Becoming Invisible

[Candy Tangerine 28]

My apologies if this has already been asked and answered but my search did not turn up an answer.

I have quite a few friends whom I do not want to remove.  However, there are times when I just want to log on and not be bothered by anyone trying to chat me up.  How do I appear "offline" even to my friends?

I'm using the latest version of Firestorm.  What are the exact settings I need to check/uncheck to make myself appear "offline" to everyone?   Thank you.

[LittleMe Jewell 37,310]

19 minutes ago, Candy Tangerine said:

My apologies if this has already been asked and answered but my search did not turn up an answer.

I have quite a few friends whom I do not want to remove.  However, there are times when I just want to log on and not be bothered by anyone trying to chat me up.  How do I appear "offline" even to my friends?

I'm using the latest version of Firestorm.  What are the exact settings I need to check/uncheck to make myself appear "offline" to everyone?   Thank you.

I don't remember the 'EXACT' setting in the viewer, so I'll skip answering that.

Note however, that while you can set yourself to appear offline to others, anyone can find your true status via scripted objects.

Another option with Firestorm is to use the Autoresponse to just send customized responses to people.

Edited September 4, 2020 by LittleMe Jewell

[Rowan Amore 7,054]

26 minutes ago, Candy Tangerine said:

My apologies if this has already been asked and answered but my search did not turn up an answer.

I have quite a few friends whom I do not want to remove.  However, there are times when I just want to log on and not be bothered by anyone trying to chat me up.  How do I appear "offline" even to my friends?

I'm using the latest version of Firestorm.  What are the exact settings I need to check/uncheck to make myself appear "offline" to everyone?   Thank you.

You can set it from your dashboard before you log in also.  Under Connect and Share...My Second Life brings up your friend list and then when you go to each person, you can reset permissions from there.  But as LittleMe said, all they need is a online monitor and they'll know you're online and some people take it the wrong way.  You probably would be better off setting to Unavailable and let people know ahead of time that you sometimes do this if you want some alone time.

[Fritigern Gothly 2,745]

49 minutes ago, Candy Tangerine said:

My apologies if this has already been asked and answered but my search did not turn up an answer.

I have quite a few friends whom I do not want to remove.  However, there are times when I just want to log on and not be bothered by anyone trying to chat me up.  How do I appear "offline" even to my friends?

I'm using the latest version of Firestorm.  What are the exact settings I need to check/uncheck to make myself appear "offline" to everyone?   Thank you.

I assume that you would really want to do this with your current account, but... May I suggest creating (or using) an alt for these moments?
I have an alt which I use to quickly pop online to, for instance, have a look at a store. Or to just have a nice time exploring this one scenic region which I had just read about. Very few of my friends know of this alt and so I get to be online for a bit without anyone going "O hai!" or "come party!" or whatever.

For me, this is the easiest solution because in spite of all the settings which are possible in FS and other viewers, I would am certain to forget to set or unset one or more of the options needed to appear invisible to my friends and I would hate to answer the question "hey, you are standing right in front of me, how come you don't appear online?".

But anyway, this is from my point of view, you may have different preferences. I just felt like sharing with you a different option to avoid your friends for a little, no matter how much you love them.

[Lewis Luminos 2,301]

This reminds me of an odd quirk with one of my friends. With everyone else, if I pull up their profile (the old-style profile in Firestorm) it says right there whether they are showing as online or offline to me. But this one guy... blank. Nothing there at all. And I can't figure out what settings might cause that. I've tested with an alt and hiding online status normally causes it to say "Offline" here, not completely blank.

[animats 4,097]

I've never been able to make much sense of the "offline" thing. I've had friends standing in front of me in world and showing as "offline".

[Talligurl 42,545]

One solution is an alt.

[Candy Tangerine 28]

Thank you all for your quick responses.  I really do appreciate it.  I may just go the Alt route.  Have a great weekend !!

[Bree Giffen 2,841]

Another option is to stay logged in for 12 hours from early morning to late night. No one will really know if you are away from your computer or not.

