I want to open a seperate Steam Account for my son on the same computer

[Brim_Stone]

Hi,

as the subject suggests, I would like to open a Steam account for my son on the same computer but of course installed separately on his log in.

Space on my hard drive is limited. Surely I don’t have to install a whole separate instance of Steam? I understand that the games he chooses to download and play will take up separate space - or will it? What happens if we both download the same game?

For example, I like Portal 2, he’s always begging me to play it, so if he downloads it on his Steam account (paid for separately of course) will there be two copies of the game on my hard drive? Or hopefully one copy with different ‘shortcuts’ if you like - on our different accounts?

IF I need to I can always partition and set his steam directory to a different drive?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated,

thanks

[Eimi]

You can create a new account for your son , and enable Family Share so he can play the games that you have in your account. You don't have to pay double for any game , as you two will be sharing.

[eram]

You can have separate accounts and use the same game files. Only the games he owns will be playable but all the games you own will appear. Family sharing would work but only 1 of you at a time can play. As soon as you want to play a game your son will be given 5 minutes to purchase the game or get kicked.

If you want separate accounts but share the same files 1st check the steam download settings and set steam game folders for all the locations you want to share game files then log out of the steam client and select create new steam account instead of logging back in. Once youve made the new account and logged into the new account go back to steam download settings and set the same game folders. You should then restart steam and everything should be working as intended.

[Satoru]

You probably want to look into a few options

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=5149-EOPC-9918

This allows you to control how your son can interact with their account

[Brim_Stone]

Thanks for such a quick response. I haven't used Steam that much - until now - so I didn't even know about Family View.

However, I don't think that's the option I am looking for.

I would like our accounts to be completely separate, but with the ability to save space on the hard drive. I have just bought a new desktop computer and installed steam here, but still have my old gaming laptop with Steam installed.

I want to have the opportunity for us both to play, for example Portal 2 in co-op mode, so we would both be logged into steam at the same time. Obviously the lucky one of us will be on the the more powerful desktop !

@eram, I’m guessing as you say I should look into the options of where I tell Steam to download the game files, log out, get my son to log in, then set his game download folder the same as mine.

Do you reckon that will work?

[ReBoot]

It will work if you buy a second copy of the game and play on two PCs. Or play splitscreen.

[Brim_Stone]

Split screen?!?

We will pay for the same game separately - and play on two different machines separately, but I'm looking for confirmation they won't be two copies of the same game on each machine.

[eram]

You can share the game files, you dont need 2 copies installed. Just set both accounts to share the same game folders. You can set that up by going to view/settings/downloads/steam library folders. Youll probably find that having 2 accounts on the same machine it's already going to share the same files.

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by Staberinde:

Split screen?!?

We will pay for the same game separately - and play on two different machines separately, but I'm looking for confirmation they won't be two copies of the same game on each machine.

There will be one set of game files on each machine.

[Brim_Stone]

thanks guys, I just added a new user account to this computer and of course the Steam short cut was already on his desktop.

Also I've changed the default Steam Library folder to another drive (same folder for both of us)
so no worries all around :)

[ KARR™]

Steam installs games to the same directory regardless of user who is logged in. So whoever logs in, if they own the game will see it as installed and can play it. (Eg: C:\program files\steam\steamapps\common\)

You may want on the PC to set up a windows account for your son as many games will create save files in 'My Documents' and you'll have issues overwriting each others saves.

When you are using the one PC - family sharing will work, whoever logs in can play the games from the other persons account.

When using two PCs, you'll each need to own a copy of the game to play together, but again, the game only installs once on each machine so regardless of who logs in, if it's installed, it's installed for them.

[Brim_Stone]

Thanks Karr - I love the horns on your name,

I think I've got it covered now, I won't be using family sharing at all, we'll both have our seperate accounts, I was just origanily worried about duplication of files filling up my hard drive.