Invisible mode or alternative friends list/white list
Hello!

I would like to touch the subject of the topic ongoing in steam users mind for almost a decade if not longer, the invisibility mode.

Being invisible is almost essential if you have a lot of contacts in your list and want to play.... and you can't, because a lot of "friends" are storming you with messages so frequently, you can't focus on gameplay. The "sign off" option maybe works if you're a solitude worshipper, but what if you want to play multiplayer games with selected group of your friends? You can't, cause you are offline and becoming online for a second just to send an invitation is more like a stopgap than actual solution. Second problem lies within the messaging system, you may want to remain offline and chat with your (selected) friends in silence, but you still can't do it conveniently. as a person being signed off from a FL, you can go to a friends profile, click "send message" and whatever you write will instantly pop up at your friend's side, but if a friend will respond to an offline person, the message will not appear in chat window (despite it is opened and in front of a face), but in unread messages section, where you have to close your chat window or else it will not update it.

This is how i'm imagining invisible mode to work:

Invisible person can see other people same as in other online modes, he can send invitations, chat and watch broadcasts, everything same as being online, but being displayed as offline for your friends, your friends on the other side see you as offline and treat you as offline, which is, invite options are just greyed out as usual. It means no way to to join invisible person's game or watch a broadcast till the invisible side will send one. I would at least appreciate being able to message in realtime with pop up and notification sound at signed off person's side (not looking into unread messages).

Second mode - alternative friends list or whitelist

I think this one would be even more interesting and easier to incorporate than just being invisible and it's just as simple as having an whitelist for people you want to be visible as online, away or busy, then just having a switch to select if you want to be online using whitelist or not. It would solve a lot issues of several distractions caused by torrential rain of messages.
I alone don't have such problem, but i experienced the issue while playing with a friends with "popular" profiles, they tend to get lost in what they're doing, also being unable at times to play at all.

I'm looking forward to hear steam platform developers thoughts about mentioned issue and sink into deliberations about problems that can occur during implementating features.







最近の変更はRafauが行いました; 2018年3月25日 9時44分
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1-15 / 19 のコメントを表示
No Valve employee is going to reply here.

Been suggested many times before.

Please use the search function.

:qr:
最近の変更はcSg|mc-Hotsauceが行いました; 2018年3月25日 9時46分
Not gonna happen. They will not put in a stalking mode. MAybe just mention to your friends that if your status isn't set to 'looking to play' that they shouldn't bug you. Anyone who cannot respect this should simply be removed from your friend's list.

As for a whitelist. I've suggested such things in the past, that there should be some tier between unknown and friend. which would function like a public shortlist. But again that relies on people using it as intended.
最近の変更はStart_Runningが行いました; 2018年3月25日 10時43分
Rafau 2018年3月25日 11時07分 
I'm not really sure why are you lumping invisibility into same bag as stalking. Not sure if you noticed, but being signed off from friendlist, you still can "stalk" your friends by simply going to your profile and displaying friends list, everything served on tray. This function exists for ages in many types of comunication platforms, even Origin have invisible mode, why is it a stalking tool so suddenly on steam, how one could harm another one that way?

Can you elaborate on the subject how a whitelist could be used the wrong way? Turning on whitelist could imply disappearance from a FL people that are not marked, so you would only see whitelisted people on your FL. Having an option to create temporal groups akin to multichats, where you can invite people you want to be in touch or being able to join games while signed off, would be also an interesting option (invite, sign off, job's done).

the problem with "anyone who cannot respect... should be removed from the list" lies in diversity of human's perceivement, for some people, you would be the one removed if you'd suggest such thing. People have even close friends on their lists and if you have for example over 200 contacts, it will take some time to explain each other that you want a moment of silence. Of course, signing out is a solution, unless you're playing with someone or want to keep in touch with someone at the moment during gameplay, that's where steam platform acts like a stopgap.


Matt 2018年3月25日 11時37分 
29tails_fox の投稿を引用:
I would like to touch the subject of the topic ongoing in steam users mind for almost a decade if not longer, the invisibility mode.
Invisible/appear as offline status has been suggested for 10 years too if not longer. It seems this isn't something they're interested in adding. You already can go offline. Once people catch on to invisible mode, then they will just start pinging people who are "offline" to see if they're really offline or in invisible mode, so the whole thing just sounds mostly pointless.
Rafau 2018年3月25日 12時05分 
For some unwarranted reason, it sounds only pointless for certain steam users, but it doesn't sound pointless anywhere else where it is incorporated?

Your conlcusion is pointless too, you can ping "signed off" user, a notification of unread message will appear in top right corner despite him being signed off (tested), that's how i got response few times from my friend after i messaged him. The only discrepancy is that a message will not pop-up in notification box and sound won't be played.

Anyway, that's why i suggested some sort of white list or friends room as alternative.

