Why do guild leaders see when I am invisible online?

There is a reason why I don't want to go online when I am invisible, and it is mostly because I don't want to play with my guild mates sometimes. Recently I got some mails from guild leaders who ask why I am invisible and that I should join the Teamspeak, the activities, etc.What is the reason behind the feature of seeing people who do not want to be seen?

Just tell them you want to chill solo, what's the big deal? Why are you avoiding talking to people anyway, if you don't want to talk, just tell them you're not in the mood and most normal people will leave you alone. You don't have to hide behimd an invisible status.

As for why they can see you, it's probably because the guild system is different from the friends system. Guilds are after all social constructs with the intent of bringing together people who want to play with each other.

@Greaka.6905 said:There is a reason why I don't want to go online when I am invisible, and it is mostly because I don't want to play with my guild mates sometimes. Recently I got some mails from guild leaders who ask why I am invisible and that I should join the Teamspeak, the activities, etc.What is the reason behind the feature of seeing people who do not want to be seen?

It's not a feature, just something that ANet didn't consider when including the option in the game. Think of it more as "blocked from receiving whispers, hidden from PUGs" rather than truly "invisible." The game doesn't really offer an option for "online, but completely invisible to everyone aside from /party or /say."

PS not only can GLs figure it out, but all your guildies can see a yellow dot marking your location on maps. People who have you on Friend or Block list can tell when you change zones.

PPS you can reduce some of this 'transparency' by repping a different guild while invisible.

Hint: while you are indeed invisible, your location isn't. If someone is "offline", but has a location (and especially if that location keeps changing), that's a clear indication that you're not, in fact, offline.

I feel like this a lot too, mainly because I usually can’t type properly/quickly/accurately and it makes me tired (MS problems!). It helps that I’m a higher rank in my quiet guild and do get left alone a lot though. I do sometimes say in gchat if I’m not in a talkative mood, and thus get left alone.

Honestly, being honest should be enough.

As IWN pointed out above, repping a different guild will make it easier to hide, as your guild won’t be able to see non-repping guild icons on the map. That being said, you’re welcome to pop me an in game mail for an invite to a high level, quiet Guild on EU. You’re free to be as active/inactive/rep as you like.

@Haleydawn.3764 said:Honestly, being honest should be enough.

Yeah, it should be. Unfortunately, depends on the guild and the GL.

If you're representing a guild, your name is highlighted to other guild members and you're shown on the map, making it very obvious if they're in the same area. If you login, then go invisible, chat will tell them you logged in and out, making it obvious. If you're mutual friends with them, they can see through invisible by hovering over your name, which will show your status rather than being offline.

If you login invisible without representing the guild, they shouldn't notice. You can also make it less likely to join the maps they're in by guesting to a different server.

Piggybacking on @Healix.5819, if you really want to be as hidden as the game allows:

• Have at least one character repping a personal guild (or one with people who accept that you'll sometimes play while invis).
• Change status to invisible before you logout. (Make it a habit.)

You still won't be entirely hidden (as noted above); that will just reduce the number of ways that someone can notice that you are online.

I guess I've gotten lucky with all my guilds. I often log in but don't talk in guild chat (and I almost never join Teamspeak/discord) or join in with activities because I don't know how long I'll be able to stay online, I logged in to focus on something specific or I just don't feel like talking right now and I've never had people hassle me about it.

Way back when representing your guild mattered I was in a 100% rep guild and I'd occasionally get whispers from the GM or an officer asking why I was't representing them when I'd been online for a while. But even then it was because I'd told them I'd appreciate the reminder - I'd chosen to join a 100% rep guild so the only reason I wouldn't rep was I'd forgotten (I'd either switched to my bank guild to move items around and forgotten to switch back or I'd made a new character and forgot that you have to manually rep a guild on each character).

I think you should absolutely be able to tell your guilds that you're just not in the mood and/or not able to participate right now and they should respect that. If it's a guild you're new to or not especially committed to and they don't accept that it may be time to find a new guild. If it's one you've been in for a while and they don't accept it I recommend having a chat with the leader to explain your reasons and why they think it's important for you to be in Teamspeak or activities and see if you can work something out.

