Why join a guild if you're going to play in Offline Mode all the time?

SteveCampsOut · June 2021

Why join a guild if you're going to play in Offline Mode all the time? You're just going to get kicked for inactivity if you never switch it to online mode!

Vevvev · June 2021

Well there are great uses for offline mode. First and most useful is that nobody can private message you. Second is nobody can track you down and port to you.

And if you're in a guild you care about odds are you're sending messages to their guild chat. The people should know you're active and just invisible.

Lady_Galadhiel · June 2021

My guess is... Some people just forget to switch back to online at some point.
I very rarely use offline mode, in the few cases I use it, it's mostly to play a solo arena in peace when I need to concentrate or focus on something specific.
However, I often forgot to switch back to online until someone did point out to me that I actually was showing as offline.

GreenHere · June 2021

One big reason I spend a lot of time in Offline mode is to avoid annoying my friends with the constant chat spam when I am doing writs on all 18 characters. Because -- and I'm not exaggerating at all here (count em if you really want to) -- this is what that looks like...

"Green has logged on with WhosHeWhatsIt"
"Green has logged off with WhosHeWhatsIt"
"Green has logged on with WhatsHisFace"
"Green has logged off with WhatsHisFace"
"Green has logged on with DudeBroGuy"
"Green has logged off with DudeBroGuy"
"Green has logged on with DingleBarry"
"Green has logged off with DingleBarry"
"Green has logged on with ThatLizardGreenTanksWith"
"Green has logged off with ThatLizardGreenTanksWith"
"Green has logged on with RandomCharacterName"
"Green has logged off with RandomCharacterName"
"Green has logged on with HotBosmerChick"
"Green has logged off with HotBosmerChick"
"Green has logged on with PretendsHesADragon"
"Green has logged off with PretendsHesADragon"
"Green has logged on with WritsAreDumb"
"Green has logged off with WritsAreDumb"
"Green has logged on with ButTheyreProfitableThough"
"Green has logged off with ButTheyreProfitableThough"
"Green has logged on with TiredOfMakingExampleNamesAlready"
"Green has logged off with TiredOfMakingExampleNamesAlready"
"Green has logged on with CrossEyedBuffoon"
"Green has logged off with CrossEyedBuffoon"
"Green has logged on with BastiansTwinBrother"
"Green has logged off with BastiansTwinBrother"
"Green has logged on with AreWeDoneYet"
"Green has logged off with AreWeDoneYet"
"Green has logged on with CuriousJorge"
"Green has logged off with CuriousJorge"
"Green has logged on with ThunderMuffins"
"Green has logged off with ThunderMuffins"
"Green has logged on with TheNakedTank"
"Green has logged off with TheNakedTank"
"Green has logged on with WhyDidYouReadAllThese?"
"Green has logged off with WhyDidYouReadAllThese?"

And being friends with a fair few crafters myself, I've learned what an annoyance that can be. I've since got an addon to solve that issue for myself (LUI's Chat Announce module and/or "No, Thank You!" can both do this, for those interested!), but it just seemed like the courteous thing to do to not burden my friends with all the chat-clogging nonsense.

Sometimes I just forget to turn it back on. But I seldom go more than a few days straight in Offline mode myself because I chat with others kind of a lot. I'd buy it if someone told me they just forgot their own status, though; if you don't send/receive whispers regularly, there's almost nothing in the game that would call your attention to your own online/offline status.

Sylvermynx · June 2021

GreenHere wrote: »

<snip>

Sometimes I just forget to turn it back on. But I seldom go more than a few days straight in Offline mode myself because I chat with others kind of a lot. I'd buy it if someone told me they just forgot their own status, though; if you don't send/receive whispers regularly, there's almost nothing in the game that would call your attention to your own online/offline status.

This. I joined Beam Me Up after Antiquities released to make leveling them faster (and less expensive for ports). A month plus later, I got a polite mail explaining I'd been removed from the guild for being offline for 38 days! I was dumbfounded, and mailed the GM back that I'd been on at least my main every day for 2.5 years. And then I looked at my status - sure enough, set to offline.... I couldn't even remember when or why I'd set it that way.

The GM was nice enough to reinstate me immediately, and I've since begun to check first thing every day when I log in that I'm still set online.

