Lan Party System

[ScottyPhoton]

I'd like to see a system in place where I could buy ~4 licenses to a single game and be able to easily temporarly authorize people to use one of the licenses for local LAN games (say, be able to add their Steam usernames to a list for each game I can add/delete from). This should work without Internet access, but just a simple local network switch situation between the computers. The steam application would have to be able to see other computers on the local network for this to work. It would also be fine to have this possible through the Internet, but I'd want local for sure. I could buy gift copies, but then I'd end up buying a lot more than 4 if the group of lan party people I play with changes. I feel it's reasonable to have these extra licenses I could use as needed for a lan party I host.

edit: After thinking more about it, I would like to see two specific modes for the steam client called something like "lan party library mode" and "lan party client mode" where both would function off-line and communicate in a simple client-server setup. the person in library mode would basically be using the steam client as normal, but the clients on the local network would be able to temporarly reserve one of the library computer's licenses. They would also be able to download the game files from the library computer. So I would be able to stock up on licenses of various games that I could use in that library mode. The computers in client mode would obviously only have access to the games when connected to the library computer and were able to reserve a license. This general idea is used with some expensive 3d modeling programs where they have a floating license system that runs on the local network.

[MalikQayum]

Originally posted by ScottyJ:

I'd like to see a system in place where I could buy ~4 licenses to a single game and be able to easily temporarly authorize people to use one of the licenses for local LAN games (say, be able to add their Steam usernames to a list for each game I can add/delete from). This should work without Internet access, but just a simple local network switch situation between the computers. The steam application would have to be able to see other computers on the local network for this to work. It would also be fine to have this possible through the Internet, but I'd want local for sure. I could buy gift copies, but then I'd end up buying a lot more than 4 if the group of lan party people I play with changes. I feel it's reasonable to have these extra licenses I could use as needed for a lan party I host.

while sharing accounts is against terms, while it can be achieved fairly quickly what you need i wont go into details about that but what you could is apply for a turnement license:

http://steampowered.com/v/?area=tourney_limited_signup

[ScottyPhoton]

Originally posted by MalikQayum:

while sharing accounts is against terms, while it can be achieved fairly quickly what you need i wont go into details about that but what you could is apply for a turnement license:

http://steampowered.com/v/?area=tourney_limited_signup

Thanks for the info. That might be helpful to people who are doing serious tournaments. Though it seems like that's specific to a small number of games with a lot of restrictions and hoops to jump through. I like older games like the original Unreal Tournament and other games that still have local network play outside of multiplayer that requires Internet.

One person suggested to me that I have a few Steam accounts I fill with games and then just login each one into the given computers without the password saved. That seems like the best workaround assuming Valve doesn't care about a single person owning multiple accounts (no idea on that). Though, it's still a bothersome workaround.

Valve Steam is really close to being the platform for PC gaming. So I expect a lot from them and would want something like I described before going all-in with my cash. haha

[MalikQayum]

Originally posted by ScottyJ:

Originally posted by MalikQayum:

while sharing accounts is against terms, while it can be achieved fairly quickly what you need i wont go into details about that but what you could is apply for a turnement license:

http://steampowered.com/v/?area=tourney_limited_signup

Thanks for the info. That might be helpful to people who are doing serious tournaments. Though it seems like that's specific to a small number of games with a lot of restrictions and hoops to jump through. I like older games like the original Unreal Tournament and other games that still have local network play outside of multiplayer that requires Internet.

One person suggested to me that I have a few Steam accounts I fill with games and then just login each one into the given computers without the password saved. That seems like the best workaround assuming Valve doesn't care about a single person owning multiple accounts (no idea on that). Though, it's still a bothersome workaround.

Valve Steam is really close to being the platform for PC gaming. So I expect a lot from them and would want something like I described before going all-in with my cash. haha

they do not care about u owning multiple accounts however like i mentioned they do approve of account sharing like the way you suggested.. can they check it ? i doubt it but that does not remove the risc that these accounts eventually might end up suspended.