[Lewis Luminos 2,301]

9 hours ago, Bree Giffen said:

Another option is to stay logged in for 12 hours from early morning to late night. No one will really know if you are away from your computer or not.

My former landlady did this, except she left her avatar logged in 24/7. Since she lived in the same region as me, I used her occasional absence on a weekly basis to check whether the region had been recently restarted.

[Markham Weatherwax 47]

With Firestorm you can go to your friends list and uncheck the little eye next to their name(s) and they won't see you logging in or out and your profile will suggest to them that you are offline. Ofc also select "Only Friends and Groups know I'm online" in the preferences tab to appear offline to everyone not on your friends list. However, there is a LSL script function that can show your real status (for example, that is used for online status boards), and if you are in the same group(s) and that group has reveal members enabled, they can see when you are actually online. 

There is that profile thing where it doesn't show either online or offline, but that is because the profile has not fully populated across the grid. Check back later and it will eventually update to show offline or online. And, it happens, that sometimes it shows someone online in a group or in their profile, but that updates when you try to IM them, and suddenly they are offline. That is, once again, a grid population lag issue. And if someone IMs you, it will show if you are online or offline.

So, no, you can't become invisible. 

There is an added benefit to unchecking "Can see online" if you've got a friend or friends who offer teleports to everyone on their friend list to clubs or events where they DJ or host: If your online status to them is offline, you won't be included in that mass teleport offer. There are some folks on my friends list who never see me as online for that very reason. *chuckle*

Me, I use the auto respond and it simply says that I am away from my computer or working on a project and if someone IMs me and I feel like talking to them, I reply. If not, then I do not, because it has told them I am either not here or busy. They can take the pick which. 😜

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2020 by Markham Weatherwax

[Bree Giffen 2,841]

4 hours ago, Lewis Luminos said:

My former landlady did this, except she left her avatar logged in 24/7. Since she lived in the same region as me, I used her occasional absence on a weekly basis to check whether the region had been recently restarted.

I initially had 24 hours but I thought that would be too much to suggest. Just looked at an article and the writer said it cost about $3 a week to have a computer on 12 hours while gaming , web surfing or sitting idle. So 12 hours/24 hours doesn’t seem that bad. 

[Liaa Nova 968]

On 9/4/2020 at 9:29 PM, animats said:

I've never been able to make much sense of the "offline" thing. I've had friends standing in front of me in world and showing as "offline".

Sometimes SL likes to make us show as offline, even when we're not

Sometimes, people simply forget to tick to show online again, that's all

I show offline if I want to be treated as offline, which of course doesn't mean I keep it permanently on, just now & then if I wish to be left alone. If anyone can't handle seeing my name as online, for an hour or two, so be it lol

There is no way to hide, it isn't done to hide, if people believe that is why, that's on them

[Lancewae Barrowstone 155]

7 hours ago, Markham Weatherwax said:

uncheck the little eye next to their name(s)

^ THIS one wins the prize!   

But it's even better; you can go to the little eyeball at the top (menu bar area) of your Friend's List and click that eyeball up there, and ALL the little friend's eyeballs down your list go dim, as you are essentially logged off to them.  Don't forget to turn it back on later, or you will have friends wondering why you aren't around anymore.

[Amanda Crisp 2,633]

Things may have changed, but I gave up my Original 2005 avatar for Amanda due to a stalker - after LL told me there was no way to hide from them and not much THEY could do for me as my Stalker kept making new alts..

Scanners can pick up your status no matter what. People can look in Groups you are a member of (in many cases) and see your status.

I was told at the time that allowing a true Zero Global Presence had many issues associated with it, some stemming from the inworld economy and the nature of how SL was constructed.

Hopefully this changes/has changed, as only the feelings I have for my SL Partner kept me here after that.