When I run guildmissions in absence of our leader, which luckyly happens only once in a blue moon, I get about a fraction of the regular participants. Many people just do not log in at all. Several start an important fractal/raid run minutes before, so they are sorry but cannot join. A few act afk, a few are afk. And a small group of people who do not want to participate but feel bad go into stealth/invisible. It is not a nice experience to do an event with 1-2 ppl and I totally understand people who get mad about this behaviour of their members. But this is life. Privacy and freedom are king. I got used to this situation and tend to enjoy the events, because I am faster done and can focus on the content that matters to me. I still run the events, for those who care or are in need of badges, I am happy about every participant, but I am not mad, if anyone has got other things to do. I even noticed, once people realize you keep going, they are more willing to join. Some even give up stealth-mode, say hi and join as they just loged in.

On the other hand, when I log during the week, in the evening. During the last 20 minutes I am awake, the least I want to do is using the guildchat. I just want to check out a thing or two, go to a place I can relax and enjoy a few minutes before my day is over. I am not an evil or hateful person, at least not worse than usual. I am just tired ^^.

I spend a good ammount of my online time invisible, about 40-50%. I am doing this since I started playing online games. It is part of my understanding of anonymity and freedom. Most guilds are more or less fine with that, privacy is something normal. The few special people who demand 100% of your undevided attention may have serious control issues. You can try to talk to them and explain your position, but in most cases it is better to look for a more friendly and relaxed environment.

They should not be able to see if your online in the guild if you are invisible. You can't even see what the chat is in the guild. They can however see the last time you logged in. If you frequent one place like Lions arch they may see your character there. Best thing for you to do is not rep any guilds if you do not want to be seen. I assume some guilds have eyes everywhere so they may be using that to track you. Another thing you could do is use an alt profession you use very little, or quit the guild that is causing you stress. You could also just talk to the guild leader and tell them how you feel, that sometimes you just wanna be left alone for a while.

@Greaka.6905 said:There is a reason why I don't want to go online when I am invisible, and it is mostly because I don't want to play with my guild mates sometimes. Recently I got some mails from guild leaders who ask why I am invisible and that I should join the Teamspeak, the activities, etc.What is the reason behind the feature of seeing people who do not want to be seen?

Appear offline is only for communication, you are cut off from most communication platforms. However, it doesn't means you are physically cut off.Be appreciate the GL even bother to talk to you about it, most GLs don't because they didn't notice it and very little reason to care.

Unfortunately, the invisible status is fake.

When we set invisible status, there are two main things - obvious ones - keeping us visible to all, especially to guildies:

• Our name in guild member list is white instead of grey (name is not greyed out so you see difference to off line members).
• Our yellow dot appears on map as if we would be visible.

Our guildies keep seeing us. That's it. I do not count anymore how many times I had set invisible for whatever reasons, and I received ingame messages telling me they see me... Pffffff...

@Greaka.6905 said:There is a reason why I don't want to go online when I am invisible, and it is mostly because I don't want to play with my guild mates sometimes. Recently I got some mails from guild leaders who ask why I am invisible and that I should join the Teamspeak, the activities, etc.What is the reason behind the feature of seeing people who do not want to be seen?

Sounds like you joined an invasive guild. Just leave it and find one that won't force the issue, it'll be better in the long run.

... A guild who is built around team activities is "invasive"? Urgh. This is what's wrong with guilds today...

I suggest taking a serious look at your guild, and making sure it suits you needs. Guild buffs are the same anywhere - if you don't want to join a social guild and take part, why not join a less social casual guild? Don't take it out on the people who are trying to make something of a good time.

@Westenev.5289 said:... A guild who is built around team activities is "invasive"? Urgh. This is what's wrong with guilds today...

I suggest taking a serious look at your guild, and making sure it suits you needs. Guild buffs are the same anywhere - if you don't want to join a social guild and take part, why not join a less social casual guild? Don't take it out on the people who are trying to make something of a good time.

The OP stated that sometimes s/he didn’t want to play/socialise. Not never, sometimes. And that’s ok. Not taking it out on the fact his guild want people to be as active as the people running it, but the fact the OP wants to be left alone sometimes, and his guild don’t seem to respect that. There’s a reason people appear offline to play, it doesn’t mean it’s anything to do with the guild or the people in it.

What bothers me the most is the OP says s/he had mails from the leaders. Not mail (Singular), mails! How many? Was multiple necessary? Should the leaders have spoken to each other first before sending a mail. I can imagine feeling very cornered in that situation.

