Splitting my account

[adi9626]

I'm getting fed up of waiting my turn for the pc. I'm thinking of putting a cheap pc in the kids room and giving them one of my screens. I tried playing cyberpunk on Steam link but the kids couldnt use the pc for their games. I want to run my account upstairs for them to play terra ect and cyberpunk downstairs on mine. Can I split my account into a kids account with me as the moderator? I hear it's not possible to put one account on two pcs? But how else do people play? This sitting around and waiting till bed time at 8pm ant good as I'm up early for work

[Cathulhu]

No, that is not possible. You are not allowed to give anyone access to your account in the first place. Every user should have their own account to begin with. You can then use Family Share to share games from your account to theirs.

Keep in mind that even with Family Share only one user can access a game library at any given time. The owner will take priority and if a lender is playing right now, they will get a five minute warning before the game is forcefully terminated.

[ReBoot]

Your best option would be Steam Family Sharing for "splitting", Steam Family View for moderation.

[Lilim]

Your kids need their own accounts.

Family Library Sharing

Family Sharing allows family members to share games while keeping their accounts separate.


Family View

Family View is a feature for parents and families to establish their own rules for what components of Steam are accessible.

[Crazy Tiger]

No, you can't split the account. Licenses are non-transferable. You can give the kids their own accounts and use family sharing. Keep in mind that also with family sharing only one account can access a library. So you as the main account holder need to be in offline mode and then one of your kids accounts can be in online mode.

Originally posted by adi9626:

But how else do people play?

My kids have their own laptops they require for school, they play on their own devices with their own accounts. We also have consoles, for example a Switch, so we rarely are in each others way here.

[adi9626]

So I set up an account for the kids, 6 and 8, so they don't know what they are doing, so really I have a second account, and then I move the games over that to theirs? How do I transfer the games over?

[Cathulhu]

Games can not be transferred. You have been told that multiple times already.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Originally posted by adi9626:

So I set up an account for the kids, 6 and 8, so they don't know what they are doing, so really I have a second account, and then I move the games over that to theirs? How do I transfer the games over?

You can not transfer games you own on one account to another.

[Jack Schitt]

I repeat what everyone else has said: We can't split our accounts and it's a violation of the TOS to share our accounts with anyone (including family). I haven't used family share so I don't know how it works from personal experience. Common sense says that may not be a plausible thing to do because it would take resources from your computer playing your games might need.

Your best option is to do as you're considering and get them their own computer for their games, buy them their games on their accounts or gift the games to their accounts from your account. It's probably best you buy their games for them on their accounts to unlock their accounts so their accounts aren't limited. Each account has to spend $5 on the Steam store so they can participate on community hubs (forums, add things to workshops, etc).

Tierra is on sale right now for under $4 USD. It would be wise to create their account now and gift the game to them now while it's on sale.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1686980/TIERRA__Mystery_Point__Click_Adventure/

They don't need to have the computer yet to receive a game as a gift. You can create the accounts with your computer and add them to your friends list from their account's profile and gift them games that way if gifting instead of buying from their account is how you decide to do it.

Steam FAQ on gifts:
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/2C02-3563-B72F-F117

Steam FAQ on limited (new) accounts:
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/71D3-35C2-AD96-AA3A

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by adi9626:

So I set up an account for the kids, 6 and 8, so they don't know what they are doing, so really I have a second account, and then I move the games over that to theirs? How do I transfer the games over?

Click the links you got, read the articles. Those are your best options.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Originally posted by adi9626:

So I set up an account for the kids, 6 and 8, so they don't know what they are doing, so really I have a second account, and then I move the games over that to theirs? How do I transfer the games over?

You setup family share on their PC.

Steps:
1 login with both accounts on said PC you want family share on.

2. login to your 1st account, enable family share, check the box for your 2nd account to family share with, then logout.

3. Login to your 2nd account, enable family share, check the box for your 1st account to family share, then should show your games from your 1st account in the library. Please note not all games can be family shared.

[Wayward]

Originally posted by Dr.Shadowds 🐉:

Originally posted by adi9626:

So I set up an account for the kids, 6 and 8, so they don't know what they are doing, so really I have a second account, and then I move the games over that to theirs? How do I transfer the games over?

You setup family share on their PC.

Steps:
1 login with both accounts on said PC you want family share on.

2. login to your 1st account, enable family share, check the box for your 2nd account to family share with, then logout.

3. Login to your 2nd account, enable family share, check the box for your 1st account to family share, then should show your games from your 1st account in the library. Please note not all games can be family shared.

Family share will not solve the OP's issue. The OP wants to be able to play while their kids are playing, but Family Share will not allow that. Only one user can play at a time while family sharing even if they want to play two different games.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Originally posted by Wayward:

Family share will not solve the OP's issue. The OP wants to be able to play while their kids are playing, but Family Share will not allow that. Only one user can play at a time while family sharing even if they want to play two different games.

:LN2TheEye:

Options are this.
- if OP playing single player games, and kids playing online games, then OP can set client to offline, which doesn't affect the kids that family sharing.

- If OP want to play multiplayer games then yes it conflict with family sharing. To which OP can just buy the game for 2nd account, then there no more conflict from that point on.

As far I seen OP say want to play cyperpunk, so family share wouldn't be a problem in this area. And assuming kids want to play multiplayer online as that often the go to these days, it make sense what OP has to do.

[adi9626]

I'm not sure what the issue is here. I know it's like buying a second console. But why if I own a game I can't take it upstairs makes no sense. I doubt it's against the rules to find a way around this that works for me. I'm not paying another £3. It's a principal thing

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Originally posted by adi9626:

I'm not sure what the issue is here. I know it's like buying a second console. But why if I own a game I can't take it upstairs makes no sense. I doubt it's against the rules to find a way around this that works for me. I'm not paying another £3. It's a principal thing

Imagine having only one console, or one disk, you can't have it in two places at exact same time.

[Crazy Tiger]

Originally posted by adi9626:

I'm not sure what the issue is here. I know it's like buying a second console. But why if I own a game I can't take it upstairs makes no sense. I doubt it's against the rules to find a way around this that works for me. I'm not paying another £3. It's a principal thing

The way around it has been mentioned already. Get the kids their own account, use family share and then the workaround that you are in offline mode and one of your kids in online mode.

There is no other way around it.

You bought licenses to access games at the terms of the service they are connected to. Valve dictates the terms together with the game developers/publishers.