最近の変更はRafauが行いました; 2018年3月25日 12時06分
29tails_fox の投稿を引用:
I'm not really sure why are you lumping invisibility into same bag as stalking. Not sure if you noticed, but being signed off from friendlist, you still can "stalk" your friends by simply going to your profile and displaying friends list, everything served on tray.
You want to be able to observe others, without yourself being observed. You want to see when they're online and what they're playing, while they in turn cannot see whether or not you're online or offline. There must be symmetry.


So how about this. You can appear offline to your friends list but in return, they will appear as offline to you.

This function exists for ages in many types of comunication platforms, even Origin have invisible mode, why is it a stalking tool so suddenly on steam, how one could harm another one that way?

the problem with "anyone who cannot respect... should be removed from the list" lies in diversity of human's perceivement, for some people, you would be the one removed if you'd suggest such thing.
There is no problem. Anyone i call friend has to have even a basic level of respect for me and my wishes just as i afford them. If I say something like If I'me Not 'looking to PLay' It means I'm not really looking for group play, then any person with a basic level of respect and consideration would understand. It's not unlike telling peeps not to call you at 2am unless it is an emergency of life or death. It's not unreasonable. ANyone who cannot afford you such a basic level of consideration is not worth keeping as a friend.

People have even close friends on their lists
And such close friends would naturally understand and afford you enough respect and courtesy to follow your wishes.

Look if you had a friend who always farts iin your face while you're eating and you one day ask them to kindly not fart in your face and they still go right on doing it, would you consider this person a friend or would you basically just stop hanging around them (especially when eating)?


and if you have for example over 200 contacts, it will take some time to explain each other that you want a moment of silence.
Or you leave a note on your profile.

29tails_fox の投稿を引用:
Wow, i didn't know there are such a zealots here seeing invisibility as an evil within.

So how about this. You can appear offline to your friends list but in return, they will appear as offline to you.

As long as i can chose to which one i want appear online (and he can see me online too) i don't see a problem with that.
You don't until your other friends find out that you're stealthing them. How do you think that will go over. More over do you think even the ones who you allow to see you will be okay with that?. This is sort of why it needs to be an all or nothing. partial just ensures the same social ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ you're trying to avoid by asking them not to bother you.

You're not serious with such a flat way of thinking, friends situation is more complex than you think and there are some who would like to talk and play at the same time to not make them felt ignored,
And thedoor has to swing both ways. Otherwise what you are to them is not so much a friend but a tool. Friendship is not complicated. It's simply about having some common courtesy and respect for the other person. Which is why no friend would find it unreasonable if you said , "I'll let you know when I'm up for play."

People who see you as a tool however would feel offended by this.

it's too complex and friends relations is not a subject of this conversation.
It's only complex if you're the sort who views friends in the same way most view pokemon, as something to be collectred, as 'score' tally.

Rafau 2018年3月25日 14時01分 
Do you have some kind of not coapted wounds from the past that makes you see everything in dark shades? Why is it only here invisibility is always associated with stalking?

Seems like you certainly omitted that you can stalk your friends same way, but looking at your friends list from steam profile (being signed off), so deliberating whether invisibility is a tool of stalking or not is totally pointless.

For ages invisibility was introduced in various platforms and if it's such an evil thing, why does it exists till present day? What kind of harm would would bring to you that somebody is stealthing and stalking you that way, that is the question you can't answer cause there is none except that "stalker" could do to himself.

What would people think if they get to know that i'm invisible? That's completely my problem isn't it, and all i can do is to harm myself if i would act that way.
最近の変更はRafauが行いました; 2018年3月25日 14時09分
29tails_fox の投稿を引用:
Do you have some kind of not coapted wounds from the past that makes you see everything in dark shades? Why is it only here invisibility is always associated with stalking?

Because it kind of is. Seeing others while denying them the ability to see you is pretty much textbook stalking.

Seems like you certainly omitted that you can stalk your friends same way, but looking at your friends list from steam profile (being signed off), so deliberating whether invisibility is a tool of stalking or not is totally pointless.
That only works for public profiles though and in such cases the individuals have basically given the okay. BUt this is not the issue at hand is it?

For ages invisibility was introduced in various platforms and if it's such an evil thing, why does it exists till present day? What kind of harm would would bring to you that somebody is stealthing and stalking you that way, that is the question you can't answer cause there is none except that "stalker" could do to himself.

It's just plain creepy and shady. That's all. If you don't have the spirit to actually talk to your friends about such things then you don't have friends. You just have a list of names.

What would people think if they get to know that i'm invisible? That's completely my problem isn't it, and all i can do is to harm myself if i would act that way.

Yup. It is completely your problem. You know what else is completely your problem? Having friends that can see when you're online..

Rafau 2018年3月26日 3時00分 
Nope, being invisible is just being invisible, there are more features like sick followment and harrassment to put it your way. Just being invisible doesn't make you a stalker, this is an libel and public offense for those who doesn't follow your prejudiced path.

That only works for public profiles though and in such cases the individuals have basically given the okay.

