Family sharing, one-game-at-a-time limit doesn't make sense

[sbiggy]

I experienced it first time. The fact that I cannot play my game while my family plays theirs is pure nonsense. I know there has been similar discussion 2 years back, but this is nonsense indeed.

[EDIT - some rationale]

1. When you buy the game on Apple App Store you can use the same game on all your family computers at the same without any restrictions. The only limitation observed is that you cannot multiplayer between family computers with the same game instance.

2. When you play one of the games purchased on App Store on one computer you still can play another game purchased on App Store on other computers - no questions asked.

Ergo - Steam Family is indeed a flawed option comparing to what you get when you buy the same game from other distributors.

And my ask to Steam team - pls. look into this.

[Tev]

You can always play someone else's library who uses yours at the time; or play non-Steam games while they play games on your library.

I mean, having the option albeit limited is better than not having it at all.

There were easy ways to exploit it before where two people could even co-op games using Steam Family Sharing (i.e. I played Borderlands 3 like that), but since Steam Deck came out, those things have been patched out.

[Tito Shivan]

It makes sense as it's how your library works. You cannot play games in your library in multiple computers at the same time, neither you can with a family shared library

[failsafe]

Family sharing is something that sounds good but in reality is nothing really. If you have five computers at your home it doesnt matter if you have your account on all of them or whether you do family sharing. The either option is just saving some time if other member of the family doesnt need to log out from his account to log on yours. I believe this function is useless but for some people who dont know how it works maybe it is something that make them buy certain game, because they imagine that they may play it together on two cpu's. Anyway, dont expect any updates to valve policy in this case. Consider "family sharing" as virtual option without real benefits.

[d3str0y3r]

Originally posted by sbiggy:

I experienced it first time. The fact that I cannot play my game while my family plays theirs is pure nonsense. I know there has been similar discussion 2 years back, but this is nonsense indeed.

You either get the system we have now or no Family Share at all. Without limit people would rent accounts out and every publisher would pull their games off family share...

[Tev]

Originally posted by failsafe:

Family sharing is something that sounds good but in reality is nothing really. If you have five computers at your home it doesnt matter if you have your account on all of them or whether you do family sharing. The either option is just saving some time if other member of the family doesnt need to log out from his account to log on yours. I believe this function is useless but for some people who dont know how it works maybe it is something that make them buy certain game, because they imagine that they may play it together on two cpu's. Anyway, dont expect any updates to valve policy in this case. Consider "family sharing" as virtual option without real benefits.

I mean, ultimately it's like having multiple profiles on a system, where up to 5 users can be authorized to access your games from that device (+ 9 others)

It coming out alongside the Steam Machines plan was likely not coincidental.

[denhama]

I don't get family share either, I can purchased 2 different games on (old school) disc and quite happily play them on 2 different computers at the same time, I can understand only allowing 1 instance of a game to be played but not locking down the whole account to 1 instance

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by denhama:

I don't get family share either, I can purchased 2 different games on (old school) disc and quite happily play them on 2 different computers at the same time, I can understand only allowing 1 instance of a game to be played but not locking down the whole account to 1 instance

Physical has a lot of restrictions to lending vs digital. You can't share your physical library like you can your digital. While many people won't abuse it, and loosening of the rules regarding family sharing would leave to massive abuse as people would just use a shared account and pool all their games instead of buying their own

[No skill only Tiktok]

I think you can play games in offline mode

[sbiggy]

Originally posted by Tito Shivan:

It makes sense as it's how your library works. You cannot play games in your library in multiple computers at the same time, neither you can with a family shared library

Except you can.

Live example - I have an instance of Civilization 6 bought from App Store (same price) . I can use it simultaneously on 4 Macs - no questions asked. The only feature I cannot use with the same install is multiplayer on all 4 with the same game instance.

Again - not only I can use the SAME game library (i.e. all games purchased via Apple), but also SAME game on all 4 computers at the same time.

[sbiggy]

Originally posted by failsafe:

Family sharing is something that sounds good but in reality is nothing really. If you have five computers at your home it doesnt matter if you have your account on all of them or whether you do family sharing. The either option is just saving some time if other member of the family doesnt need to log out from his account to log on yours. I believe this function is useless but for some people who dont know how it works maybe it is something that make them buy certain game, because they imagine that they may play it together on two cpu's. Anyway, dont expect any updates to valve policy in this case. Consider "family sharing" as virtual option without real benefits.

Family sharing works properly on games purchased on App Store for Mac. Everything can be used at the same time. Same games, other games purchased via App Store. Everything witting Family Sharing works flawless there and Steam version is flawed in multiple ways.

[sbiggy]

Originally posted by brian9824:

Originally posted by denhama:

I don't get family share either, I can purchased 2 different games on (old school) disc and quite happily play them on 2 different computers at the same time, I can understand only allowing 1 instance of a game to be played but not locking down the whole account to 1 instance

Physical has a lot of restrictions to lending vs digital. You can't share your physical library like you can your digital. While many people won't abuse it, and loosening of the rules regarding family sharing would leave to massive abuse as people would just use a shared account and pool all their games instead of buying their own

Originally posted by brian9824:

Originally posted by denhama:

I don't get family share either, I can purchased 2 different games on (old school) disc and quite happily play them on 2 different computers at the same time, I can understand only allowing 1 instance of a game to be played but not locking down the whole account to 1 instance

Physical has a lot of restrictions to lending vs digital. You can't share your physical library like you can your digital. While many people won't abuse it, and loosening of the rules regarding family sharing would leave to massive abuse as people would just use a shared account and pool all their games instead of buying their own

Except it's already there. My lesson is - you want to use game on all your family computers - don't buy it from steam - go to App Store - you can use the same game instance on all machines simultaneously.

Steam version of family sharing is simply flawed.

[sbiggy]

Originally posted by denhama:

I don't get family share either, I can purchased 2 different games on (old school) disc and quite happily play them on 2 different computers at the same time, I can understand only allowing 1 instance of a game to be played but not locking down the whole account to 1 instance

Steam family sharing explained in DVD world.
You purchase CIV6 on DVD and XCOM2 on a separate DVD.
You use CIV6 in one computer.
You are not allowed to use XCOM on other computer.

Apple Family sharing explained in DVD world
You purchase CIV6 on DVD - 1 game instance.
You can play CIV6 on all 4 computers. No questions asked except - you cannot use multiplayer between those 4 machines.

[sLy]

Great

[sbiggy]

Originally posted by Tev:

You can always play someone else's library who uses yours at the time; or play non-Steam games while they play games on your library.

I mean, having the option albeit limited is better than not having it at all.

There were easy ways to exploit it before where two people could even co-op games using Steam Family Sharing (i.e. I played Borderlands 3 like that), but since Steam Deck came out, those things have been patched out.

I'm only focusing on a flawed family sharing. It's 2023. The world has caught up with Steam. Family sharing on competitive game distributors WORKS.

So my ask to Steam team is to get you ** together and make yours work.

[sbiggy]

Originally posted by Tito Shivan:

It makes sense as it's how your library works. You cannot play games in your library in multiple computers at the same time, neither you can with a family shared library

You can play the very same game on multiple computers within family when the game was purchased on apple App Store.

Steam family restrictions are completely out of market standard for Mac.