. You seem to akin it to being like Facebook, which is completely off the mark. A social game is still a game. A virtual reality social game is still a game.

I think the issue is that you are extremely detached from what everyone else does in this game and that your experience of playing the game as if it was Facebook is not how other people play, thus you can not fathom why someone wouldn't want people to know where you are at all times and just want privacy sometimes.

Your solution of using a private world is not a solution at all. Why should people have to be forced to go into empty worlds by themselves? How would that solve anything? What if someone just wants to hop around public worlds without being joined on by friends that then take over the entire instance? Because another friend joins, and then a friend of that friend joins, and then etc. etc. - Plus if your entire point is that a stealth/offline mode would hurt friendships, how is constantly being in a private world and not accepting any invites somehow better? If anything your suggestion for private worlds is much worse than an offline stealth mode.

Not everyone just adds only their closest 3 best friends to their friends list. A lot of people have tons and tons of people on their friends list, with varying degrees of how well you know/talk to those people. It is not "creepy" or "awkward" to have privacy and not let people know where you are at all times. I don't even understand why someone would be labeled as creepy just because they don't want to let their friends know what they're doing and where they are and who they're hanging out with 24/7. That is literally the opposite of creepy.

If you don't care at all about privacy and want your friends to know what you're doing at all times all the time and where you are all of the time, that's on you bud.

If you want Facebook, go browse Facebook. The rest of us are going to play a game.

Rare.Case: That's a great idea and honestly one I'd love to see implemented alongside the offline status. That's also kind of my default M.O. for VRChat; generally I set to blue when I want everyone and their grandma to pile in, and green for when I'm out and about with friends and would prefer if people send me a request first before joining. Personally I've always envisioned the statuses like:

Blue: Come on in! The more the merrier! :)

Green: Hi! Knock first please and I'll let you in if I can, otherwise I'll definitely see you again at a better time.

Red: Sorry, busy/tired right now, we'll catch up later.

Offline: (Needs/wants some personal space to relax for a bit or to talk to some randoms)

Kizzy: Nope. I don't know why it's hard for you to understand something so simple. I did not say it is like Facebook, I used Facebook as an example because you seem to think that just because something is digital it makes it a video game. And I know for sure you wouldn't call Facebook a video game.

All these points are very obvious and simple to comprehend. If you can't then I can't help you. I hope this has made you realize that VRChat is not a video game, but if you see it as just as that. Go ahead, but your experience sure is a shallow one in that case. (Nothing wrong with that but I'm sure you're not that kind of person, thus you ought to realize this). Because VRC is so new and different, I understand that it's unclear of what to call it. We could come up with different things, like a virtual social platform or application. But I don't understand why you can't let go of a label that diminishes VRC to a "video game". It never even crossed my mind that it would be a video game... It's like calling a rock a toy by default.

Since this is way off-topic I suggest you find me on Twitter instead or something.

I'm not gonna respond to the rest cause I've already been over it and you're projecting things I haven't said. Apologies for this long off-topic post.

Nekotaku: Do you have friends IRL? Would you like it if they could teleport to you at any given moment as soon as you are not in your house? Probably not. Imagine this happening IRL.

You: Oh hey yeah I'm just walking through the park. Didn't text anyone about it because I was just taking a walk.

Friend: Dude you're in public you can't expect me to just not show up and see what you're doing.

You: Well, I wanted to just walk around in public on my own right now with some headphones on.

It's totally awkward and weird. Just because you are friends with someone does not mean you want them to go everywhere you do in public space. Imagine every time you were talking to someone new and suddenly 5 friends pop up wherever you are and it becomes awkward for the new person because suddenly your buddies are all around being friendly with you.

The reason you go invisible is so you can enjoy public space in peace and meet new people, WITHOUT your friends making things awkward or weird for the new person you've just met. You go invisible so you can be in public but be 'anonymous' to a degree. You go invisible so you can have experiences with new people.

You might be surprised to know people don't go to public worlds to be with 40 friends. They can do that in a friends world. People go to public worlds to see what the public is like, not be in a makeshift ripoff version of friends+ worlds.

It has nothing to do with not liking your friends. It's about privacy and personal space. Every time I go public someone joins me and suddenly everything changes in my interactions between me and others I was just with. if I am being mute in public but my friend joins and says "bro why aren't you talking?" it suddenly makes things more awkward. And if one friends joins guess what another one does and so on. By the time it's all said and done I have 8 friends in a room, 9 other people are of friends of friends, and everyone I WAS talking to has left.

There's a hundred reasons and more why the ability to go invisible is a great idea.

Kush Meyer: 1. Hardly, don’t really meet anyone. Don’t know how that is relevant.

I disagree that it’s a good idea and I’d be sad if a friend wanted to hide from me... I’d rather know so I can stop bothering them.

HostileLogOut: Going to offer any reasons or justifications why you feel that way? Some people just don't respect the Busy status, which is the reason why an offline status is necessary in the first place. There is virtually no difference between the two statuses from the perspective of the joiner (you shouldn't join on either one), and it would allow streamers and those with large friends lists to get some peace and quiet when they need it. Every other chat or social platform, including Steam and Discord, has already implemented this crucial feature.

Spambob Jimmy: yea i just feel like having a stealth mode sorta beats the point of a social platform. instead of hiding from people it's better to have a way to refuse any invites/request at the given time. and or have a message saying this person is busy. and not available at the given time. and honestly the fact that steam/discord has it doesn't mean every platform should.

HostileLogOut: We already have the feature you suggested though. You can set a Busy status which ignores (essentially refuses) all requests, and you can set a status with an explanation message. The problem comes when people ignore these statuses, either by accident or because they just want to swing by and say hi for a few minutes.

You say that not every platform should have an offline option in the first place. Why do you think so? Can you explain why VRChat is a significantly different online social experience than a text-based platform and why it demands a unique exception? The medium of VR is different, but the same boundaries, norms, and courtesies apply to VRChat as they do to every other online social chatroom. It's human nature, and smart social platforms know how to appeal to introverts and extroverts alike.

This may be difficult for you to understand (being sincere here, not condescending), but you must at least agree that different people have different needs, and it's a matter of helping everyone feel comfortable and enjoy themselves in VRChat. Additionally, just because an offline status is an available option doesn't mean everyone will make use of it; Busy statuses are relatively uncommon.