Steam Family Sharing

[Dreakon13]

Just read through the FAQ, could someone explain it in laymans terms?

What's the difference between using this, and just giving my brother my account password and letting him play my games?

[TirithRR]

Originally posted by Dreakon:

What's the difference between using this, and just giving my brother my account password and letting him play my games?

Nothing really, except I'm pretty sure sharing accounts is a violation of your user agreement. Sharing your Library isn't.

And you can share you Library safely with any users, and will not have to give your account details to anyone.

[Salvego]

And your brother can have his saves and achievements like if he owned the game.
He is not using your account. He is using his account, with his friends, screenshots, videos and so on. And that is different.

[Dreakon13]

Originally posted by TirithRR:

And you can share you Library safely with any users, and will not have to give your account details to anyone.

Ah, well that's a different story. I can share any game with anyone on my friends list? So if a friend wanted to play The Walking Dead: Season Two, I just add his username to a list somewhere and it shows up in his library? As long as I'm not playing it?

[Perrywinkle]

the main advantage is your brother dont mess with your saves,achievements,items,friends etc,
is ussefull if you want to buy a single player game ,it really whort it

[RAGE]

I'd sure as hell like to know If I can share my account with a real life friend on my steam list, but from the looks of it, you can't. I just dont want to log onto my account at his house as he doesn't use antivirus. No way, will I log in at his house. But would love to give him access to my games when Im not playing my games, which is often. I mean seriously, who has 10 people in your house that plays computer games? This is worthless. At least let us share our library with at least ONE person from out friends list. We paid for the games, dont be penny pinchers.

[Silicon Vampire]

read the terms carefully. If he gets banned using your library, it could affect your account as well.

Only one person can use the library at the same time. you play, he gets kicked off the game.

[Τhe Rolling Cheese Wheel]

Originally posted by Burnt Man:

I'd sure as hell like to know If I can share my account with a real life friend on my steam list, but from the looks of it, you can't. I just dont want to log onto my account at his house as he doesn't use antivirus. No way, will I log in at his house. But would love to give him access to my games when Im not playing my games, which is often. I mean seriously, who has 10 people in your house that plays computer games? This is worthless. At least let us share our library with at least ONE person from out friends list. We paid for the games, dont be penny pinchers.

If you don't want to take risks then don't bother sharing.

[RAGE]

shouldn't be a risk, as you shouldn't have to log onto their PC with your account to begin with. they took this idea from Xbox ones failed attempt to share games afterall. And you didn't have to wounder to someones house to log in to share games. Got a uncle in south caroline, not gonna travel 10 states over to log in either. And cant give him my account to log in as that breaks the TOS. It's a rather valid point.

Nor does it state you can go to someones house, and login to your account to "let" them get your games. It states other people in your house :P

[Τhe Rolling Cheese Wheel]

It's family sharing, not friend sharing. You can also log in to anybody's account over teamviewer to authorize their computer for family sharing.

Keep in mind that this system is intended for in house sharing and not cross state/ cross country/ cross universe sharing.

[RAGE]

Just odd that they make it "10" accounts. Who has 10 family members in the same house? Are we all mormons? :P Family, is family. Is all im sayin. Even if they are a state away.

[Τhe Rolling Cheese Wheel]

Originally posted by Burnt Man:

Just odd that they make it "10" accounts. Who has 10 family members? Are we all mormons? :P

Where are you reading 10 accounts? It clearly says 5 accounts and 10 devices.

[RAGE]

5 alone, is alot. but as it stands its no different than you having one gaming PC in the same house that everyone can use the same account since only one person can play at a time any given way.

They are trying to step into the console market, and console players share discs, all the time.

I'd have alot of friends who would get the overpriced steam machines if they could indeed share games is all.

I get what your saying, and appriciate your calmness about the matter :)

[Τhe Rolling Cheese Wheel]

The difference is that each of those authorized accounts gets to have their own saves and achievements. This isn't intended for games to be shared infinitely forever and to whomever you want. It is meant as a pseudo-demo tool for family members to try out games before they buy.

If your intention is to buy one copy of a game and share to everybody you know, that isn't going to work with this system as that is not what it was made for.

[RAGE]

True, but as a person who has owned every console since Atari knows that when you borrow a game from a friend you never buy it afterwards, Unless it has very, very good multiplayer.

Each person can still get their own saves, on games anyway on the same steam account. When say I log into my Admin account, and try to load a steam game it doesnt use the save game files that are saved into my documents from my "non" admin account. Some games may vary.

the intention is to "share' like you should be able too in general. I love PC games, and usually buy disc based games if it doesn't require steam so IF I wanted to let a friend borrow it I can. Ya know?

[Τhe Rolling Cheese Wheel]

Right and then expose your account credential to theft by keyloggers. At least with family sharing you can authorize and then immediately change your password.

Again account sharing is against the terms of service, logging in one time to authorize a computer is not.

Devs gotta eat, devs need money to make more games. If the system allows you to share infinitely and to anybody you want, how are the devs going to find money to bring you more entertainment?