SteveCampsOut · June 2021

Erelah wrote: »

SteveCampsOut wrote: »

Erelah wrote: »

I am just going to say it. If a guild leader says they should do whatever they want because they have a small crown next to their name. It sounds like a guild people are better off not being in.

Nobody here said that. Certainly not me.

SteveCampsOut wrote: »

As a guild leader you're entitled to do what you want. I'm specifically referring to people who show up in guild roster as having not been online for MONTHS at a time and they still join guilds with inactivity policies.

Except you did.

That was "SPECIFICALLY REGARDING" Playing Online or Offline. A Guild leader is obviously not going to kick themselves for inactivity!

bmnoble · June 2021

I switch to offline mode when doing my daily writs so I don't get bothered while I am focused on getting it done.

Even if you spend 90% of the time in offline mode you just need to switch to online mode a couple times a week then switch right back and you won't get kicked for inactivity.

I am only really in trade guilds you pay or meet your weekly dues and be online once a week and you don't get kicked.

I am in those guilds to sell stuff, easily buy from a number of guilds when I am at a bank without having to always visit a lot of trader hubs and use the guild houses.

Beyond that how much I interact with my guild mates is entirely up to me, I answer questions in guild chat, post price checks for people with TTC, I sometimes volunteer as a master crafter other than that I play solo most of the time.

If your in other types of guilds beyond trade ones and are always offline, I would not understand why people stay there either.

SteveCampsOut · June 2021

Elusiin wrote: »

SteveCampsOut wrote: »

Why join a guild if you're going to play in Offline Mode all the time? You're just going to get kicked for inactivity if you never switch it to online mode!

I have PTSD, ADHD, and borderline personality disorder, so there are periods in which I do not want to socialize because of how overwhelmed I feel. I wish more people would respect someone's decision to play in offline mode for weeks, as in real life I don't even talk to friends for weeks at a time because of my conditions. It doesn't mean that I don't care about the people in the guild or the guild, just that I need a break from everything and to just relax.

You can play offline for years as far as I'm concerned. The reason I started this thread however was specifically to raise awareness that people need to toggle it on and off at LEAST once a week to avoid being kicked from guilds that have inactivity policies. Nobody is saying you have to play in online mode. Just toggle it, so the game recognizes that you've been there, so guilds can see you are playing and not remove you.

SteveCampsOut · June 2021

Arunei wrote: »

Can I ask why it matters to you either way OP? Are you the leader of a guild where people do this frequently? Because if not...it's really none of your business why people play on Offline mode. In fact, it's none of your business either way.

You do also realize there are other ways of knowing whether a person is active in a guild than just the roster, right? Being Offline mode doesn't prevent you from sending mails, joining groups, talking in chat, trading with people, depositing stuff in a bank, whispering someone (it does prevent you from being whispered back though) or doing content. Even if someone is Offline mode, their activity can be tracked can still be tracked, depending on what sort of guild they're in.

Trade guild? The mails with their dues, sales they've made, items/gold they've deposited into the bank.
Trials/progression/PvE guild? The person actively taking part in groups doing/attempting the content.
RP guild? The person being present for casual RP/events.
PvP guild? The person joining a group when the guild goes into Cyrodiil/doing BGs with other guildies.

There are plenty of ways to see whether a person has been active other than simply seeing when the roster says they were on last. I would be inclined to believe people who are in guilds that require activity have informed the leader(s) of said guild(s) that they do indeed play Offline regardless.

So I should go out of my way to hunt down players activity to do a quick check if they've been online when I'm kicking inactive? Is that what you're saying to me? You've obviously never run a guild or you'd know that every single second of my day is not at the guild members disposal when it comes to allowing me to have play time myself. All of those "Plenty" of other ways you have listed require that they use the store, bank or do trials or even chat. And yes I do run a guild and yes I have emailed people to toggle their online status when they show up in guild being offline for 4 months only to have said emails ignored! There's not enough hours in the day to please everyone but do us all a favor and toggle online. It's not that much to ask considering all the ways that you seem to be asking ME to spend my time as a guild leader to track your presence in my guild! [snip]

SteveCampsOut · June 2021

Arunei wrote: »

Yes, I would say it's not unreasonable for you to check other means of activity. Being a guild leader is hard. If you can't do it, appoint other people to do it. Get help with it. But demanding that people toggle their status when there are any number of reasons people play Offline comes across as being lazy and not caring about the comfort of your guild members.

