Running Steam on a Mac & a PC....How does that work?

[kycaver]

I have a Mac currently, and though it is much better at gaming than a lot of people think, I am planning on buying a windows PC just for gaming. Now, I think a couple of years ago when I first set up Steam for my Mac, the Steam tech people said that if I added a PC later that I would not have to buy all my games again for the PC. Is this still true, will all the games I bought play on either computer? If so, do I have to choose which computer I play them on? For example, if I currently play Slay the Spire on my Mac will I also be able to play it on the PC, or just one or the other?

Also, how do game saves & Achievements work across two computers? And what is the best way to do this? Should I get a router for both machines to plug into, and access Steam thru that, or is it better to disconnect my modem from one machine and plug it into the other?

With the Steam summer sale coming up I would like to pick up a few Windows only games for later if I know that this will all work smoothly. Thanx for any info.

[Spawn of Totoro]

Steam has a thing called "Steam Play". Typically if you buy a game on Steam, you can play on what ever OS the games support. Doesn't matter if it is Windows, Mac or Linux, it will download the correct libraries for your system.

However, not all game support Steam Play and may require you to purchase an additional copy for your OS.

You can go to the game's store page and see if it supports Steam Play or not.'

You can also find more information here:
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=9439-QHKN-1308&l=

[kycaver]

Originally posted by Spawn of Totoro:

You can also find more information here:
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=9439-QHKN-1308&l=

When I click on this link, it shows an Icon for Steam Play, but I could not find that icon anywhere on the Store Page of any game I checked out. Have they changed the icon. There is often the little windows icon & apple icon at the top of the page, and some of the games have the little valve icon next to them. I always thought that meant it supported Valve cloud saves or something. Is that it?

Also, if I buy a game that is Windows only, that gets put into my inventory in a special category. Will I always be able to download those to a PC if I have bought them with my Mac right now?

[Zekiran]

Since your profile is private we can't tell what games you've got, to verify whether they qualify on Steam Play or not, more easily.

[Snapjak]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/289070/Sid_Meiers_Civilization_VI

This is an example of one. I don't think they use the steam play icon anymore, just look for games that have the Windows and Apple logo, and Tux/Steam if you care about Linux.

[kycaver]

Well, for example, I bought Two Point Hospital with my Mac, but it needs Mojave to run, and I am using El Capitan. I thought that instead of updating the Mac, I would prefer for buy a new windows gaming PC, and that I would play Two Point hospital on that, but not if I have to pay for it again. (I haven't even installed it on the Mac. Does that matter?)

[kycaver]

Originally posted by Snapjak:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/289070/Sid_Meiers_Civilization_VI

This is an example of one. I don't think they use the steam play icon anymore, just look for games that have the Windows and Apple logo, and Tux/Steam if you care about Linux.

So, anything that has both icons on it, the windows logo, and the Mac logo, If I purchase it once I can play on either machine? If so, that would be great.

[Kargor]

Originally posted by kycaver:

Well, for example, I bought Two Point Hospital with my Mac,

... but it has Windows, MacOS and Linux icons on it, so it can run on either of these platforms (although getting things to run on Linux might be tricky, but that's how Linux works. At least in theory, there should be some distribution of Linux where it runs out of the box).

[kycaver]

Originally posted by Kargor:

Originally posted by kycaver:

Well, for example, I bought Two Point Hospital with my Mac,

... but it has Windows, MacOS and Linux icons on it, so it can run on either of these platforms (although getting things to run on Linux might be tricky, but that's how Linux works. At least in theory, there should be some distribution of Linux where it runs out of the box).

I know that it can run on those platforms, what I am asking is if I bought it with my Mac, will I have to buy it again to play on a new windows pc?

( and like I said, I never even installed it on my Mac yet)

[Snapjak]

No, when you buy a game on Steam that has two or three OS icons, you pay for the ability to use them on all.


There are very very few cases where you'll need to buy a separate Windows and Mac version.

Here's an example.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/42700/Call_of_Duty_Black_Ops/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/214630/Call_of_Duty_Black_Ops__Mac_Edition
https://steamdb.info/app/214630/

Looks like the Mac edition is finally being retired. Thank god.

[kycaver]

Thanx for the info. What about the save games and achievements. How does that work with 2 computers? And what about hooking up 2 computers to Steam, best to plug both computers into a router and connect to Steam thru that, or is it better to connect each computer individually thru the modem?

[Spawn of Totoro]

Originally posted by kycaver:

Thanx for the info. What about the save games and achievements. How does that work with 2 computers? And what about hooking up 2 computers to Steam, best to plug both computers into a router and connect to Steam thru that, or is it better to connect each computer individually thru the modem?

Achivements are universal.

Saves are not. If the two computers are the same OS, then there is Cloud Saves, but if they are different OSs, then that won't work due to file format.

You can only be logged into the account on one computer at a times, by the client. Other then that, it doesn't matter.

[aiusepsi]

Originally posted by kycaver:

And what about hooking up 2 computers to Steam, best to plug both computers into a router and connect to Steam thru that, or is it better to connect each computer individually thru the modem?

For Steam, it doesn't matter. I would use a router because plugging things in and unplugging them again is annoying. Also if you have both plugged in at once you can make use of streaming from one computer to the other.

Originally posted by Spawn of Totoro:

Saves are not. If the two computers are the same OS, then there is Cloud Saves, but if they are different OSs, then that won't work due to file format.

This isn't accurate. Different OSes doesn't automatically mean that the save files are incompatible. For some games they will be compatible, for some they won't. It depends on what the developer has done.

Originally posted by Spawn of Totoro:

You can only be logged into the account on one computer at a times, by the client. Other then that, it doesn't matter.

This is wrong. You can be logged in to as many computers as you like simultaneously. In fact, if you are logged into two computers simultaneously, Steam will allow you to stream gameplay from one computer to the other.

Originally posted by kycaver:

I know that it can run on those platforms, what I am asking is if I bought it with my Mac, will I have to buy it again to play on a new windows pc?

You don't have to buy again.

[Spawn of Totoro]

Originally posted by aiusepsi:

This isn't accurate. Different OSes doesn't automatically mean that the save files are incompatible. For some games they will be compatible, for some they won't. It depends on what the developer has done.

Then it is not wrong and best to assume a new save is needed.

Originally posted by aiusepsi:

You don't have to buy again.

Wrong. There are games that may need to be repurchased as not all games support Steam Play, so it can't be said in an absolute. Especially with out seeing the user's games.

Modern Warfare 2, I think it was, requires you purchase either or and does not include the other.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/10180/Call_of_Duty_Modern_Warfare_2/

Windows only.

https://www.greenmangaming.com/games/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2-mac/

Mac only. (Can't seem to get to the Steam Store for it as I don't have a Mac and google is no help)

Hence why it was suggested the OP check the game's store page.

[jason]

The Call of Duty Mac-only versions were removed from sale and some other Aspyr Mac ports are no longer listed on the store.

https://support.aspyr.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000214186