@Westenev.5289 said:... A guild who is built around team activities is "invasive"? Urgh. This is what's wrong with guilds today...

There should be the possibility to check if every member is representing ( at least for the guild where represent is a rule ).Exploiting with invisible mode should be avoided.

However, they should allow guilds to set or not this option in order to preserve the privacy of the player.

@Shirlias.8104 said:

There should be the possibility to check if every member is representing ( at least for the guild where represent is a rule ).

I 100% disagree with this. Adding something that checks who’s repping whether off or online, would further invade privacy and cause more discontent similar to what the OP has experienced. Adding an on/off to this feature (controlled by the leaders right? Unless it’s player side) will not make a difference to the potential outcome.Representing a guild is not necessary anymore since Influence was deleted. There is 0 reason to have a rep rule. If a guild is as good as the people running it say, people will rep it.

@Haleydawn.3764 said:

@Shirlias.8104 said:

There should be the possibility to check if every member is representing ( at least for the guild where represent is a rule ).

This is your point of view.If i do create a guild with rules, and among these there's the representing the guild, i want to be able to check if those who decided to join are respecting or not the rules.

You don't like the rules?You don't join that specific guild.

@Haleydawn.3764 said:

@Westenev.5289 said:... A guild who is built around team activities is "invasive"? Urgh. This is what's wrong with guilds today...

I suggest taking a serious look at your guild, and making sure it suits you needs. Guild buffs are the same anywhere - if you don't want to join a social guild and take part, why not join a less social casual guild? Don't take it out on the people who are trying to make something of a good time.

Maybe the guild leaders did speak together, and chose to send those mails. Different guilds have different standards, and leaders shouldn't be villainised for trying to maintain a sociable guild. Instead of taking to the forums complaining about how invisible mode doesn't wipe all traces off the face of Tyria, I just think the OP would be better off asking the guild leaders to respect that they want to be alone sometimes.

@Shirlias.8104 said:

You don't like the rules?You don't join that specific guild.

Precisely. It is a two way street. People are free to make their own rules, and choices.I disliked the idea of giving guilds another reason to hound their players. We have 5 guild slots. You make a good guild people will rep it without overlords ruling you should.

@Haleydawn.3764 said:

@Shirlias.8104 said:

You don't like the rules?You don't join that specific guild.

Guilds which are used as bank account.Yeath, an idea totally worth it.

It's not that you don't like the idea of giving reasons to hound their players.It's that you pretend to stay in a guild which have that specific rule without respect it.

It's pretty different not to say selfish.

@Westenev.5289 said:

Maybe the guild leaders did speak together, and chose to send those mails. Different guilds have different standards, and leaders shouldn't be villainised for trying to maintain a sociable guild. Instead of taking to the forums complaining about how invisible mode doesn't wipe all traces off the face of Tyria, I just think the OP would be better off asking the guild leaders to respect that they want to be alone sometimes.

If a guilds standard is to send multiple mails to the same player, about the same thing, even after conferring with each other, that’s incredibly poor management.

Im assuming the OP didn’t ignore them and did respond asking to be respected, and that sometimes they wanted to be left alone.

Posting this on the forums was absolutely necessary though because it brings to light something that is wrong with the function of the offline feature. The OP and anyone else should be able to use it to appear offline, not just to avoid whispers. Ie guild member map icon shouldn’t appear.

The online/away/offline should be looked at and modified.

@Shirlias.8104 said:

@Haleydawn.3764 said:

@Shirlias.8104 said:

You don't like the rules?You don't join that specific guild.

Don’t confuse me. I’m not in a guild that does those things. I’m an officer of a high level social guild that respects its players. Whether they rep or appear online or not is their choice.

@Shirlias.8104 said:

@Haleydawn.3764 said:

@Shirlias.8104 said:

There should be the possibility to check if every member is representing ( at least for the guild where represent is a rule ).

Your rules are opposite to game desing. We can be members of 5 guilds at the same time which means by design we are allowed by game dev to benefit from them and swap represent on the fly. Your 100% represent rule is abusive and what is worrying you want to spy on players whether they represent all the time. I think this type of behaviour when you harass a player for using in game tools the way they are intended to be used can be reported and punished if enough players start to report abusive guild leaders on daily basis.