If you don't want to deal with people who play Offline then make that a guild policy that's the first thing people read when they join your guild. Tell people if they don't want to toggle their status to send a mail instead once a week or a DM. Give people a means of interacting how they want and keep track of it. Because again...there are other ways of checking. They might require you and some other people do a bit more work, but it's not an impossible task.

Dude, agree to disagree here. I've done all of the above! People don't read MOTD's, guild rules or anything else you post for the most part. [snip]

CSose · June 2021

I only know one player that plays in offline mode almost all the time, and she has a valid reason. She has two young kids in the house and frequently has to walk away from the computer without notice. We suggested that once/day she go to online mode so the GM knows she's playing regularly and that fixed the issue for her.

SilverBride · June 2021

Why is it up to the guild leader to figure out if a player has really not been logging in or just using offline mode? Especially if there are 500 members in the guild.

The player made a conscious choice to use offline mode. They are responsible to keep the guild leader informed by whisper or mail, and/or go online for a few minutes once a week or so to keep their status as active.

SteveCampsOut · June 2021

Jazraena wrote: »

Any guild kicking people for inactivity without checking up on those people first is not a guild I want to be part of, tbh. If you can't be bothered with such common courtesy you have no business making demands of other people.

I don't know what part of "Checking their online status and emailing them" you think is me not giving them a courtesy, but I smell bait.

LINCARD1000 · June 2021

Not trying to put words into Steve's mouth, but I think the whole thing is that there is absolutely no issue in folks playing in offline mode for as long as they like and for whatever reasons they want. I absolutely understand and respect those who do as there are a whole host of reasons that might be valid for doing so. I believe the idea is that you just toggle yourself to online, even if only for a few seconds, then back to offline. It just simplifies things for both the GMs and officers in terms of seeing if someone has been genuinely inactive or are just keeping on the down low, when it comes to roster maintenance.

And those saying it's none of the GMs business about WHY folks play offline - you're absolutely right. And in 99.9% of cases the GMs and officers don't really care anyway. They're just trying to keep things simple in terms of knowing who is active and who isn't. While there are other methods of seeing if someone is active, they can be time consuming is all.

So no dramas, no criticisms, no arguments from me either way about how folks play the game or manage guilds. Just perhaps a common courtesy to the folks who manage (usually trade) guilds, is all :-)

Nephthys · June 2021

I don't go into offline mode very often but there are a few occasions when I find it helpful. If I have put on (especially 150%) XP boost scroll, I don't want to waste one second of that replying to a chat. Sometimes I am just not in a chatty mood and want to be left alone.

If someone forgets to toggle their online/offline switch then they have no right getting miffed because they have been kicked for inactivity and it is unreasonable to expect the GM to override any addon they may have to kick inactive members.

We all play in different ways, but common sense and courtesy should always prevail.

ZOS_Lunar · June 2021

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Given that this thread has run its course and is no longer constructive, we have gone ahead and closed it. It’s okay to disagree and debate on the official ESO forums, but we do ask that you keep all disagreements civil, constructive, and on-topic. If a discussion gets heated and turns into a debate, remember that you should stick to debating the post and/or thread topic. It is never appropriate to resort to personal comments or jabs about those participating in the thread discussion.

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rootimus · June 2021

There's an offline mode? (Returning after a few years so I may have missed something.

sarahthes · June 2021

As a guild leader, I hide offline when I want to actually play the game and not get whispered 18 times in 5 minutes.

EramTheLiar · June 2021

This must be a guild-specific chat setting, because as far as I know there's no real offline mode in ESO.

Alpheu5 · June 2021

The little green bust in the upper left corner of your social menu of choice.

rootimus · June 2021

Alpheu5 wrote: »

The little green bust in the upper left corner of your social menu of choice.

D'oh! Thank-you. I was thinking the offline mode I've read about Elite Dangerous having, where you can actually play the game in local mode. You're a star!

FantasticFreddie · June 2021

Because:
99% of my time in game is spent 1) doing writs 2) trials 3) pvp.
If someone whispers me while I am doing one of those things I will either not see it, or be in combat and unable to reply.
Then people get obnoxious, want to know why I am ignoring them as if they CANNOT SEE I am in trial/Cyrodil, and it becomes a whole thing.
Much easier to play in offline mode unless I am actually in a relaxed and socializing mood

phil.maricel08ub17_ESO · June 2021

rootimus wrote: »

There's an offline mode? (Returning after a few years so I may have missed something.

