How to appear offline to friends, but still be in the online universe? Possible?

[Cmdr_Arri]

I see an old thread from 2013 where you can create a solo group of just yourself and appear offline to friends:

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6300


I wonder if that essentially means you're in solo play. But solo players don't appear offline to friends since the friend's list shows whether someone is online or solo. I also wonder if you're in a solo group of just yourself, if you'll still be able to see other players.

Sometimes you just want to get on for a bit and do a couple things without being bothered by people nagging you from your friends list. It would be great to flip a switch and just appear offline while you go about your business.

 

[Joe Akeem]

You are voicing something most people wont admit. Kudos!

I've had those days myself. Would be nice to fly 'under the radar' some days.

 

[Cmdr_Arri]

I am ready to buy a second account if I have to, but I wanted to see if there was a way to show as offline before I spend the money on another account.

 

[Joe Akeem]

No dice, I'm afraid. And prepare for the quasi 'Why would I hide'-crowd giving you flak. We ALL want to be 'unbothered' some days.

 

[Terry Bruge-Hiplo]

This is definitely appreciable and a welcome feature idea. An almost essential feature of any online presence system.

(incidentally, I love that there's two helmet-wearing guys having this discussion about anonymity there was a thread in the beta where two guys' who's avatars were wearing sunglasses had a string of replies in a row. Made me chuckle too.)

 

[Joe Akeem]

That alone earned you a rep, mate!

Oh, btw. I'm not hiding. CMDR BOWSKY if we ever meet.

 

[Flavourless]

Sounds good to me.
Not sure why people should have access to your online status just because they are on your friends list unless you wish it.

 

[Cynaqq]

Yeah, I want this feature too, I want it for a lot of games actually.

The biggest problem is, most of my friends on the game are also contacts in steam, discord and skype too. If I shut the others down and play the game, I look like an antisocial jerk if one of them happens to decide to play too. So I have to log in to at least one of the communication platforms. Then it of course welcomes people from other gaming communities to nag me about other games while I want to play ED (ED players who I'm friends with are usually reasonable people and understand if I'm in either solo or my own private group).

 

[CMDR Zhon Daeli]

I just ignore people I don't want to talk to, or I keep a copy/paste message ready.
"You have reached the automated messaging system for Zhon Daeli, I am not available this evening. Fly safe, Cmdr! o7"
Or, you know, I would if I had anybody on my friends list.

 

[Huita]

Why would anyone talk to you if you're in solo? AFAIK, you aren't shown on galmap, so... chatbots?

 

[Sugarat]

Why would anyone talk to you if you're in solo? AFAIK, you aren't shown on galmap, so... chatbots?

Friends in solo still appear in your comms panel..

 

[Weps]

Friends in solo still appear in your comms panel..

Also on your map.

Please implement a setting to appear as offline. It could be buried down somewhere in the settings, doesn't have to be customer friendly.

PS: whenever I would get into PvP with someone, I would almost always get a friend request afterwards. Even if the PvP was of the "no-comms shoot first" kind. I always wondered how they all wanted to talk to me afterwards.

 

[Cynaqq]

Why would anyone talk to you if you're in solo? AFAIK, you aren't shown on galmap, so... chatbots?

It's not the idle chat which is bothersome, sometimes it's welcome even. The problem occurs when someone says 'why are you playing solo, come play with me(us)' and you just want to be alone. In other words, for me it isn't about being insecure about wanting to be alone but about having insecure friends who feel bad that you don't want to play with them at that particular moment.

As I said earlier, it's worst for irl friends who also happen to be in other online circles too. Then you are accused of being even more reclusive.