Edited September 7, 2020 by Amanda Crisp

[Ina Fairport 49]

I use the autoresponse in Firestorm.
Simple and effective

[Annie Nova 2,402]

On 9/4/2020 at 3:05 PM, Lewis Luminos said:

This reminds me of an odd quirk with one of my friends. With everyone else, if I pull up their profile (the old-style profile in Firestorm) it says right there whether they are showing as online or offline to me. But this one guy... blank. Nothing there at all. And I can't figure out what settings might cause that. I've tested with an alt and hiding online status normally causes it to say "Offline" here, not completely blank.

I've had that happen with one person that was on my friend's list and I can't figure out how he did it, either.

[BeautyVows 0]

Have you ever just tried telling that you enjoy your time alone time to time because nothing wrong with you having me time. You can learn from a loner set boundaries. You don't have to see see everyone every breaking moment you check on people say hello how are you doing everyone needs space. I don't bother my friends every day I give people space but I do check on them do things sometimes.

Edited September 8, 2020 by BeautyVows

[PixieGirrrrl 322]

Yeah it's a tough one. I enjoy meeting people and making new friends on SL, but that means that even in moments when I log on and I'd like some alone time I get a lot of people on my friends list IMing me. I just say a quick hi and that I'm busy/not on long/doing some shopping, or whatever. It can be a time consuming process though.

My solution was to create an alt just for those times I want to be in-world, but not in the mood to socialise at all. Ignoring an IM is kind of like ignoring a text message. I guess some people are better at it than others. I do find that your real/true friends are the ones who understand that sometimes we all need some alone time, and don't take it personally or get upset when you don't fancy being social.

[Arielle Popstar 913]

On 9/5/2020 at 7:22 PM, Lancewae Barrowstone said:

But it's even better; you can go to the little eyeball at the top (menu bar area) of your Friend's List and click that eyeball up there, and ALL the little friend's eyeballs down your list go dim, as you are essentially logged off to them.  Don't forget to turn it back on later, or you will have friends wondering why you aren't around anymore.

What viewer allows one to do that? I just tested in Firestorm and it doesn't make the eye go dim for all friends. I would love that ability as I spend a certain amount of time daily with my partner and prefer not to be disturbed during that time.

I like the system they have in IMVU where I can set my status globally for being in DND, Away, Online, Creating etc.

[Fritigern Gothly 2,745]

1 hour ago, Arielle Popstar said:

I like the system they have in IMVU where I can set my status globally for being in DND, Away, Online, Creating etc.

Have you ever noticed these menu options?

[Arielle Popstar 913]

5 hours ago, Fritigern Gothly said:

Have you ever noticed these menu options?

Yes but they have no effect on my visibility, just the auto respond message if they happen to IM.

I know I have lost friends when they have invited me on 1 or more occasions and I refused as I was busy. It would just be nicer to go invisible on those occasions and just show when I am available for chats and/or visits.

[MoiraKathleen 9,737]

1 hour ago, Arielle Popstar said:

Yes but they have no effect on my visibility, just the auto respond message if they happen to IM.

I know I have lost friends when they have invited me on 1 or more occasions and I refused as I was busy. It would just be nicer to go invisible on those occasions and just show when I am available for chats and/or visits.

That sounds like it's your friends' issue, then, if they can't respect when someone else is busy and unable to visit or chat.   Presumably they would know enough about the types of things you do in-world to understand why you might refuse their invitations from time to time. 

[Fritigern Gothly 2,745]

3 hours ago, Arielle Popstar said:

I know I have lost friends when they have invited me on 1 or more occasions and I refused as I was busy.

Then they were no true friends. 

[Arielle Popstar 913]

1 hour ago, Fritigern Gothly said:

Then they were no true friends. 

 

3 hours ago, Moira Timmerman said:

That sounds like it's your friends' issue, then, if they can't respect when someone else is busy and unable to visit or chat.   Presumably they would know enough about the types of things you do in-world to understand why you might refuse their invitations from time to time. 

Well to be frank, I wasn't asking for a judgement on how good of a friend they were, just a question as to how to show as invisible to all in one go rather then doing each individually.