And once again ignorance is all you're giving me, since you didn't even checked that. I have to disappoint you, but you can see all non-private profiles while being signed off and i double checked that, the only time you won't see them is when you'll try to use a browser when you're not logged in, but if you use steam, you have everything served on tray, both public and friends-only profiles are accessible.



Yup. It is completely your problem. You know what else is completely your problem? Having friends that can see when you're online..

Says the one hiding behind private profile (or friends only).

I see, you're quite a fella with a very narrow sight and you're using friends/contacts terms switching like there were no difference between them. Steam is not only about having friends, there are more shades of grey, there are traders, commenters, artists and many other type of stuff you would want to keep for your interest and convenience and you can't group them, all in one bag. I don't need to be invisible 100% time, only when i need some space with selected few i want to play or talk, but certainly you have your own biased opinion you deliberately are trying to force on me making this conversation completely about your personal issues. Your lathered mouth is obstructing your view so much, you didn't even notice that i suggested something else instead of invisibility. There is even a word "OR" in the title which gives a room for deliberations and possibility of coming with something more fitting even for scared folks like you. I'm not insisting for invisibility to be the sole right and only solution, i'm open for alternativeves, but i don't see you deliberating, did it even stroke your mind that invisibility could come with an option to appear offline for invisible ones? Nope, not with prejudical and shallow mind of yours, all you're trying to do is to put me in bad light and forcibly stick a stalker tag like it's the only argument you can came up. Following your way of thought, i should deem all people having knife at home as potential killers. Let's make a rally against knives at home without a licence.

Fortunately, one biased swallow doesn't make a summer.
最近の変更はRafauが行いました; 2018年3月26日 4時08分
My1 2018年3月26日 7時51分 
Start_Running の投稿を引用:
Not gonna happen. They will not put in a stalking mode. MAybe just mention to your friends that if your status isn't set to 'looking to play' that they shouldn't bug you. Anyone who cannot respect this should simply be removed from your friend's list.


well stalking aside, at least not show the game one is playing but just saying on is online or in-game without specifying which would be helpful as hell.



cSg|mc-Hotsauce の投稿を引用:
No Valve employee is going to reply here.

why that? it's the Suggestions subforum of the OFFICIAL steam forum.
最近の変更はMy1が行いました; 2018年3月26日 11時21分
Online, away, busy, snooze, offline are all the current options on your friend list. If your friends are spamming you with messages, tell them to ♥♥♥♥ off and remove them if they continue. If your friends aren't understanding about you gaming with others and bug you about it, refer to the previous solution. This isn't hard, at all. You're essentially saying "I can't bother to tell my friends to stop bugging me, and since i won't do anything about it, I want valve to."
Rafau 2018年3月26日 11時10分 
Thank you for your ignorance mr. Tribunal. You certainly have a hard way of understanding, that so called friend list is not a friend list at all. In my language it's called "aquaitance list" which is more proper and accurate, and people are keeping various types of cantacts for many purposes just like in phone. There is no way of telling if a person is willing to respond or not while gaming, because there is not a substatus available to set and writing it on a profile is not that convenient and effective, not everyone are by default looking every 5 seconds there if you're in mood or not. Sometimes people are just asking, or trying to pass some info and if you have a lot of contacts you could be stormed just by questions alone.

It's funny how you all warmongers have nothing constructive to say except looking for a problem with my personality. I already proven that stalking is already possible since yore while being in "signed off" mode, so what would you try to pick on right now, that i don't really want to make my friends feel bad, that i don't wan't to explain 150 people storming me that i want to focus on my game right now (because there are a lot of times when i'm OK with answering, playing for example something low paced, or just in the mood to do both)? The way how you present your approach to your friends and trying to force that kind of thinking is only a sign of bigotism. You are not an oracle about the subject of treating my friends. As much people, as much ways of treating the contacts, for some they're something that serves the subject of gaming, for some not. I bet explaining it to ones like you is really pointless.


I want valve to."

Basicly, it's an suggestions/ideas branch isn't it? So i'm basicly suggesting and proposing my ideas? Did i break the rules?

Did i hurt you feeble pride by suggesting something convenient for me and a lot of people carving for some option to create personal space? What is the point of answering if all you want to do is OT and flush your discontent?
最近の変更はRafauが行いました; 2018年3月26日 11時20分
Rafau 2018年3月26日 11時26分 
My1 の投稿を引用:
well stalking aside, at least not show the game one is playing but just saying on is online or in-game without specifying which would be helpful as hell.

It is possible with a trick, set your status to whatever you like, then sign off. Go to the unread messages, some sort of browser chat will open and you will assume your last set status, your friends will see you "online in browser" but not in game. You can chat, but you won't get notification pop-up during a game.
最近の変更はRafauが行いました; 2018年3月26日 11時33分
The lengths people go through to avoid their 'friends'. :P
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投稿日: 2018年3月25日 9時40分
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