Does local transfer works for preloaded games ?

[alfguid]

Got really bad adsl at home so i was wondering if it was possible to download the preload if a game at work with my deck ( or a not so recent laptop) and after that transfer the preload on the PC at home

[xarvn]

The Steam support page states that "the game needs to be released to the public and playable by both Steam users (no preloads)" as a requirement. I assume this applies generally to transfers between devices--even those for the same account/user--but am not completely sure. If it's not too much trouble or against company policy then you can take your device to work and install the game there, and then when you get home, you can try to install the game via local transfer. If it does not work then you can wait for the game to go live and try again. I suppose you can also manually copy the files over, but it may not work prior to the release date.

https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/46BD-6BA8-B012-CE43

[alfguid]

Originally posted by xarvn:

The Steam support page states that "the game needs to be released to the public and playable by both Steam users (no preloads)" as a requirement. I assume this applies generally to transfers between devices--even those for the same account/user--but am not completely sure. If it's not too much trouble or against company policy then you can take your device to work and install the game there, and then when you get home, you can try to install the game via local transfer. If it does not work then you can wait for the game to go live and try again. I suppose you can also manually copy the files over, but it may not work prior to the release date.

https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/46BD-6BA8-B012-CE43

Thanks for the answer. I'll try to pre download at work on the steam deck (laptop is a bit old , a bit worried if I'll have to decrypt the preload on it). Worst thing that can happen is that I'll have to decrypt the preload on the Deck and after that waiting for the local transfer.

[xarvn]

Here's another idea: If you happen to also have an external drive such as an external SSD or HDD, then you can, after adding a Steam Library to it, install the game on it at work with your laptop (probably the deck will not work for this because the external drive will need to be formatted in NTFS), then when you get home, add the drive to your home PC as a Steam Library. No transfer necessary. Thereafter you could move the game to a faster internal drive if wish. Good luck!

[Arshi]

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[alfguid]

Originally posted by xarvn:

Here's another idea: If you happen to also have an external drive such as an external SSD or HDD, then you can, after adding a Steam Library to it, install the game on it at work with your laptop (probably the deck will not work for this because the external drive will need to be formatted in NTFS), then when you get home, add the drive to your home PC as a Steam Library. No transfer necessary. Thereafter you could move the game to a faster internal drive if wish. Good luck!

Thanks for your help, do you happen to know if local transfer works for dlc too? The texture pack dlc is freaking huge to download again for me

[xarvn]

Originally posted by alfguid:

...do you happen to know if local transfer works for dlc too? The texture pack dlc is freaking huge to download again for me

DLC should also transfer locally provided that the source files from the deck/laptop contain the DLC. You have to make sure that your deck or laptop, has the DLC activated in the game properties, and that the DLC is installed. The DLC may not be downloaded when you first install the game. Instead the content may be added through an update which usually starts soon afterwards. Once this is complete, then when you attempt to use Local Transfer to install the game on your home computer, the game as well as the DLC will be transferred together. Note that the requirements will need to be met at this time (i.e. both computers are online, connected to the same network, are idle, have the local transfer setting active, and the game has to have gone live).

Generally speaking, I have found that DLC, by itself, will also transfer locally. For example you have two computers with the same game but with all DLC installed on one but with none on the other. Later you decide to activate the DLC on the machine that had it deactivated. The game will update and install the DLC through local transfer from the other computer. Note that some games do not require additional downloading or transfer of files because the DLC are integrated with the game. In such instances the term "downloadable content" may be somewhat misleading.