[TrOnzl3r]

I think this is a great idea. Many times have I found myself at a LAN an not everyone has the funds to purchase all the games they need. A temporary licence system to enable LAN play for a specified period without paying full game price is an excellent solution.

[ScottyPhoton]

Originally posted by -=MM=- F3NTRON:

I think this is a great idea. Many times have I found myself at a LAN an not everyone has the funds to purchase all the games they need. A temporary licence system to enable LAN play for a specified period without paying full game price is an excellent solution.

Pretty much, though I would be the one who buys multiple copies of the game that my friends could temporarly use. Similar to the 4-packs that a lot of games the store has as an option when buying The difference would be that I could link all of them to my account instead of gifting them. Then at the lan party I could let my steam library offer them up to people on the local lan for the night or whatever

[Black Blade]

I see these as a little problematic, as it's too easy to drop that into a store and use it for Steam-Cafe that closed down

Over all I do think will be awesome but Devs will need to be able to opt-in for it, and not just have it set up by default

Also for now at least try talking to the owners of the games abut it, maybe they can help or even push from there side

[Binary Flame]

I agree with this suggestion, but I have an idea to prevent abuse of the system. Add a license "timer" set between 12 and 24 hours, with a minimum 1 day cooldown for any steam accounts that had connected to it during that time.

I would also suggest that LAN licenses be only available for the games with local multiplayer, so people can't someone play through an entire single player game.

I know this would be a lot harder to implement, but have single player mode disabled during the LAN mode. This would make it so soneone couldn't go a LAN party and just play through the whole game.

[ScottyPhoton]

Originally posted by Binary Flame:

I agree with this suggestion, but I have an idea to prevent abuse of the system. Add a license "timer" set between 12 and 24 hours, with a minimum 1 day cooldown for any steam accounts that had connected to it during that time.

I would also suggest that LAN licenses be only available for the games with local multiplayer, so people can't someone play through an entire single player game.

I know this would be a lot harder to implement, but have single player mode disabled during the LAN mode. This would make it so soneone couldn't go a LAN party and just play through the whole game.

I think the single player games thing could be handled by the existing system for the most part. I'd see only games flagged as having multiplayer in the store would be available to buy multiple licenses for. I don't see it as much of an issue if they have a single player mode because someone paid for the license of every instance. I don't think developers would want to re-write their game to disable single player in this case, though I guess there could be a new steam integration flag passed when someone in lan party client mode gets a license to use the game (thereby disabling whatever they want for the temp user). I'd see this entire thing working no different in practice than buying 4 copies of a CD game back in the day that required the CD to be in the drive for the game to play. They could install the game on 10 computers, but only 4 would be able to play the game at once whether they are doing multiplayer or single player because they need the physical CD in that case. In the Steam case they would need to connect to the library computer and reserve a license temporarly.

A timer shouldn't be needed, but it could be a secondary safeguard. The client computers would only be able to play the game for as long as they are connected to the computer/steam account that's in library mode. As with normal LAN games there would be a simple server/client setup going on. The clients would likely have to input the library computer's local IP or there could potentially be automatic discovery (ah, I think some applications use local lan UDP broadcasts to find eachother before connecting).

[cajiN]

no idea

[DeadlyBGShadow]

I wrote a suggestion for Valve not to take away games you pay twice via bundle or refund you but a moderator closed the duscussion, so i see little chance for this idea to come to fruition if there is no money for them they won't bother. Other than that I support you because there is nothing like good old LAN Party Gaming.

PS: The way i see it Familly Sharing is to boost the sale of small games because there is bigger chance for you to buy them if you know that by sharing them others may play them as well (One Big Library). It's not meant for Multiplayer Exploit.

PS2: You can use Familly Sharing by creating X number accounts and stacking them with games for LAN, then Sharing them individualy to every account your friends will use for safety (so you can stop them from using the games outside of LAN) or just using the first acounts if you know your friends well.