Offline as in no one can see that you are online, but you are actually online, just creepin!

FluffWit · June 2021

rootimus wrote: »

There's an offline mode? (Returning after a few years so I may have missed something.

On console its top left corner of guild rosters to choose between Online, Offline, Away and Do Not Disturb.

Anyways there are a lot of valid reasons people choose to hide.

BlueRaven · June 2021

SteveCampsOut wrote: »

Why join a guild if you're going to play in Offline Mode all the time? You're just going to get kicked for inactivity if you never switch it to online mode!

Access to a guild vendor is the first thing that comes to mind.

And maybe the occasional guild activity such as auctions.

Some people are just private. Yeah it’s an mmo but other people can give them anxiety. I had one guild member who was even afraid to type in guild chat They got past it (took them almost a year) but they will not join a discord chat channel, yet.

There is all types of people. That is the tldr answer.

SteveCampsOut · June 2021

sarahthes wrote: »

As a guild leader, I hide offline when I want to actually play the game and not get whispered 18 times in 5 minutes.

As a guild leader you're entitled to do what you want. I'm specifically referring to people who show up in guild roster as having not been online for MONTHS at a time and they still join guilds with inactivity policies.

EramTheLiar wrote: »

This must be a guild-specific chat setting, because as far as I know there's no real offline mode in ESO.

No it's account wide but accessed at the top left hand corner of your guild screen. Lit

FluffWit wrote: »

rootimus wrote: »

There's an offline mode? (Returning after a few years so I may have missed something.

On console its top left corner of guild rosters to choose between Online, Offline, Away and Do Not Disturb.

Anyways there are a lot of valid reasons people choose to hide.

Re-read my OP. The question is why join a guild if you're going to play in Offline Mode ALL THE TIME! I get people who join who show up in roster as not having been online for 4+ months! We have an inactivity policy to keep the guild alive and refreshed. You are going to be kicked within hours or days if you don't pop up as online at least once a week!

Nagastani · June 2021

SteveCampsOut wrote: »

sarahthes wrote: »

As a guild leader, I hide offline when I want to actually play the game and not get whispered 18 times in 5 minutes.

As a guild leader you're entitled to do what you want. I'm specifically referring to people who show up in guild roster as having not been online for MONTHS at a time and they still join guilds with inactivity policies.

EramTheLiar wrote: »

This must be a guild-specific chat setting, because as far as I know there's no real offline mode in ESO.

No it's account wide but accessed at the top left hand corner of your guild screen. Lit

jssriot wrote: »

[Removed quote]

[Snip]

Maryland State Law Governs ESO anyways right? I would think that should close the matter and eliminate the need to call out. Its illegal to discriminate either way of course so. Tell ya a little secret, people in my Guilds stress me out too so I don't talk to them.

In fact often times in my life people need me... they may not like me... but they need me. Conversely, I don't need them... unless I do.

Goregrinder · June 2021

SteveCampsOut wrote: »

Why join a guild if you're going to play in Offline Mode all the time? You're just going to get kicked for inactivity if you never switch it to online mode!

Because you can still use guild chat and join groups in offline mode.

Erelah · June 2021

I am just going to say it. If a guild leader says they should do whatever they want because they have a small crown next to their name. It sounds like a guild people are better off not being in.

SteveCampsOut · June 2021

Goregrinder wrote: »

SteveCampsOut wrote: »

Why join a guild if you're going to play in Offline Mode all the time? You're just going to get kicked for inactivity if you never switch it to online mode!

Because you can still use guild chat and join groups in offline mode.

Not if you get kicked out for inactivity.

SteveCampsOut · June 2021

Erelah wrote: »

I am just going to say it. If a guild leader says they should do whatever they want because they have a small crown next to their name. It sounds like a guild people are better off not being in.

Nobody here said that. Certainly not me.

GreenHere · June 2021

sarahthes wrote: »

As a guild leader, I hide offline when I want to actually play the game and not get whispered 18 times in 5 minutes.

HEY, there you are @sarahthes ! I've been meaning to have a long and boring conversation with you about that unimportant thing that I could easily find out on my own! Can you help me? I only need like 10 minutes from you. Now is a good time for me, but immediately before you go to log off for the day is good too! Got a "second"?

