"I would prefer an option you could click in the forum preferences. But even though I like that the shield doesn't fully protect me, I would prefer it to be set to 100% than not to have any option at all to completely opt out."

That might require brand-new coding. I really do feel that changing the shield (which would become COMPLETELY USELESS if there is a 100% option in forum option) would be a better solution because its coding already exists - you just have to change the odds from 80% to 100%

Low effort solution!

Given I've had a snowball stuck to my face the past day due to various perma-frost glitches... please. Even if it is hilarious to have a giant banana nose at the time I'm posting this.

I support an opt out preference being added in the future and a change to the snowball shield to be 100% effective in the meantime. Everyone has their valid reasons for not wanting to have a picture of a snowball effect added to their avatar without consent. I'm only slightly annoyed by it so I don't usually bring it up, I just grumble a bit and wait for it to go away. I am, however, even more annoyed by the fact that I need to have this stupid shield on every avatar I make for 3 months of the year. And the solution people tell you is to just cover it up with a background. I usually forego a backdrop because I think they clutter my avatar too much. I enjoy the crisp silhouette of the avatar standing alone in a transparent void. Then winter hits and I have to add things I don't want to my avatar to cover up things I didn't want to add to my avatar to have a chance of blocking even more stuff that I don't want to be added to my avatar? 🙄

Optional participation of this feature is years overdue, and I hope that OP bravely sharing their situation like that will help people understand why even more. Over the course of the year I accumulate a handful of snowballs (via the donation corner, etc) that I get rid of on the first day and then don't participate the rest of the time, but I always get very self conscious because of situations like that and I'm afraid I will bother someone with the random throw. If only people who want to participate are eligible for snowballs it takes a lot of weight off the thrower's shoulders as well.

RIGHT? It's just weird to have the option for some things but not the others. It doesn't take away from those who actually wish to participate.

I was just hit by a snowball regardless of wearing the shield. And I certainly did not appreciate seeing the pig snowball on my avatar first thing in the morning, either.

And seconding what Luck mentioned above: The shield can't be properly hidden under the avatar base unless it gets covered by clothes (which isn't always the case) or a background.

I don't mind the snowballs, but that's because I don't play much as is. :') The snowtapult was never fun for me to begin with besides the rare snowball fight I had with friends when the feature was first introduced years ago.

I'm sorry to hear that it's affecting your PTSD that badly. I don't know when/if this will be tweaked, but I wanted to share that the snowball message can at least be hidden with customCSS. I'm not sure if it affects anything else (I'm assuming no? haven't run into any issues, been using it for a few years), but I figured there's no harm in sharing it to help. Paste this into your custom CSS and you should be rid of the message.

/hides the snowball message/ .ui.message.small.red {display:none!important;}

Knowing that the shield doesn't even block 100% of the time is annoying. I've had this same snowball on my avatar since late last night. I mean it's a cute one, but regardless. Just let us opt out, make it to where those that opt out can't throw snowballs either. Unless there is another snowball war, I don't want to deal with it. Normally I don't complain about this, but knowing that this is affecting people this badly, something has to change.

Is "we want people to particiapte" really a reason that was given for not implementing an opt out? Because if so, that's the lousiest reason I can imagine. If people don't want to take part, getting hit by a few snowballs isn't going to change their mind. Especially not if it's causing distress.

Full opt out. You can't get hit, and you can't throw snowballs. Cooldown period for switching to prevent people throwing and then opting out to avoid being hit.

thank you so much <3 I really appreciate it. A very kind thing to do for sure <3

I totally support making the 100% effective for folks.
An option to opt out of the random snowball queue would be really nice if it is possible to code that.
I know I rarely use the random feature because of the concern of yeeting snowballs at people who really don't want them, for whatever reason. (It seems whenever I accidently click the random button I end up hitting someone with a beautiful HA, and I feel awful about it for hours) I see no purpose in forcing people to be part of an event they don't enjoy, if they want to be on the site.

I think I would like the snowballs better if, once we got hit with them, they were unlocked as a wearable. I think that could actually make it fun since there are a few snowballs I like the look of on the HAs but it's random what you get and they're a limited time so they're just annoying.

If the way snowballs work isn't going to change it would be great to have the option to opt out.

Totally, the art is already there, and it is great. I would especially like a wearable version of the overlay from the .

I absolutely support the option to opt out. I don't think I've ever participated in the snowball throwing, it honestly just doesn't interest me, nor do I want to have a snowball on my HA for however long. Or at the vert least make the shield 100% effective like others have said.

I, also, fully support this. I work very hard to make my HA look really nice, and it just bothers the hell out of me that I have no control over what my HA will look like within possibly a few minutes of me finishing it up. Does it trigger my PTSD, no, but does it make me anxious and unhappy?

yes. Yes it does indeed.

What I have found is that if I go to my wardrobe, and hit 'wear', it takes the snowball away, so hopefully that can help you out a bit to at least get rid of it, and give you some control back over the situation.

I fully support this. I think I was thrown a snowball about 12 hours ago and it still haven't gone away until I click 'wear outfit' in the wardrobe. This is with the shield on as well. I personally don't mind getting snowballs but it does ruin my HA's aesthetic, which is why I wear the shield in the first place.

: / I would also appreciate and support the option to opt-out. The main reason (and only reason) is that I play subeta pretty much only for the avatar aspect, so having those ruined by a random event that may last hours, takes away a big chunk of my enjoyment.

what concerns me is it seems like this should be an easy fix to make this preventable 100% somehow. (i general rule dont mind)

And honestly some of the snowballs themselves make me kinda uncomfortable despite knowing they arent real. if you want to get extra fancy you could also choose which sort of snowballs hit you (none, only light types, only dark types, no fruits or veg, no gross/ vulgar, an option to limit how many times a user can hit you (10, 50, 100 unlimited) but even if that those are excluded, like im cool with certain types but others are :/...i dont enjoy much. I dont really care much but i dont always want banana or a butt on me k thanks

this, agreed, please we just got triggered by one...it doesn't really matter how fun it could possibly be made. we seriously just want a safe space.

-cadence

I'm sorry to hear that. I understand. I don't have PTSD, but I'm really sensitive, so I get triggered by stuff, which are not sensed by others that much.

I will try to throw snowballs on people, who are on forum (but I still sometimes missclick on the "Random" button -.-).

I would love to have option to join ''Snowball fights" similar to joining "Mysterious melody", so people can stay out or join it.

I love snowballs fight and snowballs on my avatar - but I love FIGHT, not bullying (when only one side's throwing the snowballs). I'm trying to hit anyone, who hit me, but some people have shield (I need more snowballs to hit them). Therefore I don't support to make shield 100% effective. It would be impossible to hit these people, who hit me. When I can't fight back, it would make me feel anxious and powerless (again: if someone hits me and I can't hit them back, it's bullying, not fighting). I would probably give up on snowballs, buy a shield and hate this activity, too.

With the return of snowball throwing just around the corner, hoping this can be addressed soon.

Support. Its always annoyed me.