;P

Erelah · June 2021

SteveCampsOut wrote: »

Erelah wrote: »

I am just going to say it. If a guild leader says they should do whatever they want because they have a small crown next to their name. It sounds like a guild people are better off not being in.

Nobody here said that. Certainly not me.

SteveCampsOut wrote: »

As a guild leader you're entitled to do what you want. I'm specifically referring to people who show up in guild roster as having not been online for MONTHS at a time and they still join guilds with inactivity policies.

Except you did.

Casdha · June 2021

Kicked for inactivity? I guess really depends on the type of guild you join.

I've been in 3 of the same guilds since launch and I might play with other players once or twice a month when I'm playing at all. To be fair, I never use the offline option but they know I tend to tune out the chat box when I'm playing solo anyways. I also see many on the rosters who do use it from time to time.

When this game launched me and some beta friends made one of those guilds specifically for folks to get their feet wet, ya know, with how guilds work since so many came in for the IP and had never played any MMOs before ESO, myself included.

Most folks came in saw how things worked and moved on but a few who play still keep it on their list, (probably out of nostalgia) but no one was ever kicked for inactivity and the rest of us (who are still active) still know and play with each other in other guilds.

That guild I helped start is still there. Most, but not all, members play with other guilds now and I retired from the guild master roll several years back because the job I wanted to do was done.

Now I have more fun letting someone else run things in the other guilds I've been in since launch and they haven't kicked me yet.

Side note: I have been in some large trading guilds but I always gave a heads up to the GM so they could fill my spot and I quit myself because I knew I would be leaving for a while.

sPark101 · June 2021

teleports

Everest_Lionheart · June 2021

I’m about to go into vCR+3 later. I will hide offline in both ESO and also on Xbox. Certain content I just don’t ever want to be bothered.

MercilessnVexed · June 2021

Not everyone is in a guild to socialize. I am on offline mode to avoid mouthy, self-righteous jackhats.

Elusiin · June 2021

SteveCampsOut wrote: »

Why join a guild if you're going to play in Offline Mode all the time? You're just going to get kicked for inactivity if you never switch it to online mode!

I have PTSD, ADHD, and borderline personality disorder, so there are periods in which I do not want to socialize because of how overwhelmed I feel. I wish more people would respect someone's decision to play in offline mode for weeks, as in real life I don't even talk to friends for weeks at a time because of my conditions. It doesn't mean that I don't care about the people in the guild or the guild, just that I need a break from everything and to just relax.

16BitForestCat · June 2021

Pretty much all the reasons other people said. I'm in guilds for three reasons: trading, teleporting, random open house-hopping. Socializing doesn't factor into my guilds at all. I'm friendly, just very much a loner type with severe trauma-based anxiety. I try to remember to check my status a few times a week and briefly set it to online so I don't get inactivity-kicked from guilds, but I stay in offline mode because of what I said before. (And also because I'm high CP and get tired of new players randomly whisper-bugging me to do group content with them when I'm hanging out in town just trying to do writs or what have you. I don't even like doing any kind of group content with people I actually know; I'm not gonna run veteran whatever with a bunch of low-level strangers who'll blame the eventual party wipe on me only because I've been playing longer.)

jssriot wrote: »

[Removed quote]

[Snip]

[Edited for removed content]

Arunei · June 2021

Can I ask why it matters to you either way OP? Are you the leader of a guild where people do this frequently? Because if not...it's really none of your business why people play on Offline mode. In fact, it's none of your business either way.

You do also realize there are other ways of knowing whether a person is active in a guild than just the roster, right? Being Offline mode doesn't prevent you from sending mails, joining groups, talking in chat, trading with people, depositing stuff in a bank, whispering someone (it does prevent you from being whispered back though) or doing content. Even if someone is Offline mode, their activity can be tracked can still be tracked, depending on what sort of guild they're in.

Trade guild? The mails with their dues, sales they've made, items/gold they've deposited into the bank.
Trials/progression/PvE guild? The person actively taking part in groups doing/attempting the content.
RP guild? The person being present for casual RP/events.
PvP guild? The person joining a group when the guild goes into Cyrodiil/doing BGs with other guildies.

There are plenty of ways to see whether a person has been active other than simply seeing when the roster says they were on last. I would be inclined to believe people who are in guilds that require activity have informed the leader(s) of said guild(s) that they do indeed play Offline regardless.

The Elder Scrolls Online

Why join a guild if you're going to play in Offline Mode all the time?

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